shooting slugs at longer distances

[Ontarget]

When shooting 1 oz. slugs out to 50 yards and further, do you need to compensate for bullet trajectory? If so, approximately how many inches high or low should you aim at 50, 75 and 100 yards? Thank you.

[MarkCO]

Yes you do. How much depends on your gun and load and where (if) you have a ranged zero. Bead sights, rifle sights, open dot, fiber optic rib mounted, etc. will all be a bit different due to sight height and angle between sight line and bore. Most people don't "zero" their shotguns, and most have no idea where they hit at these yardages, so you might get a lot of "guesses".

One of the methods is to get her set up for shooting shot and then go shoot it at 25, 50, 75, 100 yards to see where it hits. Take 3 or 4 loads and pick the one that requires the least amount of hold-over/hold off. I shoot full power slugs and drop at 100 yards is about 5 inches. The reduced recoil slugs were dropping about 10 inches. That was measured at about the center of a group, if you can call it that. At 100 yards, some of the LR slugs were "grouping" over a foot and one not centered L. to R. Choke has an effect too.

At RM3G, the longer slug plates, which are about 12" x 18", at 80-100 yards probably had a hit ratio of about 10%. My 1st year, I sent 16 slugs downrange onto 6 targets and had 3 hits. This year I sent 7 slugs downrange for 6 hits.

So, basically, if you care about the 6-10 long range slugs targets, go to the range and get your dope worked out, only then can you be sure.

[Jesse Tischauser]

Did you guys shoot those slug targets freehand at RM3G? Those are pretty small in the heat of a stage.

My M2 Benelli with a LM choke doesn't require much aiming for IPSC targets at 50-100. With either full power or reduced recoil slugs I can hit it pretty easily with just a bead sight.

[Tyro Shooter]

I have finaly got my Benelli M2 just right with a Ghost ring rear and a LPA fiber optic front sight at any distance called for out to 150 yards.

i have 98% confidance in a first shot hit. . . . but . . . it took a lot of range time and experimenting

I took a target stand and 25 slugs and a roll of tape last January and worked it out from 25 yards to 150 with all of the chokes I'm likely to use in a sesson's worth of matches

and IF you have a handy barrel band clamp then you must know that when you take it off and clean the gun and you retighten it down . . yup you've changed your zero once again. . . not a lot but just enough to piss you off at the next match with 100 yard slug plates

I can change my zero by clamping down on the Bbl and mag tube 3" insted of 4"

differnt mag tubes clamped down hit in differnt places (thread pitch?) (( or it could be mag tube wall thickness and how the Barrel clamp is in contact and "Pushing the barrel when clamped))

I dont belive that there is a formula for hold over just due to the vast differenses in set up that there are out there.

If Benny is cranking them out the exact same way dozen after dozen then he could say "Start here" and off you go

If you are a Dremil, File & Rock gunsmith bolting on parts . . you've got do you own home work.

and only use what you know.

it wont help if you start changing slug brands . . .and some times lot #'s start to hit differntly

I treat my slugs like rifle ammo

I find what works in my gun, test it, Zero it, buys lots of it, and don't f*%@ with it

Currantly it is Winchester Ranger Low Recoil 1oz

this is my oppinion

it works for me . . . . this week

[VegasOPM]

My trick with my Benelli M1 and Remington reduced recoil slugs is the following.

I am zeroed at 25 yds, so point of aim= point of impact.

At 50 yds I aim at the top of the "A" zone.

At 75 yds I aim at the base of the neck.

At 100 yds I aim at the top of the head.

All of those will give me mid to upper "A" zone hits if all goes well. I like my system, since it doesn't take a lot of thought, since the aiming points are on the target- rather than in my head.

[MarkCO]

Did you guys shoot those slug targets freehand at RM3G? Those are pretty small in the heat of a stage.

On stage, 3 in '09, I shot the first 3 slug gongs off the top of the barrel on the right, the next three offhand. In '07 and '08, similar distance standards stage, all shots were rested on the 2x4 frame, kneeling. The rest of the slug gongs in the match I shot off-hand, as did most of the competitors. The fiber optic sights mounted on the rib really made slugs SO much easier for me.

Edited December 14, 2009 by MarkCO

[Rob01]

What chokes is everyone using with their slugs? I have been told not to go tighter than IC but have seen people post that they use down to modified. Not too familiar with chokes so thought I would ask.

[Jesse Tischauser]

Use LM for everything ukess you have a hoser stage with clays then use CYL or Diffusion.

[mike_pinto]

Rob, I use a Briley diffusion for slugs and can get real good groups with Federal Tru-ball light recoil. I can also use my spectrum light modified. Either one works real well and you won't need to switch for close up birds or steel. Let me know if you would like to get some more information on the Briley tubes.

Mike

[Charles Bond]

Rob, I use a Briley diffusion for slugs and can get real good groups with Federal Tru-ball light recoil. I can also use my spectrum light modified. Either one works real well and you won't need to switch for close up birds or steel. Let me know if you would like to get some more information on the Briley tubes.

Mike

So what are you going to use with 25 yard steel with slug targets on the same stage at 50 yards. That defusion choke is not going to work in a reliable manner for the steel. The light modified is pretty tight for slugs

[Tyro Shooter]

Chokes used

Mod

IC

and when I forget to change it out an IM

tested them all at known distances and actuly wrote it down . . . if I could find it again that would be great.

[WS6]

I have played with IC and MOD chokes and slugs from my M4. At 50 yards either will shoot Remington Sluggers as tight as you can hold. Usually 2-3" CTC if I don't pull any. Often times I have a jagged hole the size of a baseball in the paper I am shooting at if no pulling occurs.

[mike_pinto]

Yeah, I have never had an issue with the light modified being "too tight" and the diffusion is effective at 25 yards, if needed on steel. I have see ony 2 COF's that I could not use the diffusion on if shot correctly. It is deadly on stationary clays type stages. The question was about the slug shots though.

M

[Rob01]

Thanks for the info guys and sorry for going off topic but I am just trying to get a grip on the slugs.

Mike I have been reading Briley's site and it's got alot of good info.

[bigbrowndog]

Charles, LM is not "too tight" for slugs. Kurt and I have been using it for years with no ill affects.

I have gone as tight as Imp Mod, at times. taking into consideration that many makers use different constriction for thier chokes if you want ot be absolutely positive with your own gun, simply cut open a slug and drop it down the bore to check for too much friction.

trapr

[whiskey1]

My most two often used chockes are LM and IM by Carlson. I shoot slugs through both with no problems and tigher groups than I can hold of-hand during a stage.

[mpeltier]

I use extended Skeet or Light modified. Slugs are a bit more accurate thru my skeet choke.

I have used chokes as tight as modified. Light modified is not to tight for slugs.

If you use Foster type slugs they should be ok in all but the tightest choke constrictions. Those slugs have viens (some call it rifling, but it imparts no spin to the slug that would stabilize it) that is a design feature which allows the slug to swage thru a choke.

[HRider]

I don't shoot many slugs, but I checked my gun the week before Benning. With my Ghost Ring sights set for shot at 25yds, I hold at roughly the top of the A on an IPSC target for a 50yd slug, and hold on the head for a 100yd slug. On the LaRue's at Benning, I held at the bottom of the "head" and went 3 for 3. I am using a factory Benelli modified choke tube.

Hurley

[Charles Bond]

Charles, LM is not "too tight" for slugs. Kurt and I have been using it for years with no ill affects.

trapr

YMMV I have a much nicer group with my Remington Reduced Recoil Slugs with the more open chokes.

[Jesse Tischauser]

Reviving an old thread here. Have you guys ever heard of damaging your barrel, chokes, threads in barrel from shooting slugs through chokes or too tight of a choke? Can several thousand rounds of slugs damage things?

[Big Bore]

All I run is a modified choke for all of my slugs. With Federal low recoils I can shoot a 6-8 inch group at 100. If I have a mixed slug/shot stage I stick with the modified and run spreaders if needed. If it is a all clay stage I will change out to a improved choke.

AS far as damaging a choke, you can run them through full chokes with no issues, other than a lot of lead to scrub out.

[Jesse Tischauser]

AS far as damaging a choke, you can run them through full chokes with no issues, other than a lot of lead to scrub out.

I have read all the posts hear about slugs and chokes but I have been arguing with some idiot on another forum that is trying to tell a bunch of young and impressionable 3 gunners that shooting a lot of slugs or buckshot through a choked shotgun will eventually damage the barrel/choke threads.

He keeps saying that LE that shoot a bunch of slugs or buckshot and duck/goose hunters that shoot a lot of large steel shot will eventually have to have their barrels re threaded. I for one have never heard of this being a problem and I would like to learn more about the situation so that I can set these guys straight.

Thanks for your input.

Edited March 5, 2010 by jtischauser