Who hunts deer w/ a 12ga & rifled/slug barrel?

Until very recently the entire lower half of NY state was relegated to slug guns. My hunting areas still is but rifle zones are slowing spreading throughout the state.


So far as range, a saboted slug gun is still pretty limited. Under most circumstances 100 yards is still near max, I have a VERY hard time believing anyone gets consistent accuracy at 150 and beyond. I have tried NUMEROUS brands of sabot slugs (Hornady, Remington, Winchester...) and more than one version of some brands and from multiple guns. Shooting from a lead sled we have never been able to get acceptable accuracy beyond about 120 yards, say nothing of hunting conditions.
 
Are there barrels that are specifically designed for slugs that are smooth, or are barrels that are specifically for slugs always rifled?

I just want to make sure I understand the options correctly...if you have a smooth barrel that is normally for "shot", then you should use a rifled slug....and if you have a rifled barrel, you use a sabot slug (and you will get more accuracy at greater distances) Is that correct?

One more question (at least for the moment): is a choke required when shooting rifled slugs...or is it only required if you want to acheive greater accuracy?
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Like said above, there are both smooth bore and rifled slug barrels. Some manufacturers produce both. All true slug barrels will have rifle type (adjustable) sights. You simply pick the type of slug to match the barrel you have - your understanding is correct.

As far as slugs through a choked barrel. A smoothbore slug barrel will have no choke at all. When shooting a slug through a choked bird barrel, you'll generally find that the least restrictive the choke the greater the accuracy. Most manufacturers do not recommend shooting a slug through any choke more restrictive than Modified.
 
All true slug barrels will have rifle type (adjustable) sights.
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Technically, that is not always true. There are barrels made that are just like some rifle barrels, scope mounts only:

1187sportsmansscamocl-prod.ashx
 
Ok, I'll give you that. Some are meant to be scope sighted and don't carry iron sights at all.

By the way, my hunting partner had one of those cantilevered mounts on a Mossberg. Couldn't get the blasted thing to hold zero. The mount was so flimsy that the slightest bump would bend it just enough to through it off zero.
 
Doyle said:
By the way, my hunting partner had one of those cantilevered mounts on a Mossberg. Couldn't get the blasted thing to hold zero. The mount was so flimsy that the slightest bump would bend it just enough to through it off zero.
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Wow! That would suck. I have an 11-87 (almost exactly like the picture actually) and I can tell you that the cantilever mount on that gun is anything but flimsy. It may well be the strongest part of the whole gun!
 
Uncle Ben: I use Winchester SuperX 2 3/4" rifled slugs through my Winchester SX3. They're usually $2.50 a box (of 5). During peak hunting season, they tend to be up to $3.00 a box.
 
Like others, my reason for using slugs is due to laws. Most shots are close enough for slugs anyways.

That being said, this season I would have filled my tag if I would have had a rifle. I saw lots of deer that were just out of my comfort range for slugs, but I would have felt fine taking the shot if I had a rifle.
 
NJ allows shotguns,and m/l rifles for deer hunting.

shotguns smooth or rifled bore with buckshot,slugs or sabotted slug (20ga to 10 ga)
m/l rifles single barrel, single shot with round ball,sabot or conical bullet .45 cal min size.

for firearm season here i've been using the m/l more than the shotgun. yes i have 3 shots with the shotgun. but our 6 day gun week is the only time i'll use the shotgun. mostly driving during that time keeps the deer on alert and moving alot. and the m/l season has more than 3 days in december.

depending on the terrain and cover when using the shotgun i'll either use the 20" smoothbore w/sights barrel carrying buckshot and slugs or the 28" vr carrying buckshot only. i like the longer range i have with the m/l,i have'nt had the money to buy another 870 and have a rifled barrel pinned to the receiver or to buy a bolt action type with a fully rifle barrel.
 
Delaware is the same Shotguns, and MLs, with a one week long handgun over ..40 caliber season.

The reason for the rule is high population density. A 1500 FPS projectile from a shotgun travels half the distance a rifle round travels before it hits the ground.
 
When they started opening up shotgun areas in MD in the 70s, I had a choice.

I could drive to Garret County and use a rifle on sparse numbers of deer, bucks only.

Or, I could use a shotgun less than ten miles from home and see much greater numbers of deer and have a chance on doe permits.

The choice was obvious. And it paid off.

At this point in 50 years or so of hunting, I've taken.....

Someplace more than 25 deer, best guess, with shotguns.

Maybe 15 with MLs.

And counting a desert Mule deer in Ca once, maybe 5 or so with a rifle.

My success rate went up after starting to bowhunt. Having the limited range, needing great scent discipline and movement, etc, really hiked up the skills so that, at least in the areas where I hunt, a shotgun suffices.

Learning to dope out wind, drop, etc for long range deer sniping is an art in itself. But learning how to take them very close is major fun and a rush like you can't believe.

To paraphrase a friend, the shotgun doesn't limit the shooter, the shooter limits the shotgun...
 
My first deer was taken almost 30 years ago with an H&R single shot w/ bead sight loaded with a foster type slug. The shotgun has changed for me but not much else:D Every deer I have shot has been 50 yards or less...and for that a shotgun loaded with slugs works fine.

I will say that I do enjoy hunting at a buddies place in one of NY's shotgun, muzzleloader, handgun AND RIFLE counties (cattaraugus). I get to use some of my old mil surplus rifles to hunt!
 
Remington 870. I hunt in OH and I use two types of barrels and slugs. For drive hunting I use a smooth barrel with open sights shooting Remington Sluggers. If I am stand hunting then it is a cantilevered, rifled barrel with Hornady SST's or Brenekke KO's. Since we all love pics:D Here is an old pic:

P1060516.jpg


Regards,

Beentown
 
petzikilla, what slugs do you shoot thru your 11-87, i agree with you about your setup, i use the same setup here in SW MI. I have kinda wondered because the twist rate on these barrells(at least mine) is 1 in 34 i believe witch indicates using the slower sabots. I am thinking about experimiting with some of the newer faster sabots but everything i read says i need a faster twist to really handle them in a 11-87. I have shot lightfields for the last 7 yrs thru mine and liked them alot, but lately it seems they arnt coming from the factory as accurate as they once were,going to experiment this coming spring with others.
 
petzikilla, what slugs do you shoot thru your 11-87, i agree with you about your setup, i use the same setup here in SW MI. I have kinda wondered because the twist rate on these barrells(at least mine) is 1 in 34 i believe witch indicates using the slower sabots. I am thinking about experimiting with some of the newer faster sabots but everything i read says i need a faster twist to really handle them in a 11-87. I have shot lightfields for the last 7 yrs thru mine and liked them alot, but lately it seems they arnt coming from the factory as accurate as they once were,going to experiment this coming spring with others.
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In my gun I've tried Remington Core-Lokt Ultras, Remingtin Accutips and Winchester XP3s.

The accuracy of the XP3s was HORRID, like 14 inches at 100 yards, the Core-Lokts was fine to about 75 yards, but were like 8 or 10 inches at 100 and the Accutips are OK out to at least 100, right about 3 inches, but not 150, where they were at least 10 inches low and right.
 
Federal makes an excellent sabot slug also, my 1300 loves them. Don't be affraid to experiment with different brands, you'd be surprised with the results.

kenny b
 
I have a Mossberg 20g pump I intend to hunt deer with, because the ranges are all going to be close anyway.

I do want to use slugs some though so I have two questions.
The first is, what kind of slugs do you guys recommend?

The second is what kind of scope would you suggest?
I have the ribbed barrel that is a 28inch smooth bore that came with the gun, so I am not sure if I can even put a scope on it.
But, assuming I could, what would you guys suggest?
 
I do want to use slugs some though so I have two questions.
The first is, what kind of slugs do you guys recommend?

The second is what kind of scope would you suggest?
I have the ribbed barrel that is a 28inch smooth bore that came with the gun, so I am not sure if I can even put a scope on it.
But, assuming I could, what would you guys suggest?
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In smooth-bore guns, I always had good luck with Winchester Super-X. My dad's gun, on the other hand, preferred Federals. Try a couple brands and see what that gun likes.

For a scope, I really like the Bushnell Banner Dusk&Dawn with the Circle-X reticle. It's really great for deer hunting.

I'm pretty sure that there is some kind of scope mount that you can put on that gun. It would be more unusual for there not to be one available.
 
Hey Beentown; looks like an 870 SP w/2 barrels and that $4.99 price is OLD. But to address the OP, 12 ga. sabot "bullets" in rifled slug barrels, e.g., Rem. 870, with cantilever scope mounts and proper scopes, e.g., Leupold Shtogun 1 X 4 Variable, can provide a 150 yard shotgun for deer. BUT, you must try different brands of sabot slugs to find the best for your gun. AND, if your shotgun is a pump action rather than an auto you will probably prefer 2 3/4 inch shells. Three inch slugs are real KICKERS in pump shotguns. :(
 
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