[Deus Machina]

Talked to an uncle that invited me hunting if I can make it up north, again. Problem: he's in Illinois, and I don't own a shotgun.

Disappointment or opportunity? :cool:

I feel comfortable in my ability to hit a deer right. But the shotgun I've taken a shining to looks like it will be more difficult to swap the barrels out, and I would want one I could keep 20" or shorter for the HD purpose.

Overall, how well do those rifled (I've seen the Box O' Truth, they actually work on the 'badminton birdie' principle) actually work, and is it well enough out of a 18.5" or 20" barrel that I wouldn't need to spring for a rifled barrel that I might use very couple years?

[Tim the student]

I think 20" is the standard for smooth bore, rifle sighted "deer barrels" so I don't think that will be a problem.

Rifled slugs work very well within about 100 yards. Your ability to make consistent hits from field positions will be the deciding factor, IMO, not the slugs ability to quickly kill a deer. ETA: Within "normal" hunting ranges - I won't shoot at a deer past about 75 yards, but I would guess that a well placed slug would work fine out to about 150 or so. I know guys that will swear up and down that they shoot deer at 150 with them, but I wouldn't bet my life on that being entirely true. I would think that your uncle will tell you that a 100 yard shot is more rare than a 20 yard shot, so personally I wouldn't stress out about their effectiveness. I have seen other threads similar to this one I think, maybe you could search for those for some more info.

Out of curiosity, what shotgun are you looking at that you think it would be hard to swap out the barrels?

[redneck2]

+1 to the above. I've hunted with slugs for over 40 years.

There are no absolutes when it comes to slugs. I've had shotguns that throw slugs better than most rifles shoot. I've had shotguns that couldn't hit a 5-gallon bucket at 30 yards.

As noted, a smooth bore with rifle sights should be good to 50-100 yards depending on the particular gun and shooter skill. I killed a coyote at a measured 140 yards with an 870, Remington Copper Solids, and a 1.5x6 scope (rifled barrel). Gun was sighted in at 125 yards, so it wasn't all that hard.

You HAVE to check your ammo in your particular gun. We've figured out that, the higher the velocity of the slug, the more touchy it is. My 870 will not shoot Hornady SST's (1900 fps) well at all. Shoots the 1,500 fps Copper Solids into a tennis ball sized group at 125 yards. My friend has a Mossberg bolt that shoots the SST's like a lazer,

[wnycollector]

Standard rifled deer slugs shot out of a smooth bore shotgun with a bead are easily accurate enough enough to take a deer out to 50 yards...if you due your part. Just remember that slugs have a tendency to shoot a little high from point of aim at that distance, so you held a couple inches low.

If you pick up shotgun with rifle sights, you can take shots comfortably out to 75-80 yards. Both shotgun setups work fine for HD duty once deer season is over.

[hub]

Overall, how well do those rifled (I've seen the Box O' Truth, they actually work on the 'badminton birdie' principle) actually work, and is it well enough out of a 18.5" or 20" barrel that I wouldn't need to spring for a rifled barrel that I might use very couple years?

A good rifled slug barrel can cost as much as a new shotgun. I wouldn't spring for that to just use a few times.

Your 20in smoothbore with rifled slugs will be fine. That's all I had ever used here in Indiana until six or seven years ago, and I have killed quite a few deer. Rifled slugs are cheap and pack a lot of punch at closer ranges, you should be able to keep a group of them on a paper plate at 60 yds. Go buy several different boxes and see what it shoots best.

[PedalBiker]

I got the rifle sighted smooth barrel for an 870 and it could put 3 Remington Slugger slugs into 8" at 100 yards. Part of that is me - I have astigmatism, so with the open sights my accuracy is not great. I'd be comfortable to about 75 yards with that combo, and the smooth barrel has improved cylinder choke, so it's a good with buckshot too. The IC choke will give you a 30 yard rabbit gun too.

A long time ago I put a scope on a Mossberg 500 and shot slugs from a modified choke 28" barrel with decent results. The newer Mossbergs are even drilled for scope mounts.

[Vern Humphrey]

I gather by the original post you're buying the gun -- you're not in the position of having to get a barrel for a gun you already have.

I would recommend a Remington 870 -- been around about 60 years, and more 870s have been sold than any other shotgun. It's easy to change barrels on the 870, and there are plenty of people making barrels for it. As for price, if you're willing to look at a used gun, here are some currently offered on www.gunsamerica.com


Remington 870 Wingmaster Slug Gun (GA Number: 923851104) Classified Ad
Remington Shotguns > Pump > Hunting
Matt refinished 2 3/4" receiver, fully rifled Mossberg barrel, Williams 5D receiver sight, black fiberglass stock, sling swivels. I also have a full choke and an improved cylinder choke barrel for $50 each, and a Remington saddle mount with a Bushnell Trophy 1 3/4 - 4X scope.

Seller: Bob Moran $350.00



Remington Md 870 12ga. 28" w/24" rifled deer barrel Nice! (GA Number: 906358452) Classified Ad
Remington Shotguns > Pump > Hunting
Used Remington Model 870 Wingmaster 12ga.23/4" 28" plain barrel,Modified fixed choke.Mossberg made 24" fully rifled deer barrel with iron sights,Both ...(read more)

Seller: Locks Philadelphia Gun Exchange (FFL Dealer) $475.00

For about $500 or less, including shipping, you can get a gun with a rifled barrel and a smoothbore barrel for shot.

[61chalk]

I believe it was Outdoor Life years ago that did a slug test on smooth
an rifled shotguns...long story short for smooth bore the cheap Winchester
slugs shot great, they seem to have the largest dia. making more accuracy.
But for rifled slug barrels guess what...the cheap Winchester slugs shot almost
the same as the expensive sabots, very good. I tried some boxes of Winchester
in my Mossberg 500 with scoped/rifled barrel an got just as good accuracy as
the expensive sabots....Iv'e stayed with the Winchesters ever since an they have
great knock down power...but as stated, different slugs an different barrels can have
different outcomes....try a few brands an see...thats fun....just try the Winchesters.

[Weedy]

My 20" smoothbore, rifle sighted 870 shoots cheap Brenneke KO's (rifled slugs) like a frickin champ. Never actually shot a 100 yard group with them, but I have gotten 2" or so groups at 50. All I know is I can shoot it better than I can shoot my WASR-10...:p

[SlamFire1]

Slugs are devastating wound makers. I shot a spike buck, at less than 20 feet with a 12 GA Brenneke.

The deer was slightly angled, coming towards me.

The entrance wound looked like a drilled elliptical hole, maybe a couple inches in diameter. There were intestines hanging out the exit wound.

The slug clipped the lower lung. Blood and lungs were blown all over things as the deer ran. Incredible blood trail, like someone had thrown buckets of blood on trees, the ground. The deer bled out within 50-75 yards.

The particular area only allowed slugs. At the check in station, I asked the guys who take the particulars about the stopping power of slugs. They were positive about slugs. Every one of the 200 + deer checked in at that station was killed with a slug and no one complained about stopping power.

[Deus Machina]

Alright, so consensus is that if I do my part, the general Winchester deer slugs will do theirs.

Tim, I've been looking at the Maverick line. The thing with it is, that the magazine tube on the 18.5" model is shorter than the barrel, and seems to be the standard. On the 20" 'riot' version, it's extended to flush with the end of the longer barrel. Possibly harder to find barrels with the band further forward.

I could do it--I've got the tools to break the solder or machine a new lug and attach further forward--but I'd much prefer not to.

That said, I'll be putting some money aside and keeping my eyes open. Finding a good deal on a used 870 or 1200 or the like will solve that problem.

[wnycollector]

On the 20" 'riot' version, it's extended to flush with the end of the longer barrel. Possibly harder to find barrels with the band further forward.

I have the 20" mav 88 security model. The barrels can be found here http://www.maverickarms.com/pages/barrels.htm It is rumored that santa will be dropping me off a 28" ribbed barrel with the accu-choke set this year for xmas;)

[Daniel]

Yeah dude, your basic Winchester 1 ounce rifled slug at 1600 FPS is golden to about 50 meters with a bead sight on the kill zone of an animal, and it'll kill the animal alright when it hits. They sell them in boxes of 5 ("Super-X").

From my 20" barreled Coach Gun, I note that there's no muzzle flash, just some smoke, so it appears that all of the powder is burning in it, so a longer barrel probably wouldn't offer much more velocity at all.

[Clipper]

My cousin loads shotgun shells with pistol powder. I assume commercial loads are made with fast-burning powder too. So as to length, the shorter the barrel, probably the better, since a powder that burns in the first 10" or less will likely cause the projectile to actually slow somewhat due to friction for the rest of it's passage down the barrel...

[Mr. T]

I have a Mossberg 835 and with it's slug barrel (along with Nikon Pro-Staff 3X9 Scope) the gun will hold a 4" group at a 150 yards. It's not as good as a rifle, but it's sure good enough to kill deer with.

[SteveCase]

my mossberg 500 from leachmeers(SP) if anyone knows what im talking about, with its smoothbore rifle barrel will hold about 2-3 inches at 100 yards and at 50 i can but a slug almost in the previous hole. Whole cost about 100 dollars ( back in the late 70's early 80's)

[kimbershot]

had an 870 with smooth bore--no problem. had a browning a-5 invector 26 in. barrel with williams site installed on rib--accurate as hell! thought i could do better with a hastings barrel--eh--alot of ching with no bling. sold that and bought a t/c encore bp and 12ga. rifled slug barrel. slug barrel preformed better with foster slugs than sabots--at about 1/3 the cost. i always hunted thick cover with shots from 15-25yards max. any deer i ever shot with a shotgun either dropped on the spot or traveled no more than 25 yards. :what: