Shotguns - Rifled vs. smooth

[moischmoe]

I want to buy a shotgun, but I can't decide between a smooth or rifled barrel. I understand that a rifled barrel will help extend slug accuracy.

What does rifling do for buckshot or birdshot?
What's your favorite kind of barrel?
Also, would 20 gauge be OK for deer hunting and home defence?

I will be shooting small game and varmits, the occasional clay targets, and paper targets. I don't hunt, but I want the capability to hunt deer if I ever decide to start hunting in the future.

 

[RichardR]

A rifled barrel is only used for shooting saboted slugs.

A smooth bore barrel is used for shooting rifled slugs, birdshot & buckshot.

 

[Kase]

A smoothe barrel will give you much more versatility between hunting different game. Rifled barrels will only shoot saboted slugs, and those can be a little more expensive than just rifled slugs.

Yes, you lose some accuracy, but being able to shoot mutliple loads out of the same barrel is worth is to me. Smooth bore all the way

And yes a 20 gauge is very capable of deer hunting or home defense. If an intruder catches a slug to the chest, I doubt he'll know whether it was a 12 or 20 gauge Just my

 

[U.S. Patriot]

In my honest opinion, unless you are going to deer hunt exclusively, I would personally go with a smooth bore barrel. The smooth bore barrel allows for a larger range when it comes to load out. You can choose bird shot, buck shot, or rifled slugs. I have a 28" if I want to shoot clays or what not. Then I also have a 18.5" barrel for home defense.

 

[oneshotonekill]

Smooth bores are plenty accurate. I can shoot skoal can groups at 100 yds with my 870. That's also with the cheap Remington sluggers. Don't be hesitant to get one.

 

[gunbunnies]

Smoothbore = more versatile

 

[singlesix]

Get the smooth bore and if you get a Remington or Mossberg (only two I am sure has after market barrels) you can get a rifled barrel later if you decide to get into hunting. There maybe other shotguns with after market barrels, but these are the two I have used.

 

[calcot7]

What if any damage would be done from shooting shot loads from a rifled barrel?

 

[nate77]

I Doubt shooting lead shot through a rifled barrel would do any damage, since Taurus does it with its judge line with no problems, but it would pattern like crap since you are spinning the load and spreading it out.

 

[FERLACH]

I would agree with all the above text. Smooth bores can be very accurate. Years ago, I had a Ithaca Deerslayer that would put 3 slugs in a 2" circle at 50 yards.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Smooth bores are plenty accurate. I can shoot skoal can groups at 100 yds with my 870. That's also with the cheap Remington sluggers. Don't be hesitant to get one.

I am blown away as well with how accurate those cheapo Remmy Sluggers are compared to sabot slugs (with rifled barrel) or Brennekes are (in smooth bores) for the price! Mine put up a good groups at 100 with iron sights (Have not scoped my current 870 yet).

I Doubt shooting lead shot through a rifled barrel would do any damage, since Taurus does it with its judge line with no problems, but it would pattern like crap since you are spinning the load and spreading it out.

This! Firing shot through rifled barrels really throws the pattern off, can even make a doughnut shaped hole in the target as it spins the shot around in a shotgun. One can shoot a bunch of shot through rifled bores, but it really leads up the barrel, throws the shot unpredicably (there goes home defense) and in general isn't smart.

Therein lies the issues with the Judge in reference to accuracy: The rifling they give it makes shot pattern like crap, doesn't play well with shotgun slugs (.410 slugs) as the slugs are just rifled slugs (which don't play well in rifled bores), and the rifling is shallow to accomodate .410 shot that it doesn't lend itself to accuracy with .45 LC (not to mention the excessive freebore, it isn't like shooting .38 our of .357).

To the OP: It sounds like you need a quality, well made smooth bore barrel with iron sights (or red dot). Shooting shot with a scope is strange, but ironsights/red dot will give you a quick aquisition with shot but more precision with slugs than a bead sight can.

 

[mvriley315]

I was also looking to buy a new shotgun and was debating between a rifled or smooth bore barrel. Can you shoot Remington Sluggers through a rifled barrel without damage to the barrel? Does anyone know how the accuracy would be?

 

[alan robert]

You can always buy a shotgun that allows barrel changes, and get one of each.

Good luck in your choice.

 

[BearArms Jim]

Remember the good ole days when Reminton slugs were a $1.99 a box? That was when you could buy a dime bag for a dime.

and to the decision in question... SMOOTH SMOOTH SMOOTH

 

[dave29]

Buy a combo, they usually aren't that much more, especially when Dick's has some crazy sales.

 

[choppers]

Get the smooth bore and if you get a Remington or Mossberg (only two I am sure has after market barrels) you can get a rifled barrel later if you decide to get into hunting. There maybe other shotguns with after market barrels, but these are the two I have used.

It's my opinion but i would just by a combo, where you get both barrels with the gun. That way you can do what ever you want. If you say i'm not gonna hunt deer & later decide to, buying an extra barrels gonna cost you more than if you would have just bought a combo in the 1st place. If you shop around you can get a good deal. You might try Bradis or Dicks Sporting goods.

 

[willie69]

smooth bore but rifled barrel will shoot any slug thru it not just sabots i have four deer heads on my wall to prove it

 

[willie69]

i have a browning a5 that i have hastings slug barrel for and i can switch to a smooth bore barrel when i'm no hunting deer

 

[MarlinMan68]

Not trying to threadjack here but also have a ?I recently bought my first shotgun from a friend.Its a Savage 775a 12ga with a 28" barrel.He said it is a Browning A5 copy but an earlier version because it has a standard design receiver.It has a smooth barrel and I'm assuming it is a field barrel.He said I shouldn't shoot slugs through it and like I said its my first shotgun.The gun is solid and seems well built but the barrel seems thin to me.My only experience is with older double sidexsides and they are thicker.Any input please?

 

[dave29]

Not trying to threadjack here but also have a ?I recently bought my first shotgun from a friend.Its a Savage 775a 12ga with a 28" barrel.He said it is a Browning A5 copy but an earlier version because it has a standard design receiver.It has a smooth barrel and I'm assuming it is a field barrel.He said I shouldn't shoot slugs through it and like I said its my first shotgun.The gun is solid and seems well built but the barrel seems thin to me.My only experience is with older double sidexsides and they are thicker.Any input please?

What choke does it have?

I wouldn't shoot slugs thru a full choke. If it has a modified or improved choke, I'm sure it would be fine.