What is a shotgun 'slug'?

Question

I was told by an American friend that a 'slug' is shotgun ammo made up of a solid piece of lead rather than smaller shot.

Now I don't know anything about guns, but isn't a shotgun slug just a crude bullet then? Why would you want this when you can just use a large-calibre rifle which would fire a much more effective single projectile- surely the whole idea of a shotgun is that their ammo spreads out as it is fired?

Like I say I am no expert so please excuse me if I have made a mistake. Also, am I to gather these 'slugs' would be illegal for a shotgun owner in the UK, as I have never heard of them over here?

Thanks!

Answer 1

A shotgun Slug, is as most have described.
Thorght to be an invention of Americans, though they dont have much use over hear in the uk now since laws and ledgaslations with regards to what may be hunted with them have changed.
The slug is a hollowed (from the inside) with rifling on the outside, since there uncommon over hear the slug is rifled so that the barrel need not be.
No dout any one who has a shotgun certificate would think there fine to use ,,, Wrong-- in order to perchase and use them you most have a firearms certificate to which it has endorsed on it what you wish to use them for and the quantaty of slugs you may perchase and own at any one time.

Answer 2

Shotgun slugs are just another type of projectile. Your common slug is just a hunk of lead, basically, but a saboted slug is often a large, jacketed bullet sitting on a plastic cup inside the shotgun shell. The cup expands to form a seal against the wall of the barrel when the gun is fired, taking advantage of as much of the escaping gasses as possible. Some shotguns come with rifled barrels, while others come with a smooth barrel than can be switched out for a rifled one. Shotguns with a rifled barrel and saboted slugs are actually reasonably accurate, within 200 yards for the most accurate ones.

In some areas, like the tiny states in the northeast, there are areas where you're only allowed to hunt with a bow or a shotgun. The shotguns slugs will sometimes outperform a rifle at close range, with the advantage being that shotgun slugs won't carry as far, in the event of a miss or overpenetration, which is a real advantage in highly populated areas.

Answer 3

A shotgun slug is a big lead bullet shaped slug. In some states, because of population density, you can't use a rifle for deer (but some you can). So, those states allow slugs. They can be shot in smooth bores but are best in special rifled deer barrels. Some have a plastic 'sabot' around them which imparts a stabilizing spin to the slug, similar to, but not as good as rifling. They come in all shotgun ga.s. You might know the names Brinekee (spelling) and Fioche who make deer slugs, shotgun shells, and ammunition.
Some company has invented a solid brass slug that will shoot in a 1~1/2 inch circle at 150 yards and more. That's extreme for a shotgun. Slugs are not crude any more.

Answer 4

Let me give you a good example. I lived in the Canadian Arctic for most of my life. We did a lot of goose and duck hunting. Now moose season was also on at the same time. There also was the chance of bumping into a polar bear. So you didn't want to carry two or three different guns on you at the same time, so we would carry a shotgun (12 gauge). We would carry the slugs in our pocket and if we came on a moose we would put the slugs in. Shotguns do not have rifling so the slugs are rifled. Slugs are only good for accuracy to about 100 yards.

Answer 5

Just as you say, a slug is a piece of lead in bullet form. The "Foster" type slug is basically a rifled bullet and used in smooth bore shotguns. The saboted slug is generally hourglass shaped and fits in a plastic piece like a wad.

Answer 6

A slug is a bulelt for a shotgun. In some staes in the US, its illegal to use rifles on certain game, like deer, and shot wont kill them, so we use slugs. Im sure someoe will post buckshot will take em down, but i disagree. It loses all of it knockdown power way too fast to be effective on deer over 40 yards.

Answer 7

A shotgun slug is general used to provide versatility to the shotgun. The slug is normally a solid piece of lead, but there is jacked, rifled and sabot types also. Hunters will use this type of round to take big game or game with tough skin. It is also used to extend range. Police use slug loads to also extend range and for barricades. Special rounds are also used to breach doors. Slug rounds are nothing more another way to extend the versatility of shotguns. They quite popular here and there are even special built shotgun with rifled barrels for use with this round

Answer 8

Yes as stated a slug is basically a single bullet. Shotgun slugs can be made from all sorts of plastics and metals, some shatter on impact making them very lethal indeed.

We used shotguns with slugs in the regiment to blow door hinges off....very effective.

Shotguns can also be equipped with flechette rounds which disperse hundreds of needle like projectiles from the shotgun casing..they can be fun too.

Answer 9

A shot gun slug is used like you said a rifle. But in some states in the U.S you can not use a rifle. An ex sample in Ohio you can't use a rifle. The land is flat in areas and a rifle trajectory travels to far wouldn't be safe. A shot gun slug will kill a deer at 150 yards but will not travel a miles like a rifle.

Answer 10

The shotgun slug is very deadly when fired at a person or animal.. It is a huge chunk of lead... It's like getting hit with a locomotive.. Very effective ammo.