Pellets for smoothbores?

[oldnamvet]

I enjoy shooting pellets even from my smoothbores (M35 and 760) and usually get reasonable precision from them at 25 ft or so.  Looking at some pellets, such as RWS, I see ribs on the skirts.  I was wondering why they have them and if it would be possible to try putting small ribs at an angle so that if the air caught the skirt, it might make the pellet spin a bit.  This might make them a little more accurate from smoothbores.  I know they used to have shotgun slugs with ribs (or slots depending on your view) to supposedly spin stabilize them for deer hunting.

[Wayne52]

That would definitely put a spin on that pellet it would seem.  I think the slugs that are used in a smooth bore shotgun barrel have grooves in them at an angle.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

I know they used to have shotgun slugs with ribs (or slots depending on your view) to supposedly spin stabilize them for deer hunting.

The spin resulting from these ribs is negligible, from a 1991 FBI "Crime Laboratory Digest":

The rifling tends to be obliterated by the passage of the slug through the barrel, especially through a  full choke. Some spin does result from the ribs, however, and tests show a  very slow spin of approximately one turn in 24 feet of travel to one turn in 129 feet of travel, depending upon the choke used.

The ribs are there to ease the passage of the slug through a choked barrel more than anything else.  For the best accuracy, rifled slug barrels are recommended.

[oldnamvet]

I decided to evaluate some different projectiles for my new Crosman 760 smoothbore rifle.  I first started out with BBs and shot groups of 5 using 3, 5, 7, and 10 pumps at a distance of 30 feet.  With 3 pumps the group size was 7/8 of an inch. As the velocity went up, the groups got larger until at 10 pumps my "pattern" was 1.75 inches.  With Air Venturi pointed pellets there was an opposite effect. At 3 pumps the group was about an inch but at 10 points it was 0.25 inches.  For the vermin that raid my garden, 30 feet is the ideal distance. I intend to check out my other pellets but got tired of pumping for now.

[19Sheridan57]

It sounds like you have a winner !

[USAFANG6799]

Interesting idea to use the RWS in a smooth bore.
Will have to see if I have a smooth bore to try them.

Thanks for the idea.

[birdmove]

    My newer model 760 (the last one with the five round magazine) consistently prefers the RWS Meisterkugeln rifle pellet (as opposed to their pistol version with the same name). Accyracy at 7-10 yards holds up with up to 10 pumps.

[moorepower]

I shot a lot of sparrows with the Beeman pointed pellets out of a self cocking 760 back in the 70's. I have no idea the group size, because back then i sighted in on a knothole on the barn, then moved on to sparrows and rock doves.

[Robert 5mm]

I bought a new-old stock rifled 760 barrel from someone here on GTA and it was worth the $15