12 Gauge Slug Gun Choices?

Here's the listing off Epp's website with all the bolt slug gun choices, Browning and Savages listed..

http://www.ellwoodepps.com/firearms_new_shotguns_misc_1.htm

I bought the Hunter version of the Abolt but didn't get it in time to register to take to the states to use. So I'm running a BPS with a 24" Buck Special smooth bore barrel on it, also have a Winchester 1300 with a 22" fully rifled barrel as a back up. Both pumps work good and have killed a bunch of deer!
Good luck with your choice!

You're looking around $1300 for an Abolt Hunter there, the black is a bit cheaper and the camo is a bit more.
 
I just purchased a rem 870 for the purpose of a lug gun. I got an express super magnum with a cantilever rifled barrel and a 26" bird barrel. The gun also came with the scope mount that fits over the receiver and attaches via the trigger plate holes. I quickly realized that the mount on the cantilever barrel was WAY too high to mount a scope and see properly, so I traded it for a rifled barrel with open sights. Now I have the option of using irons or scope any time I go out. There are no extra holes drilled using the remington mount and the scope can remain attached when you remove it from the receiver. I also have the shurshot thumbhole stock, but I don't see a huge advantage in using this stock, for the extra time spent to change over the stock I don't find the gun any more comfortable to shoot, it's also harder to acquire a target quickly, especially a moving target, but I'm sure that's just personal feel.
 
First thing I would ask is what type of shots do you expect to get. If you hunt thick cover and shots will be under 75-100yds there is no sense having a rifled barrel and shooting expensive sabots. If shots are expected to be 100yds + on a regular basis then by all means go with a scoped rifled barrel. We do drives and most shooting is close and quick. I find a vent rib barrel with two beads suits me just fine. I can consistantly hit out to 100yds if need be with this set up as well. Winchester Super X slugs for $5 a box seem to put meat in the freezer as well as anything.
 
What about the newer H&R Ultra Light Slug Hunter in 20 gauge? What kind of recoil can I expect from this 5.5 pound gun and 20 gauge slugs? Im considering this gun because we will be doing some punching and I will be carrying it and not sitting all day. This gun at 5.5 pounds seems a little better to carry than there 8.5 pound Ultra Slug Hunter, I guess the difference is in the barrel weight.

Does anyone know of a dealer that has the Ultra Light Slug Hunter in 20 gauge in stock?
 
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If recoil is the only reason for going 20ga I would think twice. 12ga slugs are a little nasty when shooting at paper, but you won't notice when actually shooting at deer. I've shot many deer with both 12ga and 20ga using both smooth bore/rifled slugs and rifled barrel/sabot slugs. I've found there is quite a noticeable difference in effect on game. For me a 12ga rifled slug seems to flatten deer like nothing else out to 75-100 yds. The biggest factors to consider in my opinion are what method of hunting you are using and where you are hunting, bush vs open areas.
 
^This difference in effectiveness is a relative term IMO.
For example 20 gauge Winchester Supreme Partition Gold Sabots using the Nosler 260 grain .451 pistol bullets are "only" going 1900 fps in the shorter 2 3/4inch version. This is equal to .454 Casull in ballistics.
Deer shot with this would be no more dead, than if struck with a 12 gauge sabot/slug.
 
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I think Epps has the H&R ultra slug hunter in stock, thats where I got mine. I went with the 20g because im a wimp (according to my shooting buddies) but when we get together to shoot the H&R out shoots all all of them. As for effectiveness of the 20g a 260grain bullet at 1900fps will not bounce off a deer.
 
Im not worried about recoil of a 20g versus a 12g. Im just concerned about recoil in the 5.5 pound Ultra Light Slug Hunter with a 12g. With that 5.5 pound gun it may be wiser to go with the 20g over the 12g. Im not even considering the normal Ultra Slug Hunter, at 8-9 pounds I don't wanna be carrying it all day pushing bush.
 
Classic Green .223 said:
I think Epps has the H&R ultra slug hunter in stock, thats where I got mine. I went with the 20g because im a wimp (according to my shooting buddies) but when we get together to shoot the H&R out shoots all all of them. As for effectiveness of the 20g a 260grain bullet at 1900fps will not bounce off a deer.
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I'm not saying the 20 will bounce off deer by any means. What i'm saying is that if you hunt an area that is bush you really don't need the long range flat shooting of sabots (with their high cost) and you need something that is going to drop them in their tracks, or leave a good blood trail to ensure recovery of the animal. In my experience 20ga sabots don't reliably do either. The original poster commented on "pushing the bush". I wouldn't want to carry a scoped shotgun, or a single shot when dogging. I find a scoped gun awkward to carry unless on a sling. If you carry your gun on a sling when pushing you might as well leave it in the truck. I've also found that sometimes its the second shot that get through when the first hits a tree or sapling or just plain misses. Personally I don't think you can beat a short barrelled pump gun, pick the flavour you prefer. I like Mossberg with synthetic stocks, or Ithaca for their light weight. Take it for what it is worth, but I've been hunting deer in a Southern Ontario shotgun only area for 20 years and have tried quite a few different guns over that time. I'm right back where I started from using a 12ga Ithaca smoothbore, the only differences are this one is mine not my Dads and mine has the shorter barrel.
 
brybenn said:
Mossberg pump 500 or 535
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http://www.cabelas.ca/index.cfm?pageID=71&section=2037&section2=2043&ID=3969

http://ca.wholesalesports.com/store...ion-shotguns/model-500-combos/prod210246.html


If you need one or two shots these guns will work. I have one (535) and shot bear, turkey and deer with it. It works and the price is right. Sorry but crazy to spend $1000 bucks on a slug gun when a pump will do the job just fine. I think the 535 works great for me. Not the cleanest pump but will easily get the shots off.
 
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