Just curious, bolt action slug guns?

H

Husqvarna

New member
Just curious, bolt action slug guns?

I was browsing savage arms website on another mission, when I encountered those shotgun slug bolt guns, sure I have seen similar guns before but actually newly manufactured?

What special purpose do they serve? not cheap either

just as a curiosity`?
 
They are not your Grampa's bolt action shotgun, that's for sure. Browning and Savage make factory versions, Tar Heel makes a semi-custom version, and many custom slug guns are being made by rifle smiths. They are not your average "pumpkin ball" shooter. Basically, they are a hunting rifle that meets the "shotgun only" rule in many states. Many of those rifled slug guns will shoot MOA or close to, so they are no slouches, and very serious 200-250 yds deer rifles. In fact, there are benchrest matches for slug guns, and the winning groups are quite impressive.
 
wow is all I can say, didn't know you could get that kinda accuracy and range, when I am shooting slugs outta my rem1100 I am at smelling distance from the hogs:)

nor that the US (the gun rights wonderland symbole) had such restrictions
 
There are rules in different states about smooth bore vs rifled shotguns .Rifled with sabot slugs can be very accurate !
 
they can be very acurate. however each individual barrel is going to prefer one factory load above all others, and these sabot loads are all in that fun "god, its cheaper to feed a 500 magnum carbine", that finding the load it likes the best is going to cost you 5 dollars a shot.
 
I have one of these. It's everything in the world I wanted in a deer shotgun after going through a number of brands and types. Range and accuracy are outstanding.
 
Bolt

I have a Mossberg 695 bolt gun, possibly the ugliest bolt gun ever made. That being said, it is accurate and easy to carry.
Slugs can be costly. Over the last few years, I have learned to load my own and have settled on one that I derived from Hubel's ubiquitous "12 ga from hell" thread on this and other fora. Much more affordable (and powerful).
Pete
 
Yes it is true testing ammo for consistency and accuracy can be costly.
It didn't bother me to spend a lot to learn what I did.
I found the one brand that hit the sweet spot.
When zeroed for that brand, I also found all others would hit well within the limits for taking deer. Some were higher, lower, left or right.
I zeroed mine for the Hornady 20ga SST to be spot on. It turns out I can shoot every one of the remaining rounds and still be more than acceptable with no scope changes or hold over. The deal with the SST's in my shotgun was simply a matter of being single ragged hole wonder. Other brands still hit well within the kill zone, but would deviate an inch or two.
Sometimes I'm not too bright. I left to go deer hunting with no ammo. I had to go back to the nearest town hardware store to pick up a small box of a brand that was not my best choice. However, I knew where it would hit and I also knew it would do the job. Sometimes going through the paces of testing ammo for a particular gun can yield beneficial results. Like in this case- no, I was not dead nuts on with what I bought, but I knew it was well within the kill zone. So you can eliminate a lot of guessing or wondering about different ammo brands when you take the time and spend the money. Take good notes. Compare your hits. Maybe zero your scope for best results using all the brands you try instead of finding that perfect round.
 
I would like to have one (or more) of the old bolt shotguns. They used to be plentiful and cheap.
IMHO it would be the perfect truck gun.
 
i just recently purchased a savage 212 bolt action slug gun a couple days ago, the price convinced me to go with savage rather than browning. altogether i have the 212 in the camo pattern savage provides, not exactly sure what pattern it really is, and i have a leupold ultimate slam 3-9X40 scope on it and it will shoot a 1" grouping at 150 yards. thats more than plenty for where the deer come for me, just nice to know that f i need to reach out and touch one, im not worried because where i aim the shot is going there. :D
 
I've got the Savage 220 and I'll never own a smooth bore, pump, or semi shotgun again.

I don't have to think about which weapon to grab from the gun safe when I see a deer in my field behind the house. The 220 and my Model 700 in .30-06 will both do the trick at the far edge of the field, 200 yards off the back porch.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
 
[There are rules in different states about smooth bore vs rifled shotguns]

Heck - Some states (NY is one of them, Maine another) even have different rules for different parts of the same state, or even county.
In NY, for one, you can literally cross the road and travel from a zone that allows rifle hunting, to one that bans them in favor of "shotguns-only" - even in a fairly rural area.

Most "shotgun-only" restrictions were legislated due a deadly fear of a rifle projectile travelling in a densely-populated area, like a city / suburb, and injuring some innocent.
Don't forget: non-shooters often believe any rifle can/will shoot through (penetrate) three or four brick buildings before striking THEM in the head.

The 1st B-A shotguns were simply cheap, user guns that wiseguys (like us) saw potential in, and developed at first with sights, then with the installation of a Hastings barrel (ca.1970's, IIRC), finally ending up with what amounts to a .72 Cal rifle.
We just try to keep that salient fact from the legislators, though. :p

.
 
Last edited:
Back to the original question. The bolt action puts the scope back where it belongs. You can solid mount a barrel in a pump action, mount a scope on the receiver and get the same affect, but for some reason people do not want to dedicate a shotgun to slug only.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top