I have a Winchester 1300 Defender with an 18" non-rifled; non-choked barrel.  I know that I can shoot bird and buck shot, but the manual is not clear about using slugs.  It mentions using slugs with a rifled barrel... and that's all.
So, if anyone knows... It is it OK to shoot slugs from this rifle?

Thanks in advance.

Art

you need rifled slugs

when they say you have to use a rifled barrel they are referring to the use of sabot slugs.

Rifled slugs have the rifling cast into them so that is what imparts the spin on the slug

Sabot slugs have a plastic sabot that rides in the rifling of a rifled barrel.  

I shoot both sabot slugs and rifled slugs in my 18" smooth bore Remington 870 all the time.  They both work well and are reasonably accurate, even at 100 yards.

Yes, you are good to go.  As long as your barrel is open chocked slugs are good.  Your aim point will vary.  Out of our Rem 870's we aim at the belt line and get a center mass chest hit at about 30 feet.  

Yes - Foster type slugs.

Yes, in a smooth bore bbl you can shoot any type. Foster type will be your better choice. Cheaper and prolbly more accurate. Don't look for more than about 75-100 yds out of it, but there real good at about 35-50 yds on large game like deer,black bear,Wild boar.

I live in ohio, we have to use slugs ( no rifle on whitetail). Other than hangun thats it.

Smoothbore barrel, hammer of doom with slugs (that's a good thing).

Quoted: I have a Winchester 1300 Defender with an 18" non-rifled; non-choked barrel.  I know that I can shoot bird and buck shot, but the manual is not clear about using slugs.  It mentions using slugs with a rifled barrel... and that's all. So, if anyone knows... It is it OK to shoot slugs from this rifle? Thanks in advance. Art

I carried one for years on patrol before we went to Remington 870 only. I fired many slugs through it and it is designed for a combat weapon. Fire away.

i shoot lead slugs from my smoothbore mossberg 590 all the time.  only problem is the barrel gets a LOT of lead fouling REALLY quick, and is a huge PITA to clean out

Just to add.. Make sure you don't have a choke in your gauge.

When I started hunting I don't even think they made rifled barrels for shotguns.
Everybody used smooth bores with slugs. Don't even worry about it.
Damn I'm showing my age

Don't shoot them with an extra full choke. Some people say not to shoot them with a full choke, but I know lots of people that do it and never had a problem. Anything else is fine.

It's perfectly OK to use slugs of any type in your 1300...even if it's choked. The sabot slugs are designed to work best with a rifled barrel but will do 'ok' out of a smoothbore.  The Foster types (usually by far the cheapest) work darn good...they're hollow inside (look sorta like a upside down pot) and are designed to expand against the barrel for a good gas seal (even though the wad is supposed to take care of that.  These types are often called 'rifled' because they have grooves on the outside of the slug that supposedly makes the slug rotate in flight..I believe they're actually there to help let the lead deform when it hits a choke...it can squash down without causing too much pressure.

If your 1300 has replaceable chokes you may even want to experiment with different chokes to see what'll produce the best groups...Note: I'd suggest going no tighter than a normal 'Full' choke...the superfulls and such are really specialized and I'm not sure that the ammo companies test for those conditions.

As to accuracy? My 870 with an IC will hold Remington Foster type slugs into around 1-1.5" groups at 40 yds..at 100 it's generally good for 3-4". Limit your shots to 100yds or less...I've tried it once at 200 and holdover was measured in FEET