I need info from a shotgun person.

[Charlie]

Although I've never owned a rifled shotgun barrel I'm just wondering.............will damage occur to the rifling/barrel of a rifled shotgun barrel if shotshells are shot through it? I don't mean if you never clean it after use or neglect it, I'm just wondering if the lead or steel shot will hurt the rifling? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dawico]

The wad should protect the rifling in the barrel, similiar to what the sabot on a sabot slug would do. It may cause excessive plastic build up in the rifling though. I haven't ever owned a rifled shotgun barrel, but something like the Taurus Judge has a rifled barrel and will shoot shot shells safely. On a side note, you should have a huge shot pattern at close distance as the spin on the shot will cause it to spread very quickly.

 

[RetArmySgt]

Beat me to it Dawico.

 

[Charlie]

Thanks for the info! I'll probably end up like High-Cap suggests by getting a smooth bore and shooting rifled slugs.

 

[medalguy]

OK, if the wad and shot cup "protect" the rifling, will the riflilng cause the wad to spin sufficiently to spin the shot into a bigger pattern? Seems like it wouldn't make the pattern any bigger.

 

[Dawico]

The spinning (even a little spin) causes the shot group to start to open as soon as it leaves the barrel, as opposed to staying together for as long as possible for a tight pattern. I have seen this tested (somewhere) and it is true. I would think that the shot would have a full spin on it through a 18" or longer barrel. I am guessing this is the same reason that the Speer shot shells for handguns are so worthless after about 10 feet, that and there is no wad.

 

[gerritm]

Make sure you get the shotgun with different screw in chokes or a modified or Improved cylinder choke fixed barrel. Slugs don't shoot well thru a full choke. A full choke is the most narrow at the barrel end and will carry your shot in a group the farthest, but is not good for slugs.

 

[MR Redneck]

Those rifles barrels your talking about are not for shot shells. My buddy has one for a 870 and it takes a special shell. The shells dont even look like your average slug. Shoot shells through smooth bores only. Otherwise you end up with slinging lead all over the place. Shot shell are not designed to spin.
With shot shells, the lead doesnt touch the bore. The lead stays in the plastic or teflon wad untill it leaves the bore.

 

[TexasSlim]

The wad should protect the rifling in the barrel, similiar to what the sabot on a sabot slug would do. It may cause excessive plastic build up in the rifling though. I haven't ever owned a rifled shotgun barrel, but something like the Taurus Judge has a rifled barrel and will shoot shot shells safely. On a side note, you should have a huge shot pattern at close distance as the spin on the shot will cause it to spread very quickly.

Yep. That's dead-on. Plus, on the Mohs scale of hardness, steel is way above lead, so lead shouldn't ever be able to hurt good ole steel.