The late comedian Rodney Dangerfield's signature line was "I don't get no respect." It usually got him a laugh. But among deer hunters, that's the way many feel about shotgun slugs, and a laughing matter it's not.

Shotgun slugs have not enjoyed a sterling reputation, and that has nothing to do with their knockdown power. They have that in abundance. In fact, many guides and biologists who prowl northern "bad bear" country consider a 12-gauge slug gun to be perfect "bear medicine." When it comes to close-range punch, it's hard to argue with a .70-caliber, soft-lead, 1-ounce, 12-gauge slug zipping along at 1,600 to 1,800 feet per second. That'll hammer a grizzly.

But, of course, bears are big and when a slug needs be used in self-defense that bear is close. Change the target to a whitetail deer at 100 yards and the accuracy shortcomings of the traditional slug become a major concern. In fact, regardless of the sight system in use, any smoothbore shotgun is lucky if it can create a group of 6 inches at that range.

That's not exactly the level of accuracy a deer hunter would opt for. However, many have had no choice. In a number of areas, regulations mandate a shotgun be used. Those hunters who found themselves in that situation usually tried to get close, and hoped for the best.

At least, that's how things worked in the "old days." That's not the case anymore. In fact, modern high-tech slug guns are capable of producing accuracy levels that equal many pump, lever-action and semi-auto rifles, while delivering more than enough game-downing power to harvest deer to at least the 150-yard mark. Two important advancements in slug technology have made that possible.

The first is replacing the soft-lead "pumpkin ball" Foster-type slug with a sub-caliber, aerodynamically shaped bullet encased in a polymer sabot. This produces a higher ballistic coefficient than the Foster-style slugs and maintains its velocity much better. The more streamlined shape produces increased downrange power and an extended range.

However, that does the shooter no good if he can't achieve the accuracy required to take advantage of the improved ballistics. Thus, the second significant advancement is to mate the sabot slugs with either a fully rifled shotgun barrel, or a screw-in rifled choke tube.

Unlike the Foster slug, which flies like a rock in a sock, a sabot in a rifled barrel imparts the same spin to the encased slug that one gets from a rifle bullet. The polymer sabot grips the bullet tightly, is tough enough to engage the rifling without stripping, and imparts that spin to the bullet. As the package exits the muzzle, the sabot separates into two pieces, flies free of the bullet, and the slug continues on its way with spin stabilization.

The increased ballistic characteristics are now combined with a barrel system that delivers the accuracy needed to capitalize on it. However, that only happens when the sabot is combined with a rifled barrel.