Slugs!

[savage762]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum. I just bought my first shotgun, but definitely not the first time I've shot one. I have your "basic" version of the remington 870 express tac, the version without the forsight, mounting bracket and choke tube. My question is, I'm wanting to know if I can shoot slugs through it? I guess I'm under the impression that you need a rifled barrel in order to do so?

[Chief Brody]

You're good to go. You can shoot rifled slugs through a smooth barrel, no problem at all. Enjoy, and welcome!

[DaveC]

I'm taking a break from cleaning my Remington 870 synthetic express 4+1 18-1/2" cylinder bore with youth-sized l.o.p. pistol grip stock and EOTech IFL installed. Took a third defensive shotgun class, which was really great to reinforce basics, but also introduce cover and movement drills. We even did an "operate the pump shotgun" one-handed drill, which was quite a workout. Mine was the only 870, other folks brought Mossberg 500s, some with "gee whizz" aftermarket modifications.

I was frankly disappointed with the low-recoil 1oz. slugs from Remington. I could put them pretty much right where I wanted at 50 yards by holding quite low on the target. Unfortunately, shooting at 100 yards left much to be desired. I had no idea where the slugs were going, but it seemed they were really going high. Be sure to test your shotgun with the intended ammunition so you've got a good idea of how it patterns or groups.

[JBall]

I was frankly disappointed with the low-recoil 1oz. slugs from Remington. I could put them pretty much right where I wanted at 50 yards by holding quite low on the target. Unfortunately, shooting at 100 yards left much to be desired. I had no idea where the slugs were going, but it seemed they were really going high. Be sure to test your shotgun with the intended ammunition so you've got a good idea of how it patterns or groups.

Sounds like you might need to invest in some aftermarket sights with drop and windage adjustments. I'll actually be doing a review soon on some very cool new U.S. made sights from a manufacturer in Minn. Minnesota. Check them out at spitfirearmory.com. I just spoke with the manufacturer and should have some shipped out to me very soon. Keep your eye out for the review, I'm very excited. expectations are high!

[DaveC]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look into it. I do just have the regular bead sight, which is of course more conducive to using shot. Still...! 50 yard slugs?! Perhaps I'll have to think about acquiring a rifle-sighted barrel. For defensive use, I do rely on buckshot. I've switched to the 26" barrel for white wing dove hunting, but that was not a very successful outing...Admittedly late in the season, so the doves were wary and on guard...

[Synchronizor]

\ I have your "basic" version of the remington 870 express tac, the version without the forsight, mounting bracket and choke tube. My question is, I'm wanting to know if I can shoot slugs through it? I guess I'm under the impression that you need a rifled barrel in order to do so?

I wanted to respond to this sooner, but life's been a little crazy lately.

The only type of slugs intended to be used in a rifled barrel are sabot slugs. Unlike all other types of shotgun slugs, which use principles of geometry, mass distribution, and/or fluid dynamics to fly stably, sabot slugs tend to shaped more like a rifle or pistol bullet, and need rifling to spin-stabilize themselves.

The Express Tactical 870s all have cylinder bores. You can safely shoot any type of slug through them, including sabot slugs. A sabot slug will shoot through a smoothbore barrel without a problem, but without any rifling to impart spin, it'll just tumble as soon as it leaves the barrel and it won't be very accurate past short ranges.

But hey, if a bunch of zombies have you and your shotgun cornered and all you have on hand are sabot slugs, go for it. Tumbling won't make a difference at close range; and whether it's spinning or tumbling, a sabot slug is still a several-hundred-grain hunk of metal moving at up to 2000 fps.

I was frankly disappointed with the low-recoil 1oz. slugs from Remington. I could put them pretty much right where I wanted at 50 yards by holding quite low on the target. Unfortunately, shooting at 100 yards left much to be desired. I had no idea where the slugs were going, but it seemed they were really going high. Be sure to test your shotgun with the intended ammunition so you've got a good idea of how it patterns or groups.

I've shot slugs with a bead sight-only setup, and I also had a tendency to shoot high until I worked out where to index the bead. I was trying to sight flat along the top of the receiver past the bead, but I kept instinctively raising the muzzle to put the entire bead right above that plane. Turned out I had to "cut off" a little of the bead's lower portion to avoid shooting high.

The choke also may have been a factor. I'm not sure about the managed-recoil stuff, but the full-power 1-oz Remington Sluggers are my bread and butter when it comes to slugs, and they seem to behave really well through an IC choke. I've heard the same thing from other slug shooters, and Remington recommends IC for the best performance on the packaging.

If nothing else, shotguns can be individuals when it comes to patterning, so there may be something else out there that would work better in your gun (though with just a front bead, I think 100 yards is pushing it for effective slug use with any ammo).

[DaveC]

I'll have to give that a try, Sync. Mine is a cylinder bore 18-1/2" barrel made by Mossberg for the Rem 870.

At 50 yards, I would hold low and hit the upper portion of the Texas CHL "giant bowling pin" target, and consistently so. But at 100 yard? ni idea! I even aimed a few all the way at the bottom of the paper, and I think they still sailed over the top. I do not use slugs very frequently, however. And the bead sight may be an issue at the longer ranges. I'll have to see.