Is my 12 guage Mossberg 24" Slugster slug barrel rifled or smooth bore?

Question

I don't know if I should be using rifled slugs or sabots with my slug barrel. Looking down the bore there appears to be lines, but I don't see any twist to them, so maybe the bore is just scored from using the wrong type of slug. The barrel is chambered to handle 2 3/4 or 3" shells.

I just want to be sure. Answers failing, I suppose I will go shoot some sabots and see if they are accurate.

And if it is rifled, can I repair the rifling?

It is okay to shoot bird shot through it?

Thank you.

Answer 1

If you have an actual Mossberg 500 24" Barrel "Slugster", it IS rifled.
Mossberg doesn't make a smooth bore Slugster barrel........
YES, You can shot LEAD
Shot/Buckshot thru it with no damage or problems.....

Answer 2

Mossberg Slug Barrel

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Is my 12 guage Mossberg 24" Slugster slug barrel rifled or smooth bore?
I don't know if I should be using rifled slugs or sabots with my slug barrel. Looking down the bore there appears to be lines, but I don't see any twist to them, so maybe the bore is just scored from using the wrong type of slug. The barrel is chambered to handle 2 3/4 or 3"...

Answer 4

Was the firearm sold to you new as a "slugster", or is it a 500 with a slug barrel? You didn't specify and that's a huge diff.

The "slugster" models are almost always shipped from the factory with rifled barrels....but there is one model that *did* have a 24" smoothbore barrel. But if it's a 500 with a slug barrel, there were at least three diff ones you could have that have smoothbore slug barrels.

Mossberg rifled barrels are cut with a 1 in 36" twist. If yours were rifled, there wouldn't be any question about it. You couldn't miss it.

You can't repair rifling. Don't even bother worrying about it. You also can't degrade it to the point that it would need repairing under normal use.

You have a smoothbore slug barrel. You can fire pretty much anything you want through it. You can use rifled slugs (suggested), but you can also fire sabot slugs since your barrel is a cylinder bore. Sabots won't give any accuracy, though. You can also fire all sizes and types of shot.

Shoot safely!

Answer 5

If it is rifled you should be able to both see and feel the rifling ( lands and grooves) and there would be a definite twist to them. I don't know what you are seeing, or even if you are looking down a clean barrel. I'd suggest cleaning it well using a brass brush made for the purpose, some gun bore solvent, and some clean cotton cloths.

If the barrel is smooth, you can shoot bird shot; it will not harm the barrel. I think this barrel was made for slugs; it's heftier than a bird barrel in order to withstand the greater pressures of a magnum slug.
If this a rifled barrel and the rifling is "shot out", it's probably going to be less costly to replace than try repair ( which I seriously doubt can be done). I would still not shoot bird shot through it, though.

Answer 6

Normally a Mossberg 24" Slugster slug barrel should be rifled at about a 1:24 twist (I think not sure of the exact twist rate)

However since you indicated that you only saw straight lines in it the barrel that seems a bit odd. If one could physically look at it we could tell you in just a few seconds about the barrel. Cause it’s always possible that the barrel that was suppose to be with the shotgun is not what actually came with it.

Personally I would suggest taking it to one of the better gun dealerships in your area and ask them about the barrel. Most are more than willing to help. They would also be able to give you some good suggestions on ammo that might work better in it.

Answer 7

Mossberg slugster was one of guns I was looking to get. As the name says they're made for slugs and pretty much all have Fully-Rifled Bores. So use only sabots and DON'T use rifled slugs. Yes you can shoot bird shot through a rifled bore but the riffling will disperse the pattern.

Answer 8

Resurrecting dead trail, I know. BUT, I have a Mossberg 500 smoothbore with "Slugster" engraved right on the chamber. So....they do exist. Mine is 24" with rifle sights.

Answer 9

Rifled shotgun barrels use a very slow twist, so the spiral might not be easy to spot.

To the best of my knowledge, most, if not all, Marlin's Slugster barrels are rifled.

Doc

Answer 10

use a bright light when looking down the barrel. I looked on mossberg's website, and most of their barrels are rifled. A shotgun rifled barrel will have a long gradual land /groove, vs tighter rifling. If it's not rifled, you can still shoot any type of slug out of it, without worry. Also if it's not rifled, it is safe to shoot shot out of it, since most non rifled slug barrels are no more than shorter shot barrels choked to open or improved cylinder. Never shoot shot out of a rifled barrel.