Best/Easiest way to turn my 870 into a slug gun

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ditchbanker

New member
I have an 870. I've got a 28" barrel with Rem choke system, the barrel is currently removed sitting next to it in the safe and an 18" barrel currently installed. Both barrels are ribbed and the 18" has a fiber optic site and cylinder choke. The 18" gun is my HD gun if I have time to get to it (.45 if not).

With that info started, I'd like to be able to use this gun on a short range mule deer hunt this coming fall. Range isn't TOO important to me. I come from an archery background (most recently traditional). With a baby at home I don't have the enormous amounts of time available that I needed to be proficient with my long bow, so I'd like to use my 870. With my history, anything past 50 yards is a bonus, if I could get 100 I'd be pretty excited. With the baby situation, I'd like to be able to spend as little as I could to get good accuracy. I've tried slugs with front bead only and was not impressed. My basic options, as I see them, are an all new barrel or attempt to mount a sight to one of my barrels to improve accuracy. Whew, that was longer than I meant it to be.

IF I can stay with one of my current barrels, which rifle type sights could I go with? If I do this option, it would be easier to haul around an 18" barrel than a 28, but how does choke effect slugs? Are these barrels just not going to work and I need to start saving pennies for a rifled barrel?
 
ditchbanker

First, let me say that you question was well thought out, concisely written and you provided enough information :). Sadly, few post include who, what, where, when, and how, just a pet peeve of mine.

Question one - have you tried slugs in the 18" barrel yet?

Question two - what chokes do you have for the 28" barrel?

I have fired a lot (hundreds) of slug rounds thru Remington 870's with 18" barrels and believe that most could get the job done. By a couple of different manufactures' "rifled" slugs and do a bit of testing.

I do not have any personal experience on shooting slugs thru a 28" if you have a modified or looser choke why not try that also. (Remember to check and make sure the choke is fully seated before shooting slugs thru this barrel.)

If sight alignment / sight picture becomes an issue, a couple of companies make clamp on rifle sights for you ribbed barrels.

I like shooting big balls of lead down range! I often do it rather rather well at 50 yrds. Slugs are not magic pills, they do not knock white tails on their butts with poorly placed shots. Good solid hit in the lung/heart area take then down as well as any deer rifle.

Good Luck & Be Safe
 
+1 for trying the slugs through your existing barrel first. Try some Brenneki KO slugs (not the sabot type). They are pretty cheap and have a great reputation for accuracy.

If that doesn't work, you can pick up a good used slug barrel for a C-note or so.
 
I'm afraid that for a well thought out question I wasn't completely clear. I'm more concerned with sight picture.

A couple years ago I tried both barrels with several slugs and couldn't be accurate at 50 yards with it (target was a big cardboard box with marks drawn on). I have personally fired better than that, I think the sights were the issue. This is what I'm looking for help for. I don't intend to go for a full rifled barrel. Just not in the cards right now. It's going to be an issue of trying to get the most out of a smooth bore. The choke I have for my 28 is a modified and I've also got an improved modified floating around somewhere

If anyone has any advice on a rifle type sight that will easily install on a ribbed barrel, I'd love to hear it. I do have a gun smith in the area who's done well by me at a good price, but installing it myself (if it's easy) would be preferable.
 
I am fairly partial to my ghost ring sight but have handled a police style 870 with normal rifle sights and it shot well.

The fiber optic ones help a lot but I like the ghost ring because of the picture I get. I started out with bows as well and if you are used to a peep sight you may look at a ghost ring.
 
Thanks for all the help.

Today I took a trip to Cabelas and grabbed a Tru Glo sight that has a rear sight that can be removed and replaced with a ghost ring sight (included). Tried them both on and anticipate liking the standard rifle type sight better (looks sturdier for dragging through the brush).

Thanks again, can't wait to go shoot it next weekend.
 
I just wanted to say thankyou again for all the advice I got. I took my 870 to the range yesterday and did some shooting out to 50 yards. Very pleased. Also very confident a slug can get me meat to at least 50 yards.

Thanks again.
 
Try some cheap Rem foster slugs in your 18" bbl. My 870 WM just loves em.

With cylinder bore choke you are going to want to stick with foster slugs.
 
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