Sabot vs Rifled

[Cookiemann]

I was just wondering...Has anyone ever done any slug shooting to see just how far you can shoot a Sabot out of a smoothbore before it starts to keyhole?    If you could get 25yds out of one and be accurate,  that might make a really good "Stopping Round".  If noone has ever checked this out, I may have to make a "Research Project" out of this question.  Yeah, I know...Why would you want to, when the Brennekes and Fosters are cheaper, you ask.   How about "Just for the FUN of it" LOL

Oh yeah,  HAPPY FATHERS DAY everyone.

[BuzzKill]

Never have tried myself, but I have a relative who uses the sabots in a smoothbore.  Now he still only shoots about 20-30 yards max in his particular location, but they seem to have worked fine as he has killed 2 with this combo.  They may be tossing and turning, but they somehow did the job.  He still doesn't understand that these slugs are not designed for his barrel.

[tscott]

seems this has been tossed around before...
Let me add:.......12 gauge!
I have found at 50 yards that the Foster type slugs out of my Rem 1100
shoot basically the same, as Rem sabots out of my rifled Mosberg trophy
slugster. On deer I found the Foster slug to have greater knockdown power. (Dead on spot vs 50 yard bloody recovery).
My solution for hunting: I bought a used NEF 12ga modified. I glued on those goofy sights off my huntsman = 2" at 75 yds, all I would need for the hunting I may do. I may get around to scoping, but I don't hunt in shotgun areas, having left NY.
My thoughts are that inside 80 yards, sabots are not worth the price. What do you folks think?

[Cookiemann]

tscott
That is what I needed to hear.  

On deer I found the Foster slug to have greater knockdown power. (Dead on spot vs 50 yard bloody recovery).

The "Knock Down Power" is what I was wondering about.  You have first hand info on that.  Thanks.

[Critter]

My personal findings have been exactly the opposite of tscott's.  I shot a lot of deer with fosters and brenneke's and almost always had to track at least a little no matter how good the shot was.  The only one that flopped over dead was shot in the neck and shattered his spine.  I switched to sabots after I got out of the Army in 94 so I have 10 years of hunting with them.  I have gotten a bunch of dead in their tracks deer using Rem copper solids and then this year switched to the Winchester platinum tips which I think work even better.   I had one deer run and he only ran about 30 yards, big bodied buck.
These are just my observations, not scientific data so take it for what it's worth.

[Cookiemann]

Critter,
Are you firing these sabots out of a smooth bore or rifled barrel.  What I am really interested is the characteristics of the sabot slug out of a smooth bore.  Knock Down Power,  Keyholing,  Range, POI...that sort of stuff.  Mostly just a curious question.

[Critter]

These are out of rifled barrels.  I would think that brenneke's or Dixie slugs would give better performance out of a smoothbore.

[Lost Okie]

Have tried the Rem sluggers and Win slugs (both for smooth bore) out of my NEF rifled barrel and kept all inside 18 inches at 50 yrds.  Cleaned barrel and tried the Rem Copper solids $$$$ and kept them inside a silver dollar at 50 yrds.  Have not tried the sabots in my smoothbore slug barrel but that option is open for this weekend if I make it to the range.  If I do, will update.

[Cookiemann]

Hey, at least one of us has a shot at some range time.  I have been on OT since it got warm enough to do that here in MN.  That means I don't get much done in the evenings so I have to do my chores on the weekends.  Should be slowing down soon, at least for a couple weeks.  Maybe now I will get to do some shooting.
I have only a smoothbore 20ga slug barrel.  I still may end up with a USH in 20ga.  With all the new sabot slugs coming out, its gonna be hard to resist getting one.  Let me know if you get a chance to try that experiment with the smooth bore and the sabots.  
BTW,nice shooting.  Silver dollar at 50yds...