Building a slug gun

[Compass]

This possibly belongs in the Rifles and Calibres forum, but my intention is all about boar so here goes.

I have an old "Made in the USSR" Baikal side by side, ugly as sin, that I am very attached to. It was my first gun, a gift from my stepfather, but I don't really have a use for it anymore. I don't want to give it up and I would prefer it to have a new lease of life.

I was wondering if I can repurpose it as a slug gun for driven boar, but a quick look through some threads seem to suggest that's not all that straightforward. I'd hope to mount a red dot scope or similar. What problems am I likely to come across?

If I can put this together, there is the question of practice. Am I right that as long as I only intend to shoot them at a range where I can buy them (and never take any off the premises) I can practice with slugs without getting the S1 variation? If so, do you know anywhere that offers this service? If not, has anyone got a variation for slugs for zeroing and target practice only?

 

[Apthorpe]

In terms of the S1 issue, this project sounds entirely pointless if you don't get the variation. There's no point having a slug gun you can't use. And as the FEO would doubtless ask: "You want a variation to use slugs for zeroing and practice only. But practice for what?" You can't have a "good reason" for zeroing or practice only, without it being practice for something else.

 

[8x57]

Target shooting (not just practical shotgun) as a member of a H.O. approved club is a perfectly acceptable "good reason" to have a certificate conditioned for possession of slug ammunition. Compass you do not mention if you are a member of a H.O. approved club. There's some useful information on the NRA website on target shotgun.

Without being a member of such a club or having a suitably conditioned certificate a range operator or club cannot legally sell you ammunition under normal conditions even if it is to be used at the time on that range. There probably aren't that many H.O. approved clubs who hold and store slug ammunition for sale to their members anyway. It's all to do with clubs not being allowed to hold section one shotguns on club firearms certificates and very few using slug in section two shotguns.

As for using your Baikal as a slug gun while it may not be the most suitable for the task it should be possible. Presumably you are considering having the barrels shortened to 24" in addition to fitting a sighting system. There used to be a good many short barrelled cylinder choke double guns offered for sale in Europe for short range slug use a few years ago, however their use seems to be in decline other than by trackers.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I bought a Sabatti slug gun 8 years ago and just use when going into standing corn after a wounded beast as it is shorter than a 24 inchs bbl.

 

[boar & deer]

I've got slugs on my license for boar with no trouble but I don't have a fac shot gun I just run them through my semi very handy for following up wonder game at close range and accurate out to 70yards we shoot half brick for practice