Roboslug wrote:OIG,
Do you have any similiar advice/observations for smoothbores?
Thanks
Guess the twist issue won't apply here, smoothies not having rifling of course. Beyond that, there are a couple factors that come into play. First "rifled slugs" should not be expected to act like slugs or sabots fired from an actual rifled barrel. They do NOT really impart much spin either in the barrel or out in the air, where the theory was that just pushing through the air would cause them to spin as the air traveled over the "rifling"
What you actually have is just a bunch of edges that create some turbulence in the airstream behind the slug. What we've seen is foster type slugs wth some length to them tend to stabilize better and stay on course longer than shorter versions of the same design. Better BC = Better Accuracy, period.
Fans of the round ball will jump in here and argue that their most perfect sphere is better than all oblong slugs and can be as good as sabots when THEY shoot them against others using the modern setup. A wonderful, mystical, dreamy kind of world these guys live in, kinda like the pleasant place we used to go when smoking really good weed, back in the day.
Reality check; if round ball in 20 or 12 gage was accurate, there would not be any fosters out there. There is a picture on another thread here of a Lyman 525 "Dumbbell" shaped slug that is very popular, being used by many shooting smoothies and some with rifled guns as well. another variation on the theme that this kind of shape somehow uses airflow to keep it straight, air deflecting over the flat face flowing into the narrow section and then striking the second big bore section hard wnough to keep that end firmly pointed to the rear. Works until the slug starts to lose speed. Subsonic velocity it tumbles end over end, causing rapid loss of speed and a fair amount of flyers.
Basically, best accuracy with smoothbore at the longest range is going to be achieved with a soft lead Foster type slug with a hollow, fairly thin back skirt for gas sealing, as much length as possible, and as much muzzle velocity as you can pack in without making the shooting experience a big pain in the ....shoulder. Those cute rifling cuts on the outside are entirely optional.
Brennke slugs are probably the best current choice, combining the preferred features with a rock bottom price that has an appeal because cheaper ammo means more practice before you go out in the woods and apply what you learned on the range. The big three all make comparable slugs for smoothbore, or you can load your own very inexpensively.
The standard, and necessary, caveat with smoothies is "know your range to target, and the trajectory you can expect from the ammo and gun you are using, and NEVER try for a killshot on live game that is beyond the distance you are 100% comfortable shooting."
Sounds stupid, I know, but there has not yet been a single hunting season in my life without several instances of somebody taking a too-long shot, injuring an animal, and causing unnecessary suffering for both the animal and the dumbass hunter, if he/she has any feelings at all.
Rule of thumb for real world hunting is that smoothies with good foster slugs need to be used under 75 yards and preferably under 50 yards, and the best sabot/rifled barrel setups STILL should not be used beyond 125 yards, no matter how good you think you are. OK, now everyone jump up with the tales of 200 plus shots that worked out, so we can get out our ballistics tables for your ammo and see who's full of what....
