bolt action shotguns-deer

[ratherbefishin]

what is your opinion/experiance using a bolt action shotgun for deer in a ''shot only'' area?Any preferance?Older bolt action mossbergs can be purchased for less than the cost of single shot ,I'm talking pure function here-not esthetics

 

[blargon]

Slow and heavy, unless you're getting the Savage rifled one, buy an 870 or the Mossberg 2 barrel combo for $299 . I had a Mossberg 195K, sold it and now have an 11-87 Slug gun.

 

[Kilo Charlie]

Pure function? The bolt shotgun will work, provided the range is relatively short. I use a bolt rifle even in brushy country; the difference between racking a second shot in a bolt vs a pump is probably a quarter-second; perhaps as much as a half-second. Certainly not more.
I used a Mossy bolt as a grouse gun once or twice, in an area where head shots on sitting birds is the norm. It worked fine. My only real complaint is aesthetic...I like a shotgun to look like a shotgun, and the bolt shotguns look like big, oversized, graceless, clunky rifles to me.

 

[ratherbefishin]

if I was going to use a bolt action shotgun for a grouse potting gun,I think I'd go with a 20 guage[I picked up a 20 guage H&R tamer.]A nice double would be better, but you don't find nice 20 guage doubles for $100 either.My question was related to deer hunting where the regs said shot guns with shot only-you can't use a slug,so the bolt shotgun being ''short range'' is not an issue

 

[Mr. Friendly]

you can't find nice doubles for $100, that's for sure...but there is a nice Toz O/U for $400+ shipped in the EE.

 

[Puma]

It will be fine. I had a 16 g bolt shotgun years ago, and used to shoot slugs regularly.

Puma

 

[Calum]

I've played with them, but never owned one.

I know others that hunt with them in shotgun only Deer areas, and they put meat in the freezer just fine.

The vintage Mossbergs are pretty neat as they came with the adjustable C-Lect-Choke.

Here is a neat site on them.
http://home.epix.net/~damguy/index-shotgun.html

 

[casterpollox]

I used a bolt shotgun on my first deer, but I used a slug.

 

[ratherbefishin]

This would be for deer hunting in ''shot only ''area's-Mossberg made a bolt action 36'' barrel''goose gun'' I believe,would that offer any advantage over a shorter length barrel when shooting SSG?

 

[huntinstuff]

I had a Marlin 512. Outstanding shotgun. Fully rifled. 2rd magazine.

 

[Win/64]

This would be for deer hunting in ''shot only ''area's-Mossberg made a bolt action 36'' barrel''goose gun'' I believe,would that offer any advantage over a shorter length barrel when shooting SSG?

The Marlin "Goose Gun" is a beast. You do not want to be lugging that through the bush. My Dad had one in 10 ga. and let's just say it wasn't a pleasure to shoot.

 

[ratherbefishin]

If I could use a rifled barrel-I;d use a rifle-but the area I'm thinking of is''shotguns with shot only''so that means SSG in a smooth bore.I know-it also limits me to about 30 or 40 yardshots -outside and probably a tight choke[not sure on that one-having only taken 1 deer with SSG]