Bore Barrel

poker_fish

I'm not familar with shotguns, so this may seem to be a dumb question, but what does 'bore barrel' mean for shotguns? What does slug barrel mean? What would be better for home defence, or how about hunting game birds. Can I shoot a slug through a bore barrel? Can I shoot shot through a slug barrel? Etc. Some elaboration on those would really help me. Thanks!

Der Gebirgsjager

Well, I'll give it a go. By a "bore barrel" I'm thinking that you didn't catch the whole conversation and that you mean a "cylinder bore". You see, shotgun barrels have a choke, which means that in the last six inches or so of the barrel they are reduced in diameter, squeezed, or "choked" to a smaller bore diameter; the bore being the size of the hole through the barrel tube. A cylinder bore has no restriction in size; in other words it is the same diameter rear to front. A modified choke is a little tighter. and a full choke is generally the smallest standard reduction in size; although there are "chokes in between, exceptions, etc. Generally, the idea is that the smaller the bore is reduced or "choked" the tighter the shot pattern will be for a longer distance. As for shooting slugs, modern slugs are designed to be safely shot through the constriction of a full choke in a modern shotgun. Shot can be fired through any barrel. Although the vast majority of shotgun barrels are smooth bores, some are rifled like a rifle specifically for the stabilization and shooting of slugs. Some of the older slug designs, notably the Breneke, are cast with the rifling built into the slug so that when fired in a smooth bore the slug rotates and stabilizes itself as it goes down the smooth bore.

poker_fish

Thanks Der Gebirgsjager...You explained it perfectly for me.