Best Slug ammo for a rifled barrel?

Canaan Baker

Canaan Baker

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Hello. I recently picked up a Hastings rifled barrel for my Remington 1100 in 3” magnum and was wondering which slugs would be best? Would a sabot slug or a rifled slug work best for a rifled barrel and what manufacturer/brand do you recommend? Thanks
 
Use sabot slugs. Lead rifled slugs will fill up the rifling fairly quickly and it can be a bear to clean out.

From Hastings website -
WARNING! Remington Ammunition
Remington ammunition is not recommended for use in Hastings slug barrels. It has been reported that damage to the barrel can occur when customers used Remington sabot ammunition. To date, all reported damage has only occurred with 12ga ammunition.
 
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Hastings disclaimer raises questions. I’m curious as to the type of damage and the loads they satisfactorily tested

I have a Remington 9568 22” rifled slug barrel for my 1100 and never paid much attention to which brand sabot slug I used. I have never used rifled slugs even though many manufacturers say they are okay. In addition to fouling the barrel I was told that accuracy would suffer at longer ranges.

I would contact Hastings and ask them their recommendations
 
Artg56 said:
Hastings disclaimer raises questions. I’m curious as to the type of damage and the loads they satisfactorily tested

I have a Remington 9568 22” rifled slug barrel for my 1100 and never paid much attention to which brand sabot slug I used. I have never used rifled slugs even though many manufacturers say they are okay. In addition to fouling the barrel I was told that accuracy would suffer at longer ranges.

I would contact Hastings and ask them their recommendations
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Thanks, I will. Seems like sabot ammo is kinda hard to come by right now but I’ll look to keep it to sabot only and non Remington. I’ll await Hastings reply and share with the class, maybe they have harsher standards or more lax QC so we’ll see. Their reviews are good but the ammo exception does raise an eyebrow
 
Hard to say if they will have an issue cycling without shooting them. I’ve seen guns that would run either with no issues and another gun of the same model have issues with 2 3/4 shells.

I was going to recommend Lightfield slugs but just found out they quit making hunting ammunition. My next recommendation would be Brenneke sabot slugs

Home USA | Brenneke - Ammunition

www.brennekeusa.com www.brennekeusa.com
 
45/70fan said:
Use sabot slugs. Lead rifled slugs will fill up the rifling fairly quickly and it can be a bear to clean out.

From Hastings website -
WARNING! Remington Ammunition
Remington ammunition is not recommended for use in Hastings slug barrels. It has been reported that damage to the barrel can occur when customers used Remington sabot ammunition. To date, all reported damage has only occurred with 12ga ammunition.
Click to expand...
Man, that sucks. The one rifled slug shotgun really likes Remington’s Solid Copper Sabots … I am not a big Remington ammo fan at all but the Copper Sabots seem to be very good quality (Excellent for Remington’s past few years) and pretty damn accurate.
 
I'll second the Remington Solid Copper Sabots. The Solid in the name is a bit oxymoronic as it has four petals that break off the main projectile creating five wound channels. The last time I used one, the buck dropped so hard that I thought I had caught him in the spine. The field dressing showed no spine hit, just a clean upper lung shot.

After numerous times seeing deer turn on the afterburners for a quarter mile death sprint after loosing a significant chunk of their heart, I was pleased to not have to track it down. If I'm in a shotgun only zone, that will be the load I use.

Edit to add that I shoot an 870 but the barrel is a Hastings.
 
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Howland said:
I'll second the Remington Solid Copper Sabots. The Solid in the name is a bit oxymoronic as it has four petals that break off the main projectile creating five wound channels. The last time I used one, the buck dropped so hard that I thought I had caught him in the spine. The field dressing showed no spine hit, just a clean upper lung shot.

After numerous times seeing deer turn on the afterburners for a quarter mile death sprint after loosing a significant chunk of their heart, I was pleased to not have to track it down. If I'm in a shotgun only zone, that will be the load I use.

Edit to add that I shoot an 870 but the barrel is a Hastings.
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Having a Hastings barrel yourself have you had any concerns or issues during cleanings since you’ve used the Remington slugs? Until I hear back from them I’m somewhat skeptical that it’s a major issue and maybe just a CYA thing.
 
Average Joe said:
Hard to say if they will have an issue cycling without shooting them. I’ve seen guns that would run either with no issues and another gun of the same model have issues with 2 3/4 shells.

I was going to recommend Lightfield slugs but just found out they quit making hunting ammunition. My next recommendation would be Brenneke sabot slugs

Home USA | Brenneke - Ammunition

www.brennekeusa.com www.brennekeusa.com
Click to expand...
Yeah I saw those and it seems like the reviews are positive but seeing how it’s one of the few sabot rounds in stock everywhere I wasn’t sure if that was a red flag or not. Can always give it a go though
 
Canaan Baker said:
Yeah I saw those and it seems like the reviews are positive but seeing how it’s one of the few sabot rounds in stock everywhere I wasn’t sure if that was a red flag or not. Can always give it a go though
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I can’t speak for their sabot slugs. But I’ve shot some of their other offerings with good results. I know they are popular among the H&R rifled barrel owners. If you give them a try post a review and let us know how they shoot.
 
Got a reply from Hastings:
“Our fully rifled slug barrels are designed to shoot sabots. We do not recommend shooting rifled slugs or buckshot in fully rifled barrels.
Those ammo types will leave a lead residue in the rifling and deform the lead projectiles. They will alter the pattern and performance.
WARNING – Do Not Use Remington Sabot Ammunition; Some of the Remington ammo has been oversized causing a bend, bulge, or crack in the barrel.
Currently, we recommend Federal, Winchester, and Hornady. Each shooter, gun, and scope are different. You may have to try several before finding the best one for your situation.

Kind regards,

Hastings Distribution, LLC”
 
I have a 20" slug barrel with removable chokes for my 1187 12 ga. Rifled slugs are much more accurate with the modified choke than either the IC or the rifled choke. I don't have any sabot slugs to try with the rifled choke. It functions perfectly with 2.75" slug shells. Actually it functions perfectly with everything except very light 1 oz #8 shot.
 
Canaan Baker said:
Having a Hastings barrel yourself have you had any concerns or issues during cleanings since you’ve used the Remington slugs? Until I hear back from them I’m somewhat skeptical that it’s a major issue and maybe just a CYA thing.
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I've had zero issues and clean and inspect after each outing unless it was a hunting stand with no shots and no rain.

I've probably only got several hundred rounds even though I brought it to southern LP Michigan hunts (shotgun only) for around twenty years running. Finding an accurate factory load and zeroing the scope affords plenty of practice. Actual hunting rounds fired might average three rounds a year with a few more just to check zero.

As for Hastings claim of oversized ammunition (diameter I presume), I wonder whether it is out of spec or that copper doesn't deform as easily as lead - if their concern is with just the copper solids or all Remington sabot ammo.
 
Howland said:
I've had zero issues and clean and inspect after each outing unless it was a hunting stand with no shots and no rain.

I've probably only got several hundred rounds even though I brought it to southern LP Michigan hunts (shotgun only) for around twenty years running. Finding an accurate factory load and zeroing the scope affords plenty of practice. Actual hunting rounds fired might average three rounds a year with a few more just to check zero.

As for Hastings claim of oversized ammunition (diameter I presume), I wonder whether it is out of spec or that copper doesn't deform as easily as lead - if their concern is with just the copper solids or all Remington sabot ammo.
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I believe it’s the copper solids as my barrel still had the sticker but possibly it’s just concerns with Remingtons QC considering the very direct messaging.

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