ford_shooter
New member
Whats the most accurate 12 ga. slug out there?I'll be firing it out of an 870 express with a 20 in. rifled barrel.
Shooter.
Shooter.
Slug accuracy
- Thread starter ford_shooter
- Start date
My Choice
As you know, every firearm has its ammo preference. I have a slug gun too. It is one of those NEF single shots with a rifled barrel. When I first got it, I went through the slug testing procedure. My particular gun was very finicky. It likes the Federal, 2 3/4 inch, 1 ounce, sabot HP slug. At fifty yards, with open sights, I can get three shot groups hovering around two inches. Your gun may or may not like these slugs. But several other folks around here seem to have good luck with Federal slugs too.
As you know, every firearm has its ammo preference. I have a slug gun too. It is one of those NEF single shots with a rifled barrel. When I first got it, I went through the slug testing procedure. My particular gun was very finicky. It likes the Federal, 2 3/4 inch, 1 ounce, sabot HP slug. At fifty yards, with open sights, I can get three shot groups hovering around two inches. Your gun may or may not like these slugs. But several other folks around here seem to have good luck with Federal slugs too.
ford_shooter
New member
Slug
Yea I've been using remington 3in slugs and have had decent luck with them and using Winchesters as backups. I heard of Hasting having a really accurate slugs. Spose to be more accurate than any slug out there. Any experiance with these?
Yea I've been using remington 3in slugs and have had decent luck with them and using Winchesters as backups. I heard of Hasting having a really accurate slugs. Spose to be more accurate than any slug out there. Any experiance with these?
kirbymagnum
New member
fase it if you want the jobe done right use a rifle unless you are realy close and have a big target but thats just my 2 cents but they have a dramatic arc so unless you can wip a range finder out of your ass and calculate how much you have to aim up your **** out of luck with the slugs.
ford_shooter
New member
hmmmm
I think the best thing for me to do is get a variety of different slugs and see how they shoot.
I think the best thing for me to do is get a variety of different slugs and see how they shoot.
ford_shooter
New member
Sug gun
The thing is here in Iowa I'm in the part of the state where we cant use centerfire rifle on deer..only shotgun and muzzleloader.
The thing is here in Iowa I'm in the part of the state where we cant use centerfire rifle on deer..only shotgun and muzzleloader.
kirbymagnum
New member
hmmmmm. well in that case the best thing is to do what you said test different slugs. good luck to you guys and tell me witch slugs you find work best.
Really close? Not really but depends on where you're hunting.
I'm in the lower zone in Michigan, so no rifles. Hunting in the woods I don't get shots over 100 yds anyway. Open filed stuff it would be nice to have more range....
Mossberg 500 rifled barrel with sabot slugs. Used to use BRI til they disappeared, now Winchester. No problems keeping 4" groups at 50 yds. I'll still take a shot out to around 100 though (and have successfully). I get about another 6" drop there so still in the kill zone, just aim a little higher on the chest.
+1 on try a bunch out. My dad has the same gun I do and it hates the Winchesters. He shoots Remington copper solids.
I'm in the lower zone in Michigan, so no rifles. Hunting in the woods I don't get shots over 100 yds anyway. Open filed stuff it would be nice to have more range....
Mossberg 500 rifled barrel with sabot slugs. Used to use BRI til they disappeared, now Winchester. No problems keeping 4" groups at 50 yds. I'll still take a shot out to around 100 though (and have successfully). I get about another 6" drop there so still in the kill zone, just aim a little higher on the chest.
+1 on try a bunch out. My dad has the same gun I do and it hates the Winchesters. He shoots Remington copper solids.
I have used Remington, Remington Low Recoil, Federal, and Winchester. All 2 3/4" and about 1 oz slug. I was able to get the low recoils to point of aim at 35 yards with only a bead sight and 24" barrel. I'll be testing my newly aquired 870 with rifle sights on Wednesday. I also want to test Wolf brand slugs and buckshot, but I don't know where to buy them.
exoduster16
New member
Federal Tru-Ball....
Nothing I've ever used could beat the Federal Tru-Ball slugs out of my 11-87 smoothbore....these things are awesome!! I can hold about a 1 1/2 to 2 in group with these at 50 yards. And all I'm using for sights is Hi-Viz Lite Pipe.
Nothing I've ever used could beat the Federal Tru-Ball slugs out of my 11-87 smoothbore....these things are awesome!! I can hold about a 1 1/2 to 2 in group with these at 50 yards. And all I'm using for sights is Hi-Viz Lite Pipe.
ford_shooter
New member
Range
Where I hunt in eastern IA most part is hilly and thick timber. I'm in spots where i can only get a 25 meter shot but get into open areas where i have a few hundred yards to play with so i'd like a slug that has a decent range.
Where I hunt in eastern IA most part is hilly and thick timber. I'm in spots where i can only get a 25 meter shot but get into open areas where i have a few hundred yards to play with so i'd like a slug that has a decent range.
Thoughts
I'm speaking of Smooth bores only, using Foster type slugs. Some call them rifled slugs. For Simplicity sake and some is applicable to rifled bbls/ or smoothbores with rifle choke.
It is true each bbl/ choke has its own preference. Even bbls coming off the same assembly batch often times will have different preferences in loadings, be it pellets, or in this discussion - slugs.
Also different lots of ammo will vary - hence the suggestion once you find a loading - run back to store and buy a bunch of that same lot nuimber.
In general, for me over the years, Rem bbls seem to do better with Fed loads with Win being next.
Barrel length does not make a difference - ONLY to add longer sighting planes do assist with sighting when using plain bbls, vent ribs with front bead only. One the vent ribs, adding a mid bead assists in not canting the gun...have gunsmith install and tweak to fit your loading.
Fixed Choke bbls only-
If acccuracy is giving fits, make sure the muzzle is not dinged. If so have a competent smith correct.
Screw in choke folks-
Internal chokes folks make sure muzzle is not dinged, hence one reason I prefer external knurled chokes.
External knurled folks, see if choke is dinged.
Internal/ External : Make sure the choke is concentric, will not only affect slugs , also pellet loads.
Here is a rare thing, affects pellets and slugs. Make sure where choke fits into recess of bbl - there is NO lip. By this I mean the screw in choke should be flush at least or a itty bitty below where is snugs up to inside ridge of bbl where threads are cut.
If the wad catches this , even ever so slight, this can 1) throw pellets/ slugs off. 2) with heavy loads, especially slugs, catch that lip, ruining choke, threads, end of bbl and near muzzle portion.
It is a given if Bubba has cut the threads and installed a choke - very often nothing is concentric and nothing exiting that bore will go anywhere near it was supposed to.
Sometimes only a couple of thousandths in constrictions make all the difference in how a gun groups slugs ( or pellets). Aftermarket chokes with the smallest increment in thousandths of availablitiy allow one to tweak to fit for their gun , loads and needs.
Just because a 12 bore is "supposed" to be .729 does not mean YOURS is.
5 thousandths of constriction in a bbl .729, .735 or .737 makes a difference in each of these.
Gun fit to shooter, proper form, also play a part.
Brister was right - there is art and science to this shotgunning.
HTH
Best of luck to all...
Steve
I'm speaking of Smooth bores only, using Foster type slugs. Some call them rifled slugs. For Simplicity sake and some is applicable to rifled bbls/ or smoothbores with rifle choke.
It is true each bbl/ choke has its own preference. Even bbls coming off the same assembly batch often times will have different preferences in loadings, be it pellets, or in this discussion - slugs.
Also different lots of ammo will vary - hence the suggestion once you find a loading - run back to store and buy a bunch of that same lot nuimber.
In general, for me over the years, Rem bbls seem to do better with Fed loads with Win being next.
Barrel length does not make a difference - ONLY to add longer sighting planes do assist with sighting when using plain bbls, vent ribs with front bead only. One the vent ribs, adding a mid bead assists in not canting the gun...have gunsmith install and tweak to fit your loading.
Fixed Choke bbls only-
If acccuracy is giving fits, make sure the muzzle is not dinged. If so have a competent smith correct.
Screw in choke folks-
Internal chokes folks make sure muzzle is not dinged, hence one reason I prefer external knurled chokes.
External knurled folks, see if choke is dinged.
Internal/ External : Make sure the choke is concentric, will not only affect slugs , also pellet loads.
Here is a rare thing, affects pellets and slugs. Make sure where choke fits into recess of bbl - there is NO lip. By this I mean the screw in choke should be flush at least or a itty bitty below where is snugs up to inside ridge of bbl where threads are cut.
If the wad catches this , even ever so slight, this can 1) throw pellets/ slugs off. 2) with heavy loads, especially slugs, catch that lip, ruining choke, threads, end of bbl and near muzzle portion.
It is a given if Bubba has cut the threads and installed a choke - very often nothing is concentric and nothing exiting that bore will go anywhere near it was supposed to.
Sometimes only a couple of thousandths in constrictions make all the difference in how a gun groups slugs ( or pellets). Aftermarket chokes with the smallest increment in thousandths of availablitiy allow one to tweak to fit for their gun , loads and needs.
Just because a 12 bore is "supposed" to be .729 does not mean YOURS is.
5 thousandths of constriction in a bbl .729, .735 or .737 makes a difference in each of these.
Gun fit to shooter, proper form, also play a part.
Brister was right - there is art and science to this shotgunning.
HTH
Best of luck to all...
Steve
5ptdeerhunter
New member
I just got done doing this same thing on my trip up north. I had to try some different brands because I used to get custom loads, but the guy doesn't make the same quality he used to so I have to change.
I shot all of these at 50 yards with a bushnell trophy 1.75-4x scope on a remington 870 with a cantilever barrel, using a sandbag on top of a cooler for a rest. 4 shot groups.
Lightfield 3" - 2", with three of the four touching.
Remington Buckhammer 3" - 4.5" these seemed to have the most recoil, and they smelled really bad.
Winchester Super-X Sabot Slugs 3" - 4" they were good and I know the worst shot was all me, but I still gotten count in the group.
Winchester Supreme Partition Gold Slugs 3" - 4" but it was box with a shot in each corner.
And some left over loads from last year 3" - 1" I only shot 3 because that was I had, but all three of them were touching each other.
I used to shoot Lightfield 2 3/4", but the 3" seem to group better then those did.
Each gun is different and you gotta try them all. I let my dad shoot my lightfields and his group was around 5" with his mossberg.
I shot all of these at 50 yards with a bushnell trophy 1.75-4x scope on a remington 870 with a cantilever barrel, using a sandbag on top of a cooler for a rest. 4 shot groups.
Lightfield 3" - 2", with three of the four touching.
Remington Buckhammer 3" - 4.5" these seemed to have the most recoil, and they smelled really bad.
Winchester Super-X Sabot Slugs 3" - 4" they were good and I know the worst shot was all me, but I still gotten count in the group.
Winchester Supreme Partition Gold Slugs 3" - 4" but it was box with a shot in each corner.
And some left over loads from last year 3" - 1" I only shot 3 because that was I had, but all three of them were touching each other.
I used to shoot Lightfield 2 3/4", but the 3" seem to group better then those did.
Each gun is different and you gotta try them all. I let my dad shoot my lightfields and his group was around 5" with his mossberg.
In my tests with iron-sighted smoothbore 1100s, I found that 75 to 80 yards was just about the extent of what I could hit a paper plate every time. Beyond 90, I had trouble hitting a 5 gallon bucket!!
I got decent accuracy with Remington 1oz 2 3/4". My preference, however, is for the Rottweill/Brenneke slugs. There's excellent value in the TKO slugs, at under $3.00/box (of 5).
I got decent accuracy with Remington 1oz 2 3/4". My preference, however, is for the Rottweill/Brenneke slugs. There's excellent value in the TKO slugs, at under $3.00/box (of 5).
TerminalVelocity16
New member
hmmm...maybe its just my shotgun, but something seems wrong having a hard time hitting the target at 100 yards. I have a Remington 870 Marine Magnum (smoothbore) and I can usually shoot sub 3" groups @ 100yds with Remington 3" slugs. I dunno...maybe it is just my gun.
-Terminal
-Terminal
ford_shooter
New member
Slug
Well i finaly got the time to take my 1100 out and sight it in. i got it sighted in up to 75 yards. I have a 21 in rifled barrel with a 1.5-4.5x Bushnell Trophy Scope on it. I started out using Lightfields to sight it in and they did decesnt up to 50 yards. They had between 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" groupd. I then used Winchester Super X at 75 yards and got a 4 1/2" 5 shot group. Then i shot the Remington Premier Coppersolids at 75 yards and got a 2 1/2" 5 shot group. So i'm thinking i'm gonna stick with the coppersolids this year and see what happens.
Well i finaly got the time to take my 1100 out and sight it in. i got it sighted in up to 75 yards. I have a 21 in rifled barrel with a 1.5-4.5x Bushnell Trophy Scope on it. I started out using Lightfields to sight it in and they did decesnt up to 50 yards. They had between 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" groupd. I then used Winchester Super X at 75 yards and got a 4 1/2" 5 shot group. Then i shot the Remington Premier Coppersolids at 75 yards and got a 2 1/2" 5 shot group. So i'm thinking i'm gonna stick with the coppersolids this year and see what happens.
