stevem 0 Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 The only way to combat ignorance is to ask dumb questions, right?Well, I'll admit I'm pretty new to this stuff and this is my first shotgun.What I have is the "standard" Saiga 12 ga model with the fixed full 1.0 choke.Is there any reason that I can't shoot slugs and/or steel shot through this gun?The reason I have to ask is because in the instruction manual(yes, some people actually READ them) it says-"**For steel shot or slug use Cylinder or Improved Cylinder tube." Will I damage my shotgun if I send slugs through it as is?Should I take it to my local gun shop and have an improved cylinder installed?How much $$ should I expect to spend?Any info you guys could give me would be very helpful.I don't want to be ignorant forever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackhammer 0 Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 Slug's no - steelshot yes. I have the same gun, I use Nitro mag 2 3\4 steel bb's and they pattern nice at 25 yds!!! I have noticed no damage at all. I wouldnt use slugs tho unless you get your gun threaded for remington choke tubes and use nothing tighter than a modified for slugs!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ronswin 26 Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 You can use slugs in the full choke Saiga 12 with no ill effects as long as the slugs are the Foster type (soft lead). These are the standard Remington/ Winchester ,etc. slugs. Other types (Brenneke?) have harder alloy slugs that won't compress easily throught the barrel choke. I was patterning my Saiga 12 with a friend who has the same (22 inch w/full choke) and he had 3.5 inch groups at 50 yds., benchrested using Remington 3 inch Mag Slugger slugs. Very accurate from an inexpensive shotgun. Recoil was tolerable and less than other autoloading shotguns. Ron S. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackhammer 0 Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 Im sorry but the is a old shotgun rule "dont use slugs in a full choke duh" if this will make you feel better cut a slug shell open(use the 'foster type")and try to insert it in the barrel muzzle first ------dosent' fit huh I myself would not shoot slug's outta mine! Why anyway??? do not use a shotgun for a rifle purpose- a shot gun is just that take advantage of the multi-projectiles remember A shotgun is a CQC weapon dont forget it!!! try some # 4 buck or steel shot BB (27 pellets for #4buck 48 pellets for #BB in a 2 3/4 shell )!!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 No (he's not crapping you!), actually Foster type slugs are perfectly acceptable to shoot in modern full-choke shotguns. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stevem 0 Posted July 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 So I got 2 for using slugs, and 1 against it.I still haven't shot slugs through it anyhow. Maybe I'll get some more oppinions here...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sheik Yerbouti 0 Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 I only shoot slugs out of a barrel designed for it (rifling in the last 6 inches) or a CYLINDER choke. I would never shoot a slug in a barrel labeled FULL. Of course, Saigas are so inexpensive, that if you blow up the barrel, you could just buy a new one. You could probably sell the parts for the old one on eBay for enough money to pay for the new one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
inparidel 4 Posted July 6, 2003 Report Share Posted July 6, 2003 (edited) I have been shooting since I was 6; I have always been around guns and shooters. The bottom line: If you use slugs of any kind in a full choke gun, you are stressing the muzzle beyond what it was designed to endure. It's not a question of if it will split, but when. The metal will fatigue. Slugs should be used in cylinder bore, but can be used pretty safely in terms of stress with improved cylinders as well. Edited July 6, 2003 by inparidel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CheeseHead 0 Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Slugs in full choke is bad for the gun. As far as the shotgun being only a CQC weapon ... not! I use my saiga for everything! In the county I live in I can't use a rifle or buckshot ... it's slugs only. So shotgun slugs out 50 yards are the norm around here. I have the same gun as stevem and struggled with the same "What to do with the choke?" question. I could have had a local gunsmith install a remchoke system for $45 and buy chokes at $35-$50 a pop. But I think I'll send it to marblesoutdoors.com and have them put a vented Poly-Choke on for $150. I like the Poly and I think it would look cool on the gun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sheik Yerbouti 0 Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 ...have them put a vented Poly-Choke on for $150... You might also consider a Cutts compensator. They work pretty good, too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 I think I e-mailed Marble's once about doing the exact same thing for me (cut down and install a Poly-Choke on my Saiga-12) and the person who replied (gunsmith there, I assume?) said he wouldn't waste his time working on a Saiga. Sure hope their lousy attitude has improved since then. But I think I'll send it to marblesoutdoors.com and have them put a vented Poly-Choke on for $150. I like the Poly and I think it would look cool on the gun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mickporno 0 Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Slug's no - steelshot yes. I have the same gun, I use Nitro mag 2 3\4 steel bb's and they pattern nice at 25 yds!!! I have noticed no damage at all. I wouldnt use slugs tho unless you get your gun threaded for remington choke tubes and use nothing tighter than a modified for slugs!! ******************************************** i've shot the foster style slugs thru my 22" full choke barrel with no ill effect...why??....i use this gun almost exclusively for competing in 3-gun matches...every one i've done so far has said "NO STEEL SHOT"....and you are almost always required to shoot some slugs in the normal course of fire....you guys need to stop whining and just shoot the damned guns....if my barrel blows up i'll let you know..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ronswin 26 Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 A simple search on the net produced this: "One of the major reasons was that manufacturers had to design the slugs to pass through any shotgun barrel, regardless of the choke or bore diameter. As a result, a slug that passed nicely through a tight-bored, full-choke barrel would virtually rattle its way down an open-choke tube." www.outdoorcanada.ca/gone_modern.html "Slugs may be fired through choke tubes except those with X-Full constrictions or designated "Turkey tubes". Generally, open choke tube constrictions will produce more consistently accurate groups. The "Improved Cylinder" tube is a popular choice for slug shooting." www.mossberg.com "However, these lead ridges don't impart a stabilizing spin; their sole purpose is to allow slugs to compress safely when passing through restrictive shotgun chokes. Open-choked guns shoot slugs harder and more accurately than do tight-choked guns." www.idfishnhunt.com "if you are shooting foster (rifled slugs) you can shoot them in about any choke. Improved and cylinder chokes will shoot foster slugs more accuratley." talk.shooters.com " If you shoot a sabot slug through a full choke barrel, there is a real risk that the barrel may damage, bulge or even split. I had three split barrel cases brought into the shop last fall. All were full choke, all shot sabots. On the other hand, your standard forester (or rifled slugs by another name) are made of soft lead, while your gun barrel is made of steel. In 35 years in the gun business, I have never seen a single incident where a barrel was blown or bulged by the standard forester rifled deer slugs ... regardless of the choke." (Hawkeye Guns Unlimited) www.angelfire.com/tx/ShotGun/story1.html Bottom Line: If you don't feel comfortable shooting slugs, don't shoot slugs! Ron S. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stevem 0 Posted July 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2003 Now I feel a little more informed on this topic.Thanks for the input fellas.I was wondering about this because in the neighboring county you can only take deer with a shotgun.It seems like a Saiga 12 set up with a red dot scope & slugs would be a pretty good set up for deer hunting there.Well, if I don't get a new freezer before this fall, I won't be looking to take any deer anyway. Hey CheeseHead, let me know how you make out with yours if you have it done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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