12ga slug accuracy for 100 yards

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Gents, I'm thinking of using a 12ga slug gun for deer, moose, and elk. I'd like to ask you what type of groupings have you obtained with 12ga 2 3/4" slugs at 100 yards when combined with a rifled slug barrel and a scope of about 4x or 6x? Also, what ammo, gun, and/or barrel were you using?

A 1oz slug (which is 437.5 grains) if in a gun that's able to hold at least a 2" group at 100 yards would be fine for me, but I would like to ask if such results have been your experience?

I see Hornady states their FTX 12ga slug can do 2" groups at 100 yards, but it's a 300 grain slug (which is 0.6 of 1 ounce). Here's a link to that Hornady statment.,

http://www.hornady.com/store/12-ga-Slug-300-gr-FTX/

Thanks!
 
Well I took my 870 out a few weeks ago to the 100 yd range using 2 3/4 Winchester X rifled slugs through an improved cylinder choke. I was dropping them all in the black with about 5 inches elevation above the bullseye. I was very impressed and surprised myself.
 
x2 Winchester-1897 is a much better shot than myself, but my 20" smooth IC wingmaster can put rifled slugs "on target" @ 100m. 2" groups at that distance just isn't possible for me yet. Too much flinch (slugs hurt after 10 or so) and the "black" hides behind the front blade. I need more practice or a thicker recoil pad....or both :p

sabots= don't bother
 
x2 Winchester-1897 is a much better shot than myself, but my 20" smooth IC wingmaster can put rifled slugs "on target" @ 100m. 2" groups at that distance just isn't possible for me yet. Too much flinch (slugs hurt after 10 or so) and the "black" hides behind the front blade. I need more practice or a thicker recoil pad....or both :p

sabots= don't bother

I must confess I have a barrel with cantilever interchangeable chokes and a shotgun scope :)
 
I have an old beat up mossberg 500 that looks like it was run over by a truck. 18.5" culinder bore (smooth) barrel with no rib and a bead sight will put handloaded lee cast slugs on a 4" steel plate all day long at 100 yards. With a rifled barrel and proper sights, or a scope as you suggest, i'd hazard to guess 2moa is not beyone the realm of possibility. Perfectly fine for deer out to 100. Hell, i'd probably push it to 200 if a shot presented itself.
 
Rem 870, saddle mount 3x9 scope, 20 in smooth barrell - 1600fps cheap Win 1oz rifled slugs shoots under 5 inches off hand at 100 yds. And for deer 100yds is where I call it.
 
I use a 535ats mossberg 24" rifle slug barrel with rio star or challenger 1oz slugs I can keep 2" groups off a steady rest. That's center to center and I've swapped out the brass bead for a fine fiber red front post. Brenneke 3" gold magnum slugs are amazing but my supply is to small to shoot groups. My gun groups hornady sst's very well but 8" higher then the sights


My lee cast slugs I'm down to 3" at 40 yards. But man they flatten nice
 
I haven't shot for groups at 100 yards, but I have seen groups in the range of 1.5"-1.75" at 50 yards using standard Winchester Super-X 2-3/4" slugs in an 870 with 20" rifle sighted barrel and modified choke tube.

I would consider 2 MOA to be a tall order to fill with shotgun slugs.
 
Well I took my 870 out a few weeks ago to the 100 yd range using 2 3/4 Winchester X rifled slugs through an improved cylinder choke. I was dropping them all in the black with about 5 inches elevation above the bullseye. I was very impressed and surprised myself.

That has been my experience with Winchester slugs on paper as well, often I could cover a 100 yard group with the palm of my hand. Of the fosters Winchester produces the best accuracy that I've seen. If I was hunting game bigger than deer though I would select a Brenneke or a Challenger. They might not be as accurate, but your target is big and these things penetrate better than the fosters.

As for the Hornady 300 gr slugs, sounds to me like they put a pistol bullet in a sabot and loaded it in 12 ga shell. The majority of shotgun slugs are fired at deer and deer hunters are undoubtedly whom Hornady has directed this product towards. I think a full sized 12 ga slug will be more effective on very big game. For a .72 caliber slug to penetrate well it must be heavy, so keep an eye out for 600 gr flat nosed slugs like the Brenneke.
 
That has been my experience with Winchester slugs on paper as well, often I could cover a 100 yard group with the palm of my hand. Of the fosters Winchester produces the best accuracy that I've seen. If I was hunting game bigger than deer though I would select a Brenneke or a Challenger. They might not be as accurate, but your target is big and these things penetrate better than the fosters.

As for the Hornady 300 gr slugs, sounds to me like they put a pistol bullet in a sabot and loaded it in 12 ga shell. The majority of shotgun slugs are fired at deer and deer hunters are undoubtedly whom Hornady has directed this product towards. I think a full sized 12 ga slug will be more effective on very big game. For a .72 caliber slug to penetrate well it must be heavy, so keep an eye out for 600 gr flat nosed slugs like the Brenneke.

Challengers are hard to find and getting expensive.
 
I shoot a 870 smooth-bore with iron sights and can hit a 4 liter milk jug 9 out of 10 shots at 70 yards. I think if someone had a scope and/or longer barrel, you probably would not be far off your goal.
 
slug2001.jpg

First shot was the lonely high one. Sight adjustment brought them down to the black. The high one in the black was my fault as I pulled the trigger a bit earlier than I intended to. The last two off to the left, was when the stockbolt came loose. Ceased firing for maintenance.
Ithaca M37 Deerslayer Police Special and it's iron sights, (smoothbore) 100 yards from a bench. Winchester Super X, 2 3/4 inch foster.
 
20ga Savage 220f. Used both 1 3/4-4 and 2-7 scopes. got 1.5" groups at 100 yds using remington 3" accutips. This is my current setup, my son is now using the 870. could post target groups but haven't checked how.

870 remington 12ga rifled cantilever barrel 1 3/4-4 scope. Hornady slugs had 2.5" groups at 100yds but had the odd flier. Very good results on deer out to 100yds. Puches a big hole right through the boilerouse.

870 remington 12ga smoothbore slug barrel, receiver drilled and tapped for 1 3/4-4 scope. 4"-5" groups at 100yds using winchester super X 3"mags. Hold over about 8" from 50 to 100yds. Recoil is brutal.
 
Winchester 1897 sums up the value of shooting sabot slugs....they are not worth the price for the minor benefit in consistancy one might get. One could say the same for scoping a shotgun or buying the new breed of "slugster" for the price of a good centerfire rifle.......not much better than using a smooth bore with modified-IC choke and rifled sabots....at least within a distance of 100m. If the sabots and scope are intended to allow a hunter to reach out farther than 100m they may be worth the extra costs but it may also result in more mortally wounded and lost animals. For Scanner I would only hope that if using a slug gun for elk or moose that he shoots from cover and at close range where he can get the best performance and hitting power from a slug....good luck.
 
Agreed on the sabot part...to see a difference,you need a fully rifled barrel and then it's not much,only...observed trough a chrony,they're quite faster than a forster style wich could do better on a 100 yd impact (given same weight to compare)
I have the savage 210F bolt action...lighweight gun,kicks like a mule,but even on forsters...2" easy to obtain! (Vortex 4-12x50,sandbag as a rest)
 
When you consider that, thirty years ago, the grouping standard with a Rifle, 7.62mm FN-C1 at 100 meters was 6" for Infantry and 8" for Other Arms and Services (OAS), getting better than that with a 12 gauge slug five round group is doing alright.
 
I just sold it... but my 210F would shooot super tight at 200 yards with Hornady SST sabot slugs. With Winchester Dual Bonds... it would shoot just out side of the SST's.... throw Remington Accutips through her... and it would be about a 2 foot group, lol


200 yards with SST's


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