Slug loads question

[olywa]

Sorry if this question would be better served by being posted in the Reloading forum but I'll ask here because I think it will get a wider response. I'd like to get a fully rifled slug barrel for my 870 or 1100 to use in heavy brush for deer and maybe even elk. I'm interested in this because of all the positive buzz I've been hearing about some of the new slug loads. It is unusual to get a shot much past 50 yards where I hunt, and rapid follow-up is more critical than range.

Does anyone have any experience in handloading slug loads with some of these newer componants? Is it possible to approximate the performance of some of the new commercial loads? How about the accuracy? The commercial loads from Remington and Federal are pretty pricey and I'd like to save by handloading.

 

[sm]

Personally I only use Smooth barrels due to more versatility.

Brenneke 2 3/4" slugs are THE slug for best results in accuracy and performance.

http://www.dnrws.com/index2.html

http://www.dnrws.com/rottweil.html


Besides Brenneke's , and remember each barrel is a law unto itself as to what it likes, Federal 1 oz and the Peter's 7/8 oz slug are working well for me.
Yep, just that plain vanilla Foster Slug in lead.


For a Rifled barrel, I would consult these folks for more information.

http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/

http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/departments.asp?dept=198

 

[olywa]

Thanks much for the leads and information. I had heard that fully rifled barrels gave the best results but it looks like I need to do a little more reading.

 

[sm]

Fully rifled barrels have a place, and are very accurate.

50 yards is the max distance you shared in Original Post for your hunting enviornment.

I do encourage you to research this and I welcome any other feedback as well.

My perspective : Smoothbore is more versatile as I shared before.

Pellet loads do NOT do well out of rifled barrels. Fine if you can afford a rifled barrel, a longer smoothbore for hunting, and clays, and a shorter barrel for Defensive uses. One gun, 3 barrels.

Most folks do not / cannot afford this.

IF for whatever reason you were to hunt another critter, and chose to / or for whatever unforeseen reason had to use a pellet loading from a rifled barreled - you would have less performance.

I get the impression you hunt in a shotgun only area, or enacted laws require shotguns only.

Example: Often times bird seasons run at the same time as deer seasons. All legal and legit, with proper stamps, tags and whatnot. Great to have some slugs on person while bird hunting.

Deer will not show themselves during deer season - they will poke out to watch you shoot birds .

I mean if a deer is gonna poke his nose where it don't belong and scare the birds and all...well, only way I know to instill a lesson to deer about this "nose poking when ain't supposed to" stuff.

-
What if while bird hunting, wild hogs are about getting to and fro, the dogs run one up, or a young adult is threatened?

Tote some slugs and know what they do in any smoothbore.