Buck/Birdshot Through "Slug Barrels"?

[fiddleharp]

I have a chance to buy a 30 year-old Ithaca 37 at a reasonable price. It has a "Deerslayer" slug barrel, and a 30" full-choke barrel is also available (for $75 extra).
I've never owned a shotgun with a slug barrel. Everywhere I hunt deer, I just use a rifle. I've never even killed a deer with a shotgun slug.
What kind of choke are we talking about here? What would buckshot or birdshot do through a slug barrel?
I realize that today's shotgun technology is head and shoulders above the days when you changed barrels or twisted your Poly-Choke, but I don't want to go to much expense purchasing a shotgun (I don't even own one at this time). I'm more of a rifleman.
I'd just like to get back into turkey hunting and occasionally hunt on shotgun-only public land.
Any info would be appreciated.

 

[glockgod]

Slug barrel should be similar to improved cylinder-I rabbit hunted for years with a 37 with a slug barrel using lo brass 71/2 or 8 shot. Wonderful "jump" gun!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Actually it's wider than that. Slug barrels are cylinder bore, no choke. So of course buckshot or slugs through it would be fine. I have found through my smooth slug barrel on my Remington that Brenneke Rottweil slugs are the most accurate out to 50 yards. Sabots would be a waste of money and time.

LD

 

[fiddleharp]

Hey, thanks for the quick replies!
From what I've heard so far, the slug barrel would do well for home defense loaded with #1 buck, right?

 

[Bud Tugly]

Is the Deerslayer barrel rifled inside or smooth?

If rifled, the only thing it will be good for is shooting sabot-style slugs. If smooth, it will have little or no choke and be fine for small game hunting in thick cover where shots are fairly close. It'll also be fine for HD with buckshot.

The 30" barrel will work for turkey and long range shooting, but full choke is frustrating for hunting close cover. It probably isn't safe to use with steel shot, so if you want to hunt ducks or geese you'll have to use the expensive heavi-shot shells.

Unless it's a REALLY great deal you might be better off with a gun with removable choke tubes that would be more versatile.

 

[fiddleharp]

I'm told the slug barrel is not rifled. The fellow wants $250 for the gun with the slug barrel, and $75 more for the ventilated full-choke barrel.
I won't be hunting waterfowl.

 

[Sinixstar]

I would check the "slug" barrel first. The thing that makes a slug barrel a slug barrel is the fact that it's rifled. If i'm not mistaken the deerslayer is rifled at 1:28 ?
Shooting shot out of this barrel is an exercise in futility - it will not pattern worth a damn.
The model 37 is an excellent gun, and at $325 with a full-choke and a slug barrel, it is a steal. I'd say jump on the gun and the extra barrel. If you're not wanting to spend that much - do yourself a favor and at least check the "slug" barrel and make sure it's not rifled first.
This gun obviously has inter-changable barrels (not all M37s do, i think before the late 60s?) - so worst case, you can buy yourself a barrel that you're looking for.
They are excellent guns that will last forever, and are a joy to carry (super light). My personal recommendation is jump on it. Even if you turn out to not like it - you'll easily be able to sell it for what you paid for it - provided it's in decent condition.

 

[Mike U.]

I've read that using shot thru a rifled slug barrel results in one helluva leaded up barrel that is tough to get clean again.

 

[Dave McCracken]

The original Deerslayer barrel was bored at around .690, which qualifies it as Full Choke the full length of the bore.

Normal 12 gauge bore diameter is about .729".

I've not seen any of these NOT work well with buck, though as always you'll have to try different loads to see what it "Likes".

The Deerslayers were quite popular in the 60s as house guns loaded with buck. Also with point men in Nam.

In your shoes, I'd get the extra barrel also.

 

[fiddleharp]

Well, I just pointedly asked the seller if this slug barrel was rifled or not, and he pointedly assured me that it wasn't.
What kind of slug accuracy can I expect with such a barrel?
This particular gun/barrel combo is pretty old. What year did Ithaca introduce rifled slug barrels?
As I mentioned before, I'm not particularly into shotgun sports. If I bought this gun, I'd mostly use it for turkeys and perhaps wild hogs. 2-3/4 inch shells are fine for me.
So basically I'd be getting a smoothbore (open cylinder or full barrel length choke? ) with sights?
I appreciate you guys walking me through this. I don't know much about shotguns. Although I tend to keep my rifles forever, I've sold and traded away every shotgun I've ever owned because I hardly ever used them. All my hunting and target shooting has been rifles and archery.

 

[Fred Fuller]

What Dave said. Ithaca bored its smoothbore slug barrels tighter than standard shot barrels, and they do seem to work better with most rifled slugs.

lpl

 

[Al Thompson]

Ditto - Dave and LL. If it's in decent shape, $325 for all is a killer deal. I'd bet big money that the slug barrel is smooth as rifled slug barrels are pretty new in the SG world.

If your eyes are good, I'd be stunned if the SG wasn't darn accurate at 100 yards with slugs it likes and completely fine at 50 yards with most anything.

 

[Odnar]

...For the record, I can verify that a rifled barrel won't pattern shot worth a damn. Shooting an ounce of #6 shot at a 1 foot square cardboard box from about 25 feet resulted in three, count 'em, three pellet holes.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Hey, thanks for the quick replies!
From what I've heard so far, the slug barrel would do well for home defense loaded with #1 buck, right?

For HD distances you could use a hunk of pipe and nobody would know the difference. The slug barrel will do just fine (and probably has some decent iron sights on it, right?)

 

[Dave McCracken]

A Deerslayer loaded with 00 makes one fine house gun. Add slugs for deer and hogs.

For the money, it'd be hard to come up with more shotgun.

Buy it.....