How to identify rifle vs slug shotgun

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Craver

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Is it by the cartridge a gun fires, it's action, the barrel or a combination of each that determines the type of gun? In a county I hunt in, rifles aren't permitted for hunting big game. So most opt for slug guns. On savages site, their 220 is listed under center fire rifles. Which kind of makes since as it has a rifled barrel, bolt action, and magazine, and technically center fire. But shoots a shot gun cartridge. So what is it, rifle or shotgun?

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Most slug shotguns, either rifled or smoothbore have rifle type sights on the barrel. This is a broad generalization. Just about any shotgun can shoot both shot and slugs, except ones with a fixed choke tighter than cylinder.
 
Craver said:
Is it by the cartridge a gun fires, it's action, the barrel or a combination of each that determines the type of gun? In a county I hunt in, rifles aren't permitted for hunting big game. So most opt for slug guns. On savages site, their 220 is listed under center fire rifles. Which kind of makes since as it has a rifled barrel, bolt action, and magazine, and technically center fire. But shoots a shot gun cartridge. So what is it, rifle or shotgun?

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It is a shotgun. Savage also lists it when you search 20 ga shotguns. Rifle shoots a cartridge, shotgun shoots a shell.
 
FYI, bolt action shotguns have been around for years in both single shot and 2 or 3 shot box magazines.
 
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When it comes to a game warden wanting to get technical I want to know. Rifled barrel gun andertised and categorized by a retailer as a rifle. Then atf saying a shotgun is smooth barreled. I'm not saying anyone of you wrong and expected to get a decent answer which is why I ask.

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The Savage 220 is a shotgun built on a rifle action, with a rifled barrel. Any firearm is defined by the ammunition it uses. That gun is legal to use for big game where the laws restrict hunters to only use shotguns. It is extremely accurate with a scope and sabot slugs, which are designed for deer hunting with rifled barreled shotguns. Rifling refers to the grooves in the barrel, which impart spin to the slug. Most other shotguns are not rifled, and they are more apt to be used with shotgun shells with hundreds of small pellets for small game and clay targets.
 
I live in a state where, until this year, deer hunting was shotgun slug only and yes rifled slug barrels are legal here. It is still a shotgun. So unless your state forbids the use of a rifled shotgun barrel it is legal.
And it also comes in a 12ga.

I have no idea why that particular gun comes up under centerfire rifle when searching on Savage website.

A slug gun is a shotgun, period.
 
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Squarebutt said:
The Savage 220 is a shotgun built on a rifle action, with a rifled barrel. Any firearm is defined by the ammunition it uses. That gun is legal to use for big game where the laws restrict hunters to only use shotguns. It is extremely accurate with a scope and sabot slugs, which are designed for deer hunting with rifled barreled shotguns. Rifling refers to the grooves in the barrel, which impart spin to the slug. Most other shotguns are not rifled, and they are more apt to be used with shotgun shells with hundreds of small pellets for small game and clay targets.
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I always assumed it was by the ammunition. All my gun buds all said it was a shotgun, but couldn't say why it was. Thanks for answering the question.

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Here it's defined.....

If you are hunting on the ground a shotgun loaded with either shot or a slug. The shotgun is a constant and has a smoothbore barrel and the grooves on the slug itself imparts the spin.

A rifle has a rifled barrel.
 
rwsmith said:
If you are hunting on the ground a shotgun loaded with either shot or a slug. The shotgun is a constant and has a smoothbore barrel and the grooves on the slug itself imparts the spin.

A rifle has a rifled barrel.
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Not entirely correct. A rifled slug barrel on a shotgun has rifling in the barrel and shots a sabot slug. As explained by Squarebutt
 
rwsmith said:
If you are hunting on the ground a shotgun loaded with either shot or a slug. The shotgun is a constant and has a smoothbore barrel and the grooves on the slug itself imparts the spin.

A rifle has a rifled barrel.
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Actually there are shotguns available with rifled barrels from all the major manufacturers. They were developed to deliver better accuracy and longer range for deer hunting in "shotgun only" states. The older Foster slugs do indeed create their own spin out of smoothbore barrels. I find they work well out to 100 yards, and I've seen them drop deer beyond that range.
 
This went to Alaska with me last June. I jokingly refer to it as my "poor man's stopping rifle". It does, after all, have a rifled barrel.

But everyone knows it's really a shotgun. I'm not sure I could convince a game warden otherwise, and I wouldn't try.
 

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A shotgun that has a rifled barrel that shoots the sabot slugs is a slug gun.
I don’t think anyone shoots shot out of a rifled barrel.

I was told to use the german slugs in the smoothbore barrels these are very accurate and they tend to whistle.

I tried the sabot slugs out of my smoothbore Winchester model 120 with the slug barrel and it was accurate out to 50yds. I didn’t go any farther. No scope.
 
BigBill said:
A shotgun that has a rifled barrel that shoots the sabot slugs is a slug gun.
I don’t think anyone shoots shot out of a rifled barrel.

I was told to use the german slugs in the smoothbore barrels these are very accurate and they tend to whistle.

I tried the sabot slugs out of my smoothbore Winchester model 120 with the slug barrel and it was accurate out to 50yds. I didn’t go any farther. No scope.
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Sabots are designed for rifled slug barrels, they have no advantage in a smooth bore.
 
EASY NOW.

pawngal said:
FYI, bolt action shotguns have been around for years in both single shot and 2 or 3 shot box magazines.
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I'm leaning towards the OP's question being a fair & honest one, but I agree with pawn gal regardless of what mr google says, a shotgun is a shotgun with whatever type of barrel. (JUST MY OPINION) Would a smoothbore musket be considered a shotgun, a rifle, or neither? Lines can get a bit blurred, so fair question. Speaking with a hard headed warden in the field??? :rolleyes: It is whatever HE says it is & they won't all agree with each other. Want to argue the point, do it with a judge or game official officer or whatever you have wherever you are from.
 
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RobertJ. said:
This went to Alaska with me last June. I jokingly refer to it as my "poor man's stopping rifle". It does, after all, have a rifled barrel.

But everyone knows it's really a shotgun. I'm not sure I could convince a game warden otherwise, and I wouldn't try.
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Good bear stopper. :)
 
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