What can be done to increase the accuracy of slugs in a shotgun?

• A. Increase the powder charge
• B. Use rifled barrels or chokes
• C. Shoot at longer range with the same setup
• D. Use pellets instead of slugs

Answer: (B)

Stability in flight is what makes a slug accurate. Slugs are long projectiles that tend to wobble if they’re not spinning, so their nose can yaw off target and ruin grouping. Putting a spin on the slug is the most reliable way to keep it pointing where you aim. A rifled barrel automatically imparts that spin as the slug travels, which greatly improves stability and tightens groups at practical shotgun distances. Some slug setups also rely on the choke and slug design to work together with that rifling to maintain a stable flight path downrange. So using a rifled barrel or slug-appropriate setups that interact with the bore’s design is the best way to boost accuracy.

Increasing powder charge just adds recoil and can worsen shooter control without improving stability. Shooting at longer range with the same setup exposes the slug to more drop and potential yaw without addressing stabilization. Using pellets instead of slugs changes to a different projectile entirely, so it doesn’t address slug accuracy.