Noobie Shotgun question!

[CaveJohnson]

Shotguns are not a good area of knowledge for me, so I need some help with something.

I'm looking to buy the Mossberg Maverick 88 in 12g and it comes with a ventilated rib barrel or 18 1/2 inch HD Barrel? I'm confused what the difference is with the two.

Dick's Sporting Goods - Weekly Ads & Catalogs

"12 OR 20 GA.
VENTILATED RIB BARREL OR 18 1/2" HD BARREL
INTERCHANGEABLE ACCU-CHOKE TUBE SYSTEM"

With the ventilated barrel, can you not shoot slugs through it? I'm assuming it's not rifled but that's the thing I can't find a concrete answer on.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[McDonaldUSMC]

Mossberg Maverick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The VR barrel is a 20" barrel and is designed for "field" use... The 18.5" is designed for home defense... Hope this helps

[CaveJohnson]

Mossberg Maverick - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The VR barrel is a 20" barrel and is designed for "field" use... The 18.5" is designed for home defense... Hope this helps

Not really, I need to know if and which ones can accept slugs.

Just read on another forum if it's a smooth bore, you need rifled slugs if you want to shoot slugs out of it? Does that sound right?

[pgrass101]

They both will shoot slugs, the ad doesn't specify but I would assume that the 18 1/2" barrel has a cylinder bore and the interchangeable choke tubes are IC M and Full and you can shoot a slug out of all of those three but I would recommend against using the full choke for a slug

[dbglock]

It has to have a rifled barrel to fire slugs -- well, accurately anyway. My 18.5" Mossberg Persuader is rifled. I've in fact shot slugs through it. Very fun. I'm guessing any Mossberg 18.5" HD barrel would be rifled.

[OldVet]

Both. What's the primary purpose of the purchase? Hunting or SD? With the ventilated hunting barrel, use cylinder or improved cylinder choke.

[CaveJohnson]

It has to have a rifled barrel to fire slugs -- well, accurately anyway. My 18.5" Mossberg Persuader is rifled. I've in fact shot slugs through it. Very fun. I'm guessing any Mossberg 18.5" HD barrel would be rifled.

Interesting, I read you can shoot a rifled slug through a smooth barrel though, is that true?

I have a decision to make on the 20 or 18.5. I'm leaning towards the 18.5 and I'm just target shooting with it.

Both. What's the primary purpose of the purchase? Hunting or SD? With the ventilated hunting barrel, use cylinder or improved cylinder choke.

Targets/SD.

[pgrass101]

It has to have a rifled barrel to fire slugs -- well, accurately anyway. My 18.5" Mossberg Persuader is rifled. I've in fact shot slugs through it. Very fun. I'm guessing any Mossberg 18.5" HD barrel would be rifled.

No they are not rifled, and they don't have to be rifled to shoot slugs. A rifled barrel will mess up you shot patterns.

Look at your shotgun barrel and see if it has any grooves in it. I would guess it doesn't have any and would be smooth bore which it would unless you brought an aftermarket barrel or you have a special model that I am not aware of, otherwise they come with cylinder bore barrel

[pgrass101]

Interesting, I read you can shoot a rifled slug through a smooth barrel though, is that true?

I have a decision to make on the 20 or 18.5. I'm leaning towards the 18.5 and I'm just target shooting with it.



Targets/SD.

I would suggest you read the following Understanding Shotgun Chokes, A brief explanation by Briley to understand the how and why of shotgun chokes

[nedrgr21]

IMHO, you'd be better off with the 20" as you'd get the choke tubes with it and can do more than an 18.5" with no choke tubes.

[CaveJohnson]

I'm still wondering about slugs, I can shoot rifled slugs from a smooth barrel, right?

[pgrass101]

I'm still wondering about slugs, I can shoot rifled slugs from a smooth barrel, right?

Yes, you can shot saboted slugs from a non-rifled barrel see Shotgun Slugs

[CaveJohnson]

Thank you, we'll see if I get it. The Dick's Sporting Goods lost it's FFL somehow for a few weeks, so I have to hope one further away doesn't sell the 3 they have.

They have 1 Field and 2 Security with the shorter barrel. I may not get a choice in what I get.

If it doesn't work out, it's back to the Ruger SR22 or SR9!

[Black Knight]

I would go with the 20" barrel as well. I have 2 Remington Wingmasters with 20" barrels and they can fill good deal of my shotgun needs including HD. I was a police explorer way back in the 1970s and the local city police also had 870 Remington Wingmasters (before the 870 P came out) with 20" barrels in every patrol car and transport van. You didn't say what model Mossberg it is but since it has a choice of barrels I suspect it is the 500. Most barrels for it should be smooth bore. If you have interchangable chokes, Cylinder choke (CYL), Improved Cylinder (IC), or Modified Choke (MOD) will work with slugs. The more open the choke the better it should work for slugs. Many years ago I was a security firearms instructor in Virginia and the required shotgun range required 5 rounds of slugs in addition to 00 Buckshot. All of the company shotguns (Winchester 1200 and 1300) were smooth bore CYL choke.

[CaveJohnson]

I would go with the 20" barrel as well. I have 2 Remington Wingmasters with 20" barrels and they can fill good deal of my shotgun needs including HD. I was a police explorer way back in the 1970s and the local city police also had 870 Remington Wingmasters (before the 870 P came out) with 20" barrels in every patrol car and transport van. You didn't say what model Mossberg it is but since it has a choice of barrels I suspect it is the 500. Most barrels for it should be smooth bore. If you have interchangable chokes, Cylinder choke (CYL), Improved Cylinder (IC), or Modified Choke (MOD) will work with slugs. The more open the choke the better it should work for slugs. Many years ago I was a security firearms instructor in Virginia and the required shotgun range required 5 rounds of slugs in addition to 00 Buckshot. All of the company shotguns (Winchester 1200 and 1300) were smooth bore CYL choke.

I linked it, it's the Maverick 88. I may not get one, or have a choice in barrel length by the time I have the money anyway.