12 gauge hunting slugs.

[WhiteKnight]

I just bought an Express fully rifled (open sights) barrel for my 870 Wingmaster for deer hunting this weekend.

Who here has used the sabot slugs with a fully rifled barrel?

I'm debating whether I should buy 3" or simply 2 3/4 slugs. I've heard that 12 gauge slugs are overkill anyway, and at the distances I'll be shooting I reckon 2 3/4 should be fine, but...

I'm a little concerned about recoil. I've heard horror stories of how terribly slug guns kick, and I don't want to batter myself (shoulders AND ears) unnecessarily if a simply 2 3/4 will suffice.

I sort of left this purchase off until the last minute, and will probably end up having to decide between the best offering from the big discount chain stores (Dicks Sporting Goods, Walmart).

Any suggestions?

 

[cordex]

I've used 'em, but found that the cheap, full-bore, rifled slugs work just as well in a rifled barrel for the ranges I use a shotgun to hunt at. I don't have a shot beyond 50 yards where I hunt as is, and they're plenty accurate for that kind of range. Leading hasn't been a problem either.

 

[WhiteKnight]

This is what I wound up with:

 

[TNT]

Stick with the 2 3/4" slugs and choose about any sabot round as they are all pretty good. I used Winchester Platinum Tip sabot's last year and I am sticking with them. They did a great job.

 

[MrMurphy]

2 3/4" will work fine. Recoil in a pump is about like a .375 H&H if you shoot it off the bench (you'll KNOW you're shooting slugs). Offhand or sitting isn't as bad.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I'll be shooting from a ladder stand, so hopefully it won't kick me off!

 

[ARGarrison]

I shoot a fully rifled Mossberg. I only shot sabot slugs through it. All have been 2 3/4". I started out using the old Remington copper sabots. I have sence went to Lightfield sabot slugs, mostly because the lightfield's cost less. I have never noticed the recoil while hunting only during sighting in.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Each shotgun is a law unto itself when it comes to slugs. A loose rule is fully rifled barrels and sabots go together. Older style "Rifled" slugs and the superb Brenekkes work better in smoothbores.

The good news is that there's no ineffective 12 gauge slugs. ALL will work if inserted correctly.

Bench test a few brands, buy lots and lots of the one with the tightest groups, zero and good luck hunting....

 

[HiWayMan]

Those Rem. Sabots work well, but I refuse to use them anymore. I stick with Rem. Sluggers out of a smoothbored slug barrel. The reason being that when those petals on the sabots peel they have a tendancy to destroy a hell of a lot of meat. I've had full broadside shoulder shots with them and have dug petals out off a deer's rear haunches already. To get there it saw fit to travel the length of the body cavity and tear up the stomach, intestines, and bladder. It destroyed good meat and I about puked cleaning the damn thing. No, I stick with a solid lead slug that just makes two big holes, one on each side of the deer. They only destroy about a half pound of meat as opposed to two pounds or more.

 

[Fumbler]

WhiteKnight, a lot of people will say the difference between performance in 2.75" vs 3" isn't big enough for you to spend the extra money and take the extra recoil.

Maybe sometime after I get through all the schoolwork I've got piled up I'll go with you out to the Hill Forest in Durham and let you take a deer with that new barrel.