How to zero a ghost ring/rifle sight smoothbore

[SecondHandSmoke]

I've noticed various slugs have very different points of impact out of the same shotgun.

What distances/procedure do you use to establish a good slug zero, and then also ensure reasonable zeroing with buckshot such as Federal Flite Control?

How do you compromise between the buckshot and slug zero?

I've been chasing my tail with this and figured this would be a good place to ask.

Thanks for any help, I appreciate it.

[TCinVA]

I've noticed various slugs have very different points of impact out of the same shotgun.

What distances/procedure do you use to establish a good slug zero, and then also ensure reasonable zeroing with buckshot such as Federal Flite Control?

That presumes you have a shotgun that will shoot whatever slug you want to use to the same point of aim as the buckshot. That isn't always the case.

So far most of the shotguns I've used or seen used shoot FFC to more or less point of aim at typical shotgun distances. Those same guns have shot Federal's Tru-Ball slugs to essentially the same point...but that is not a guarantee that your gun will. Generally speaking if you look hard enough you will find a buckshot and slug load that are close enough together to use with the same sight picture. That may take some doing, though.

But in more generic terms, I'd say set your gun up for its primary use. If you are primarily using it for home defense/business defense, set it up for your buckshot loads. You are probably using buckshot for those scenarios so it would be foolish to set the gun up for slugs and thereby build in a need to use Kentucky windage when a dude is coming to kill your family.

If you are using the gun for defense against really big, really angry animals, protecting livestock in a field, or penetrating through vehicles in high risk felony stops then set it up for slugs.

Set the gun up for the thing you are going to be using it for 90% of the time and use some training to help you figure out what you need to do for the other 10% of the time.

[TCinVA]

As for zero distance...again, what is the application for the gun?

If you need to hit something at 100 yards, set the gun up to shoot slugs and with a zero that will give you the most forgiving arc out to your longest realistic use. Look at the ballistics of your slug of choice and figure out if a 50 yard zero will let you hit reliably from 25 out to 100 with minimal need to shift your aim. If that's your use case consider using a rifled barrel, sabot slugs, and at least a red dot optic.

If you aren't seeing a realistic need to use the gun out at those distances then set the gun up for the distances you will be seeing. If you set it up for buckshot, the buckshot will hit to point of aim out to the distance where buckshot will actually still be useful. (Not many people shooting buckshot at 75 yards...)

My shotguns are used for home defense and to demo in class. I set them up for my buckshot loads at 25 and in. I have Federal Tru-Ball low recoil LE slugs that shoot to the same point of aim as my preferred FFC buckshot. I also have Fiocci JM 3 gun slugs that shoot about an inch and a half higher and an inch left-er than my buckshot loads out to extended distances. In using my guns I've never had a problem making a hit anywhere from 3 yards out to 100 with my guns set up this way...but I train with them. (Not very much with slugs, though...the only time I shoot them is to demo in class and on the occasion when I'm in someone else's class and slugs are part of the teaching)