Rifled Barrels

[roy reali]

I know that shotguns with rifled barrels are to be used with slugs, specifically sabot ones. I also realize that firing birdshot through one will not result in the best patterns. But will it hurt the gun? Will it harm the rifling?

 

[psycho nut]

They make birdshot for .22s and some pistols, I don't think it will hurt it.

 

[kozak6]

It probably won't hurt the rifling, but it will give you doughnut-shaped groupings.

 

[Dfariswheel]

Firing shot or buckshot through a rifled shotgun barrel will cause the bore to lead BADLY, and the lead is HELL to get out.

And as above, the shot is "swirled" by the rifling so that when it exits the bore, it shoots large donut shaped patterns with a hole in the middle.

This is so scattered that you really get no pattern at all, and combined with the hole in the middle, any hits on target are pure luck.