[Big Mike]

Actually, I'm not but I do have a question...

Today I went shooting my Rem 870 HD. I was shooting Federal 12 guage 3" 1.1/4 oz. slugs. They are powerful! The first shot I took was off of a benchrest. When it fired, the action shot back and ejected the plastic casing. I was not holding the forward pump end. Is this normal? I know that when I shoot regular birdshot I'm holding the front end and it is not powerful enough to push the action back, not that I recall. I couldn't believe how powerful the shells are. My right shoulder aches as I write this. :)

I have been reading previous posts about just using the bead on the shotgun, rather than scoping it out. On a good note, at 50 yards, for 5 shots I kept the slugs in a 4 square inch pattern. I moved the second 5 shots closer @ 25 yards and had a ragged 1.5 inch hole. I was pleasantly suprised at the accuracy it held, even though it has only been 10 rounds.
I plan on this being my deer gun this fall.

I am not recoil sensitive (at least nothing I've ever shot) but after shooting these slugs I may develop a twitch...will just have to practice more!

Thanks, Mike

[AZ Husker]

If you like that, find a barrel with rifle sights. I love to see the look on peoples' faces when I ring steel at 200 yards! My 870 Police is by far the most versatile and potentially devastating weapon in my armory!

[another okie]

Several manufacturers make "low recoil" slugs; sometimes they call them "tactical." They generally do have significantly less recoil. They might work well as practice rounds for deer season.

[Dave McCracken]

Quite a few pumps will cycle themselves in that manner. Brister mentions that very thing in his masterwork, Shotgunning, The Art and The Science.

I usually do my benchwork with slugs wearing a PAST pad, known as the Wonderbra here.

Good results, if the majority of your shot opps falls inside 50 yards,and they should.

[Big Mike]

Thanks for the responses. I am still impressed with the accuracy just using the bead. I'll definitely bring some sort of pad next time I shoot them. I'll have to research the power level, but I can't imagine a deer not being whacked off its hooves with the power. I've read about Brenneke slugs, are there any other slugs you guys use when hunting deer? Thanks agan, Mike

[zahc]

Brenneke 3" slugs, the clear ones. Oooh boy.:D :uhoh:

[Al Thompson]

Mike, there are almost zero ineffective slugs. I would balk at using the "tactical" ones, but the last critter I killed was shot with a Winchester and a Remington slug. Both worked fine.

I would advise you to add a rear sight as funds allow. I had a season of shooting deer with an 1100 with a bead. I could keep all my shots in a tight group on the range, but real world had a few strange misses. Key was that your eye serves as the rear sight when using a bead only - I was raising my head off the stock. Didn't try it, but had the idea to put a thumbtack or some other fixed contact point on the stock where my cheek rested. That way I would know when my mount was tight and I could concentrate on the front sight.

HTH :)

[Big Mike]

Thanks for the replies. They are very helpful. I searched Ebay and saw lots of 870 Barrels out there that were 20" and had rifle sights on it.

I may try to trade my 18" for one of those as it seems that a 20" isn't too more wieldy in a self-defense situation than my 18" and can double as my hunting "gun."

I also saw cantilever barrels that had a swooping sort of scope mount on it. Does anyone have any experience with these? How well do they hold zeros? Thanks again, Mike