Can you shoot a slug out of a 20 gauge poly choked barrel?

Let's be logical about this. Is an ammo manufacturer going to make something that is going to make your barrel explode if you forget to put the right choke tube in? Probably not...

My dad had a Savage-Stevens single shot 16ga. with a full choke (back in the day when there weren't choke tubes) that he fired "Foster style" slugs through frequently. The barrel never exploded and the gun is still in good condition today.

I learned to wing-shoot with it and witnessed deadly accurate slug placement at 50 yards.

Let's look at the facts.

1. There are different kinds of slugs and different kinds of barrels.

2. Don't shoot your shotgun with the choke tube removed, unless you want to risk damaging the threads.

3. Slugs are NOT the same diameter as the bore. For "Foster style" slugs, the ones typically called "rifled slugs" like the Remington Sluggers are best fired through an Improved Cylinder choke (slightly smaller that the bore). If you don't believe me...READ THE BOX. "Rifled slugs may be fired through any choke; however, improved cylinder provides best results. These slugs will also perform well in fully rifled barrels and barrels fitted with rifled choke tubes" (Remington Slugger box).

4. Sabot slugs are designed to be fired through a rifled slug barrel. They should not be fired through anything else or they may fly like a football thrown without any "spiral". Having that slug just tumbling through the air...not good.

5. There are some slugs designed for either rifled or smooth. Rottweil-Brenneke makes such slugs, which I have used personally in both rifled and smooth barrels with success. "The choke does not have a significant effect on the precision of this cartridge; it can therefore be used for all popular shotguns"

Note: The makers of some of the early variable chokes (Mossberg's C-Lect-Choke for one) did not reccomend shooting slugs through them- the choke consisted of small steel "fingers" that could be damaged. Modern choke tubes are made differently, and should be fine.