What you see on the range

[Gil Martin]

While working as a Range Officer I have encountered various situations from shooters. Last week a fellow was trying to sight in a 20 gauge slug gun at 50 yards with dismal results. He moved to the 100 yard range with even more disappointing results. He moved back to the 50 yard range and was totally frustrated. I offered some assistance and looked over his assortment of ammo which consisted of name brand rifled slugs and sabots. He had been shooting rifled slugs. Then I examined the slug gun and scope. His shotgun had a rifled barrel and would not shoot rifled slugs accurately. I suggested trying the sabots and he was amazed at the tight groups. I am amazed at what I encounter on the range. All the best...
Gil

[Dan Morris]

I would have thought that a rifled barrel would have engaged the rifled slugs......guess I learned something! Unless the sabots were fitting the tube tighter giving more stability.
Dan

[wrenchman]

when i first started with slug guns i didnt no i thought slug was a slug and i even tryed to load buck shot with the slug.
I did find i could get ok groups with the foster typ slugs from some like the rem slug but it would drop off ral fast.
my son likes the hornedy and i shoot the winchester partition golds both can work at 200 yards

[buckhunter]

Taking my 14 year old granddaughter to the range Saturday. Main objective is to site in her (self claimed from Papa) 20 ga Benelli M2. I am bettin she would like the thump. Told her if she wants to hunt deer with a shotgun she will have to suck it up. I will give her one of those Pact pads so it shouldn't be that bad.

My Benelli was my retirement present a couple of years back. I have shot it about 10 times before loosing it to her. The other day I had about 4 of the kids looking into my safe figuring who was getting what. Man.

[wrenchman]

i got my son a 20gauge mossberg when he was 12 i took a target out to pratice from his stand when we went out to hunt the deer stoped right were the target was set up i couldnt set it up any better.

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

Why did the shooter NOT try Both slugs and sabots at 50 yards in the first instance? It reminds me of the blond who was using a coat hanger to unlock her driver's side car door in the Walmart parking lot. I walked over and opened the passenger door and told her, "This door is unlocked." She said, "Yes, I know and now I am working on this door!"

WHATEVER!

Perhaps shooters should try ALL ammo types BEFORE moving to the next range, thus not requiring your reasoned input. Have you considered posting such signage?

Adam

[Gil Martin]

The fellow mentioned in my post had at least six boxes of slugs consisting of either rifled slugs or sabot slugs. He started with the rifled slugs because that is what he was used to shooting in prior smoothbore shotguns. Certainly, he would have finally gotten to the sabot slugs. However, he was wasting ammo and getting flustered. His experience was educational and now he knows what his rifled shotgun prefers.

Regarding signage, we have various safety and range rule signs posted on all ranges. It is amazing how often folks do not read them. Hence, we have Range Officers on site nearly all the time to ensure compliance. Signs, like speed limit information, often are not followed and that requires enforcement. All the best...
Gil

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

As you may recall back in 2009 when you assisted me with the local gun club deer season sight-in, a fellow had some super-dooper deer slugs for his scoped shotgun that cost about $15 per five rounds. The fellow had expended 15 rounds and was "chasing" hits on his 25-yard target.

I disarmed him, emptied his shotgun and then TALKED him through his difficulty. It was timely, it seems, as he only had 16 rounds left and deer season opened the next day and he was not a threat to Tioga County deer!

My client had read an article in a gun magazine about using a rest, firing a shot and then moving the scope adjustments to "hit" the last slug hole. Problem WAS he did not keep his shotgun still! I calmly advised the fellow that he must not confuse himself and settle for tried-and-true procedures.

He shot 1 round at 25 yards. I adjusted the scope and we fired another round. A slight tweek and at 100 yards he hit just below the bullseye. One slight tweek and he was one inch high on the next round. The shooter was happy with and had a dozen rounds to go chase deer the next day.

I understand the process with shooters in need of direction.

Be well, Brother.

Adam