Category Archives: Ammo Accuracy

Randy, I have a 12 ga Mossberg 835 with a fully rifled cantilever barrel that I can’t get sighted in as well as I would like. I know this won’t be the most accurate set up, but I should be doing better than 4-5″ at 50 yrds. So far I’ve tried 3″ Commanders. Which slug do you think may suite me best? I’m not sure of the twist rate of the rifling. I saw the part of the FAQ about using 3 1/2″ shells in a 3 1/2″ chamber. Do you feel that is most of my problem? With shots typically less than 75 yrds I’d rather not have to deal with the added recoil but will if the accuracy improves. Thanks for your help. Joe

With the Mossberg 835 having a 3 1/2″ chamber length, the best choice for accuracy would be either a 3″ or a 3 1/2″ length hull. Only the shorter 2 3/4″ round, when used in a 3 1/2″ chamber, could give you accuracy problems. I would recommend the Lightfield Hybred-Elite (orange box) for deer size and smaller size game. The Commanred IDS PLUS “Heavy Game” sabot is a (600 grain 1 3/8oz. deep penatration) sabot slug intended for use on game weighing 300 pound and up. The Hybred-Elite should produce groups under 2″ at 50 yards if all is well with the gun and the shooter.  

Randy, I thank you for the information you sent me back on 10/04/09, but I had ask the wrong question and I apologize for that. My problem/question: I have a Mossberg 835 with a 24 in rifled bore. A new ( and my problem) Bushnell Red Dot (Trophy) scope. I love the scope but the centerline of the scope and the centerline of the bore is 3 ½ inches. With the scope that high over the bore I think this is my problem. To get on paper I started at 25 yds. I had a dead center hit. Moved to 50 yds and was 6 ½ inches high. I understand that at 25 yds the barrel has to tilted up to make up for the height of the scope, my question is if I leave the gun zeroed at 50 yds, what will be in impact at other ranges. Am I 6 ½ low at 25 yds? What about out at 75 or 100? Thank you so much and keep making Lighfields Alan

That height above the bore is over 2X the normal mounting distance.
I have no experence with that type of mounting height but I think your assumption is correct about the height being the issue.

If that high of a scope mount is necessary for some reason you will need to have a set of scope bases machined to bring the scope alignment closer to the bore when the cross hairs are set in the middle of their adjusting range.

Can you use the same “sight in” at 50 yards with a 20 gauge slug gun that is used for the 12 gauge slug gun,or should you use a different “sight in”?

The proper sightin for the Lightfield Hybred-Exp 2 3/4″ sabot is 2 1/2″ to 2 3/4″ inches high at 50 yards for a 100 yard zero. This is not a absolute figure but it will work with 90% of all slug guns. The higth that the scope is mounted above the bore is the variable.

Lightfield released a 1700ft/sec 20 gauge 3″ magnum in 2010. This 3″ “Hybred Mag 20″, which when used in conjuction with the Hybred-Exp
2 3/4” , will complete the “SameSite Accurcy” system for the 20 gauge Hybred series.

Why was the 16 gauge 15/16th oz load changed to the new 1oz load? Will I see any difference in performance or speed with the new 1oz load? FYI-the 15/16th loads were awesome and just hoping I can expect the same or better? Thanks.

We have increased the weight of the 16 gauge Commander IDS PLUS to (1oz.) for better controlled expansion, deeper penetration, more energy down range with less pressure and recoil.
It is every bit as accurate as the Commander IDS lighter weight versions.

I have an H&R ultra slug hunter 12 gauge with a heavy barrel and am using Lightfield 2 3/4 EXP. I went to the range last week to sight it in and was grouping 3 shots in a single hole, 4 inches high at 50 yards (I could not believe the accuracy of this combination) anyway I ran out of ammo. I bought 5 more boxes of 2 3/4 EXP and went to fine tune it to 2 1/2 inches high at 50 yards according to your ballistic charts but this time I was hitting 7 inches high at 50 yards. I was using the same rest, the weather conditions were almost the same as before and all other factors were the same. What is causing this? I even looked for lot numbers on the old boxes and the new ones but could not find any. I would appeciate any help to rectify this Thanks

Without you suppling me with the lot numbers, it is hard for me to pin down the differences in impact of the different Hybred-Exp you have purchased. It could be as simple as one batch of the slugs could have been improperly stored before you purchased them.

I can tell you that Lightfield uses all one lot number of powder to load one full years production. Any one of the individual lot’s of ammo loader within the same year production will pretty much shoot into the same group.

Point of impact changes can be seen between to different year’s powder production. Each year’s production should still shoot just as good a group but there may be a different point of impact between the two years.

You will find the Lightfield lot numbers on the top of the boxes on the flap that inserts into the box to hold it closed.

Hope this help and good shooting.
Randy

Randy,

When using a Mossberg 935 with a rifled barrel, what would be the best slug to use a 3 1/2 or a 3″. I guess if I can get good accuracy with the 3′ and save a little shoulder that would be great, but if I had to take the kick to get the best accuracy, I would deal with it. Thanks in Advance, Joe

Subject:  3″ FIRED IN 3 1/2″ CHAMBERS

In 99% of all guns the 3″ length slug will
shoot VERY WELL out of a 3 1/2″ chamber.
I don’t think the difference in accuracy can be seen under field conditions…

MOST TIMES THERE IS AN ACCURACY ISSUE WHEN YOU TRY TO SHOOT A 2 3/4″ OUT OF A 3 1/2″ CHAMBER.
IN SOME GUNS IT JUST DOSEN’T MATTER AND THERE IS NO ACCURACY ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE LONGER CHAMBER.
IT IS A MATTER OF TRIAL AND ERROR. SORRY THERE IS NO SET ANSWER ON THIS ONE….

Since the 3 1/2″ mag can be loaded to slightly more pressure 13,500psi max) then the 3″ shell at 11,500psi, a little more range is available. They are harder to make shoot well because of the added recoil.
So it becomes a matter of accuracy and how far you intend to shoot as to which one you choose.

Hope this helps,
Randy

Hello, using a 12 ga 870 smooth bore with rifled choke looks like the Lightfield Hybred Lites 2 3/4 shell fits my needs, if I read correctly. Any others than that? Thanks for your help. Tony

Tony,
The 2 3/4″Lightfield Lites (in the yellow box at 1300 ft/sec.) were designed for the rifled tube. It then became obvious that they are also a great reduced recoil sabot for normal full rifled barrels.

The Hybred Exp 2 3/4″ (in the white box at 1450 ft/sec.) will work well in about 95% of the barrels using rifled tubes.
Randy

Randy,

I began slug hunting 3 years ago in Ohio. Long time rifle hunter in WV and got hooked on bigger Ohio deer. My question is: I purchased a Mossberg 500 12ga with a ported rifled barrel that chambers 2 3/4 and 3 in shells. I just put a scope on my gun and have shot 6 boxes of Horandy sabots 2 3/4 which I can only get groups at 50 yards in the 6 inch diameter range. I just picked up 4 boxes of your Lightfield 12ga 2 3/4 Hybred EXPs from Cabela’s. Will be heading to the range this weekend to sight in 2 1/2 high at 50 yds. I also ordered 3 boxes of the 12 ga 3 Hybred Elite. Do you know if one shoots any better through the Mossberg 500 cambered for the 2 3/4 and 3 in shells? Also can I expect the 3 in shells to shot the same as the 2 3/4 in shells? Thanks for the great website and information. I have learned more from your website about slugs than anywhere else.

Mike,
That size groups are common with most brands of sabot that use a pistol or ML bullets in a 20 & 12 gauge bores.

Shoot in your Hybred Exp 2 3/4″ high at 50 yards (dead center above the aim point – no left or right – dead center above) and it will be zeroed at 100 yards. With that same sight setting the Hybred Elite 3″ mag. will be zeroed at 125 yards and -4 inches at 150 yards. This is Lightfields SameSite accuracy system. See the web site for more info.

Those figures represent true trajectory curves. How hard you hold onto your gun with your left hand can easily change them. The amount of upward movement that you allow the gun to move while under recoil will alter your zero in a heart beat. CONSISTENCY in your hold, shot to shot, is the name of accuracy game when it comes to slug guns.
Randy

 

Randy,

Still cannot get any consistent accuracy on my Mossberg 500 with a scope. I have tried 3 different mounts and 5 different scopes now. Can not get any accuracy at all. Very, very frustrating. I was beginning to believe that it was just the barrel and not the mounts or scopes. So I shot 5 of your Lightfield 2 3/4 Hybred EXP without the scope at 50 yards. Put all 5 with in a 4 inch group with several touching each other. Not sure what the heck is going on! Will be hunting Mon. 11/29 in Ohio without a scope again. My question is: How much would it cost for me to send my Mossberg 500 to your company to make it a DSG, with scope and all? Also will you guys shoot the weapon after converting it to a DSG to be sure it is working properly? I can not afford to shoot up several hundreds of dollars worth of ammo again as I did this year. Mike

Mike,
Your accuracy problem your describing is more common than you may think.
I can only assume what is going on because I would need the actual barrel to verify my conclusion.

If that barrel is a few thousands larger that it should be, or the walls of the sabot is a few thousands thinner then it should be, that is enough to get you trouble.  If you are lucky enough to have a big barrel and you buy some undersize sabots it becomes one and two foot flyer time!!

The barrel is gripping the sabot because of the rifling cutting into it but with a slightly bigger bore there is not enough pressure generated by the smooth inside of the sabot to grip a copper (washed, jacketed, or solid copper) bullet, that is being used by other manufactures.

The sabot MUST grip the bullet and accelerate it up to nearly 50,000 rpms
within a 1/2 inch of forward movement down the barrel to make it fly stable and accurate with a 1-28 twist barrel.

Lightfield patens guarantees the sabot and slug are mechanically locked together assuring the proper rpms to stabilize.  The designs also include the ability of the pure lead slug to swell up (upset) itself to fill inside diameter of your barrel regardless of it size! The barrel itself sizes the bullet to the proper fit so each slug is a custom fit..

If your slug gun won’t shoot groups with the Lightfield Hybred series of sabot, there is something wrong with the gun, scope, mounts, etc.
Some guns may shoot 1-hole groups, some may shoot 2-4 inch groups, “BUT THEY WILL BE GROUPS”, no crazy flyers way out of the group if you’re doing your part!
Randy

I have an 1100 (2 3/4″ chamber) and a 11-87 (3″ chamber). I’d like to minimize my inventory. What do you think about shooting the 2 3/4″s in both guns? Thanks, John

John,
The difference in accuracy while firing a 2 3/4″ in a 3″ chamber cannot be seen in a field held gun.

That being said, when it comes to Lightfield Hybred sabots the real difference is at what point down range do you reach the limit for providing the 1000ft/lbs of energy. The 2 3/4″ Hybred Exp is a 155 to 158 yard slug (at 1000ft/lbs of energy) and the Hybred Elite 3″ round has 1000ft/lbs of energy at 200-212 yards.In effect you gain about another 45 yards of clean killing zone down range.

Randy, I shoot a Rem. 870 12ga. with a 24″ fully rifled barrel it has a 1 in 36″ twist. I plan on using Hybred EXP 2 3/4″ slugs. Is the twist of 1 in 26″ too fast for Hybred EXP’s?

The Lightfield Hybred series of sabot work well in every twist rates I have ever tried them in. I have shot them in a wide range of twist rates.  Including a gain twist that barrel that starts out at 1-100 twist rate and speeds up a 1-26 twist at the muzzle, 25 inches later..

I tried the Hybred sabot in twists as slow as 1-40 twist and as fast as 1-22 twist rate. That’s what is so unique about the Lightfield Hybred series of sabot when it comes to twist rates.

They still are the only sabot slug currently being made, bar NONE,  that can produce the “SameSite Accuracy” using three different velocity slugs, shooting accuratlly into one group with out changing your sight setting!
“The Standard by which other Slugs are Judged”

Randy

Randy how does the Hybred in 2 3/4 work with the Nikon Slughunter. I wanting to put a new scope on my super black eagle II. What would you recommend for a scope for your slugs, please help.
The Nikon slug Hunter really matches the trajectory of the 3″ Hybred Elite @1730fps.  Much more than it does the slower 2 3/4″ Hybred @ 1450fps.

Most any scope with a duplex scopes work well with the 2 3/4″ Hybred but the how it is too hard to explain in this limited text area. You would have to call me if you’re interested. (570-784-6368)

Because the Black Eagle II is an inertia operated recoil/reloading system, the rule of thumb is not to install a scope and mounting system that weights more than 18oz. total.   With heavier scopes the gun may not cycle reliably.

Are there any known issues with the Lightfield 3.5″ Commander slugs and the Mossberg 835 Ultra-Mag Slug Barrel with Fiber Optic sights (Mossberg item no. 90802)? I have a question just posed to Mossberg about what the rate of rifling twist is in this barrel. My understanding is that a 1 in 29 to 1 in 30-inch rate of twist is optimal for a 1900-fps slug like the Commander. Is there anything special I should be aware of with this barrel and the Commanders?

The Commander IDS and the new Commander IDS PLUS has always worked well out of the Mossberg 835 slug barrel. To my knowledge the 835 has a 1-35 twist rate.
If you look in the barrel and the rifling makes less then 1/2 turn, end to end, it is a 1 34 or a 1-35 twist.
If it looks like a bolt thread and appears to make one complete turn it is a 1-28 or 1-30.
I don’t think you could mistake one twist for the other.

It all a mute subject with Lightfield sabot slugs as they will shoot just as well in a twist rate as slow as 1-46 thru the fast twist rates of 1-25.

That magical 1-28 twist is the right twist for all of the little pistol bullets floating around out there but because of the copper jacket is inside a smooth plastic sabot , 95% of the time the copper/jacketed slugs inside a hard plastic sabot never achieve the 50,000+RPM’s to completely stabilize.

Lightfield has the patent that allows the bullet and the sabot to be locked thus assuring the right RPM’s to stabilize.

Hi Randy, I want to first say thank you for all of your hard work in the world of slug guns. My question- I have a Browning BPS Deer Special with a 22 inch rifled barrel. I am wanting to switch to Lightfield Slugs, but I do not know where to start as far as which slug to try. The gun is chambered for 2 3/4 -3 inch shells. I will be using the gun for deer hunting. I would be thankful for any help you could give me in selecting the right load for my gun. Thanks for your time Charlie Goodman

Gen,
Not long ago Browning used the Hybred Exp (White box 2 3/4″) to test their rifled slug gun before shipment.

The Hybred Exp is part of the “SameSite Accuracy” system from Lightfield.
Go to the web site and read about this unique ammo system for slug guns.
You can even buy a sample kit to test this “SameSite Accuracy” system in your gun for 40.00 and it comes with a Lightfield SameSite Accuracy T-shirt.

Three boxes of Sabot ammo and a T-shirt is a good deal anywhere
for $40.00 and no shipping!!!

Randy

Hi Randy, as an owner of an already decent shooting Mossberg 695 bolt action slug gun, what modifications or improvements can I make to increase the accuracy of my weapon? The abysmal trigger pull is definitely on my list, but I’m not sure what other changes would yield discernable improvements. Any suggestions? Thanks, Joe

Joe,
The Mossberg is an  entry level into the bolt action slug gun world and their are reasons why it cost so little, Around a $50.00 bill to produce.

The Cheapest improvements to get as much accuracy as the factory barrel can give you are:  have the trigger adjusted, have the barrel cut off 1/2″, have a third action screw installed and have the action bedded.

Have the safety knob secured because it is going to come apart in the field at some point.

The Savage 210, the next level up with a better action and good hunting trigger, goes for around that $600.00 price range and than you can upgrade from there..
Randy

What kind of shot group can i expect after you modify my Remington 870 to a DSG using your slugs?

What color socks will you wear when your shooting?
One question makes as sense as the other.

With Lightfield ammo I know what size groups the gun should be shooting but I can tell how well you can shoot a converted DSG12 pump gun?

Our DSG conversion are capable of 1 inch groups at 50 yards and under 2″ at 100 yards weather permitting with Lightfield Hybred Exp ammo.

You can count the days, on one hand, you can shoot 1″ groups at 100 yards in a years time. That is after you learn how to shoot slugs.
Most shooters can master slug shooting is 375- 500 rounds fired thru a good slug gun. About $1250.00-$1400.00 in ammo costs.

THERE IS NO MAGIC IN MY SLUG GUNS!!!
JUST A GUN THAT WORKS EVERY TIME YOU GO TO THE RANGE.
THE REST IS UP TO YOU…

Randy