Deer season starts this weekend for youth. I set up a blind for my son and I close to an active trail. If this set works it might be a close shot, maybe 50 feet. Someone suggested a slug for his 20 gauge. Is it safe to shoot a rifled slug through a smoothbore with a fixed modified choke?

Yes

I'll back up what Scott just said with another Yes!
Good luck.

Never used a slug before so I wanted to get this right the first time. Thanks for your help!

a crack barrel 20 gauge with slugs was my first deer "rifle"....it'll work

good luck

Yes it is safe, but IMO buckshot works much better at up to 40 yards..The killing power of a slug has never impressed me much, especially in a 20 ga.

Its safe and it will do ya fine out to 50 yards.
Its basically the equivalent of a 58 or 60 cal black powder rifle.

20 ga. Slug
.609 dia.
2 3/4" shell
275 Grain Rifled Slug
1580 FPS @ Muzzle, 1513 Ft.lbs
1240 FPS @50 Yds, 931 Ft.lbs.

The nice thing about slugs is that you can buy boxes of just five of 'em in several different brands and see which the bore likes the best and you won't have to break the bank. Just don't go hoping for rifle tight groups. 4" at 50 yards is about the best you can hope for from a smooth bore with any slug.

Not if you're a deer inside 30 yards or so

Yes, a 20 gauge slug will kill a deer at 50 feet. It will also kill a deer at awhole lot farther than 50 feet.
My youngest son killed his first deer at about 100 yards with a 20 gauge slug from modified barrel.

Remington "Buckhammer" in 20ga. Should do nicely.

WN

Worked for me for my first 8 seasons as a youngster in southeast MN.

CORECTION, NOT BUCKHAMMERS...SLUGGERS