I decided to try the Hybred-Elite 3" sabot slug and I have never looked back! One of the great things about Lightfield is they list their ballistics on their website and the box, which allows you to sight in your slug gun more easily. For the Hybred-Elite 3" slugs, it is recommended that you sight-in at 50 yards and ensure that you are shooting about 2.5 inches high at this distance. Once you have 50 yards set it will ensure that you are dead-on accurate at about 125 yards!
Now you might say "125 yards? That's it?". Well remember we are talking about a slug gun here...sure, modern day rifles shoot well over that distance, but where I do a lot of hunting in Upstate New York you can't use a rifle so you have to get the most of your shotgun! Remember traditional slugs out of a smooth bore shotgun barrel are most effective inside of about 60-75 yards; Yes you can take longer shots and many have been successful, but your accuracy starts to deteriorate.
Back to the Hybred-Elite slugs: I've used these for two seasons now and have had great success. These slugs are very accurate, I can shoot 1 inch groups at 50 yards and they perform the same at 100 yards and beyond. Also, as advertised their knockdown power is unbelievable; the best I've seen in a slug yet. They expand and do maximum damage to the game you are shooting.
Now I'm not done yet!!! Lightfield has also developed what they call Same Site Accuracy. Same Site Accuracy allows you to sight your gun in with the Hybred-Lites and they guarantee that you can shoot two other slugs and have the exact same performance! That's one sight-in session and three slugs to choose from for your different hunting needs. They have this available for 12 gauge and 20 gauge slugs! Now even though some of the slugs have lower velocities, where one goes the others will go as well. The slugs available are : Hybred-Elite 3", Hybred-Lites - which are reduced recoil and the most accurate out of rifled choke tubes, and the Hybred Exp which is the standard slug in 2 3/4".
Let's talk price. The Hybred-Elites run about $14 a box, Hybred-Lites $13, and the Hybred-Exp come in at $13 as well. These are by no means cheap slugs but they really do perform as advertised. Lightfield also has another line of ammunition they call the Commander IDS Plus Series. These slugs are available in 12 and 16 gauge and are a high velocity, stable slugs that are made for larger game at long distances. They offer one of the only available 3 1/2 inch slugs on the market (whoa!).
Ok, so now I'll get off my soap box, but I honestly do recommend these slugs to anyone looking for a good sabot slug for their rifled shotgun! Now I do need to give a bit of a warning: Although the knock down power of the 3" slug is great, it does pack quite the punch to the shooter in the form of kick when shooting these bad boys! The kick is not unbearable and I never notice it while hunting, but if you are planning to shoot multiple boxes in the back yard during a sight-in or practice session, you might get a sore shoulder.
Has anyone used these slugs before?
-Paul Nicolucci