Deer Gun....Suggestions?

ronecol

ronecol

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I have an archery hunting friend who wants to get into gun hunting in a shotgun only area. He has 3 requirements...12 gauge, autoloader and doesn't want to break the bank on it. He asked me for suggestions but unfortunately shotguns are not my forte and I'm not familiar with what is currently available. Any comments / suggestions will be appreciated.

Ron
 
To fit your requirements,

I see 3 options.

Mossberg I believe you can get rifled barrel.

Stoeger I believe they only come in a sighted smooth bore

or, used semi.
 
Is your friend going to be pushing deer? If not, there's not much reason to bring an autoloader. An autoloader is just going to jack up the price.

A good shot placement with today's modern sabot slugs will generally not require any follow up shot. On that note, one of the best bets for both accuracy and price is an H&R Ultra Slug Hunter (a break action single shot). Another good slug gun is the Savage 210, or the brand new 220. This shotgun costs much more than the H&R, but is a bolt action repeater. Remington also has a special version of the 870, designated the Super Slug, which has a pinned barrel and an optics rail on the receiver. This design is apparently superior to cantilever barrels, which have degraded accuracy past 100 yards due to harmonics. That being said, cantilever barrels are a good option for shotguns with exchangable barrels. The Remington 870, 11-87, Mossberg 500, 535, 835, and 935 are affordable shotguns that have cantilever barrels available.
 
Quaid said:
Is your friend going to be pushing deer? If not, there's not much reason to bring an autoloader. An autoloader is just going to jack up the price.

A good shot placement with today's modern sabot slugs will generally not require any follow up shot. On that note, one of the best bets for both accuracy and price is an H&R Ultra Slug Hunter (a break action single shot). Another good slug gun is the Savage 210, or the brand new 220. This shotgun costs much more than the H&R, but is a bolt action repeater. Remington also has a special version of the 870, designated the Super Slug, which has a pinned barrel and an optics rail on the receiver. This design is apparently superior to cantilever barrels, which have degraded accuracy past 100 yards due to harmonics. That being said, cantilever barrels are a good option for shotguns with exchangable barrels. The Remington 870, 11-87, Mossberg 500, 535, 835, and 935 are affordable shotguns that have cantilever barrels available.
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The suggestions and comments from everyone are all much appreciated.

I'm not familiar with the term cantilever barrel?? What does this mean?

Thanks again
Ron
 
A cantilever barrel is a barrel with a specific type of picatinny rail attached (cantilevered) from the barrel. For a barrel that is not pinned securely to the receiver, the barrel will slop around a little bit in the receiver (doesn't take much). If the optics are attached to the receiver, but the barrel moves around, the optics will not maintain their point of impact. The cantilever barrel avoids this problem by attaching the optics directly to the barrel. However, as I stated before, the cantilever introduces some bad harmonics which can reduce accuracy at the extreme ranges of slug shooting.

photo_NP12C.jpg


For reference, 150yards is a VERY LONG slug shot. Slug groupings open up quite a bit past 100yards, and they drift dramatically from the wind. They do not have the ballistics or speed of centerfire rifles.

Here's a general rule for range and appropriate hardware:
<75yard shots can be made by foster-type slugs in smooth bore barrels
75-125yard shots need fully rifled barrels with high end sabot slugs
>125yard shots require the best of the best and lots of practice
 
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The Remington 11-87 Sportsman Deer comes with a 21" rifled barrel. No sights. Shooter's Choice wants $945 for one.
$859.21 for a Mossberg 935 from Epp's with turkey and waterfowl chokes. He can get an IC choke. Runs $24.26US. Epp's will likely have 'em.
"...Benelli M4..." $2194.50 from Epp's. Over twice the price of anything else.
Pumps are definitely less expensive. $601.84 will buy a new Rem 870 with a 26" Remchoked barrel and 20" rifled barrel with rifle sights from Epp's. $575 for the same combo from Shooter's Choice.
Your buddy had best get his finger out if he wants to hunt with a shotgun this year. It'll have to be sighted in and he'll have to learn how to shoot it.
 
What exactly is "breaking the bank" to your friend? $500? $1000? $5000?

If his limit is around $500, go for the 870 or 500. If he can spend $2000, definitely go for the Benelli M4.
 
ronecol said:
He has 3 requirements...12 gauge, autoloader and doesn't want to break the bank on it.
Ron
Click to expand...

It sounds like a Mossberg 930 or a Stoeger 2000 would fill his requirements.

The mossberg is available with a rifled barrel, the Stoeger only comes with a smoothbore.

Both are excellent value.
 
Thanks all for your replies. I've passed on several of your comments and suggestions. We'll see what happens. The secondary benefit here is that I learned some stuff also. :)

BTW he's still doing his archery this fall but wants to prepare for the gun season next fall.

Ron
 
Auto loader and not breaking the bank don't go togather. I believe that auto is the way to go. Quick continuious WELL AIMED shots. Semi's have an edge over pumps.

Tell your friend that if he buys a Benelli M4, he wouldn't buy any thing else after. They cost over 2k but .............they are worth over 2k.
 
Another option would be the Baikal MP-153 w/ 24" barrel. Mine shoots slugs through the smooth bore well enough out to 75 yards. Mine cost me $473 delivered, brand new. The only downside is that it comes w/ a bead sight. Rifle sights can be purchased for a reasonable price.
 
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