Bolt Action Slug Guns

conor_90

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Please educate me on the bolt action slug guns on the market. I have yet to see one in person in any LGS in my travels.

The internet seems to be very supportive of savage 20 gauge models, anyone have any experience with them?

Has anyone rebarreled an old bolt action smoothbore with a rifled barrel? Pics and advice to share? Anyone know good places to pick them up online?

I don't live in a shotgun only zone, but something about a 20 or 12 gauge rifle tickles my fancy...
 
Having owned two Savage 210's in 12ga, I can say that they are a great slug bolt gun for the money. My first one was a tack driver and ran like a top, that one went to a buddy (stupid move on my part). The second one I had, had issues with light primer strikes which I have heard is not new to these. I had that fixed at the warranty centre. I have since sold that one and built a slug gun on a Rem 870. The recoil on a 210 can and will be brisk and the stock could use some bedding. One other thing that comes to mind is to remove the base that comes on the gun and clean out the screw holes and screws and Loctite or JB Weld the buggers down as they don't come with any Loctite from Savage. If you don't do this, I can promise you that it will shake itself loose when you don't want it to. I ended up using JB Weld and never had a problem as I had one come loose with 3" slugs. Another option is the Browning,A Bolt slug. I don't know anyone that has one of these, but they look to be a well built piece.
Regards.
 
I shoot an Abolt Hunter (new version) and it works great! Action is smooth and it is very well put together. Never had an issue with it yet. I've got mine topped with a Burris FFII 3x9x40 and am running 2 3/4" Hornady SST's through it. It's killed around 10 deer in the 3 seasons I've had it now. It's one of those guns that if you do your part it holds it's own!
 
It has a high vis front sight with the normal browning back sight. Seemed ok when I played with it before the scope went on (it was never shot using the open sights). My BPS has a buck special barrel on it so I'm used to browning sights, they are fine though. So bad eyes and them don't go so well. Might have fixed the problem with the new front post though
 
Find a slug gun under 500 that shoots groups under 1 inch. Only gun I know that can do that is my savage 220 with bushnell trophy 2x7 shotgun scope. These guns for the money are amazing. Have a 6 pointer in the freezer because of my 220. Accurate like a rifle and half the price of an browning bolt slug gun.
 
I was referring to the abolt.

I would like a slug gun that makes me comfortable to shoot slugs at 30/30 range, I think all I would require for this range is open sights (high vis would be a bonus). The price difference is pretty drastic though. I am guessing Canadian retailers in southern ontario are more likely to carry these?
 
What? No lovers of the 'Marlin Goose Gun'?
In fact, I'm going to ask dad if it's spoken for today ( it's way too brisk for him...besides, we bought him a Long Tom Remmy roller in 16 ga). Gentle push not unlike a Russian M44 as far as recoil..."Stars, I saw stars!"
:redface:
 
Back when I lived in a shotgun zone I tried most of what was available, and two stood out for accuracy. One was the H&R Ultra Slug (10-bore barrel blank bored out to 12-bore size, fully rifled, HEAVY but a joy to shoot) and the other was the Savage 210. The 210 is obviously the superior one for those who don't like single shots, but the two I had both exhibited the same glitch: best accuracy was with 2-3/4-inch sabot slugs, but reliable feeding and ejection only seemed to happen with 3-inch ammo. When I called Savage I was told that the gun was designed for 3-inch ammo, but in order to get the maximum accuracy I always used 2-3/4 stuff, and basically considered it a single shot with an attached ammo holder. Very rarely could I get two quick shots without needing to assist either the feeding, the ejection, or both. I don't know that I ever managed 3 shots.
 
There is a good answer with the added benefit of multiple replaceable barrels;

-Ithaca M87 pump action Deerslayer with the fully rifled barrel for sabot slugs.
(With a flatter and better trajectory for the 20 gauge variant)
-minute of deer, black bear and the extra bird barrel for other feathered hunting seasons
 
220f. Hands down the most accurate. Mine shoots cloverleafs at 100 yds and will comfortably shoot out to 160 yds. 3 inch high at 100 dead on at 160 and 8 inches low at 200.

Check the web endless positive reviews....oh and did I mention the light recoil....
 
The Browning A-Bolt, if/when available in 20ga, will likely sell very well. The open sights is a nice feature on the A-Bolt. Whether that may be consistently as accurate as the Savage slug gun will be determined at that point in time. Over the past months, on two occasions, I had the opportunity to zero two different Savage 220s (a buddy's as well as mine). The top target is from my buddy's gun ..... 3 inch Rem Accutip @ 100 yards.

I ought to add, another brand that was equally accurate and produced similar tight groups was my H&R USH 20ga single shot. I sold that as it was a bit too heavy.



 
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I switched to the Federals and in my 220f they are quite a bit more accurate than the accutips ...3 inch version
 
I ordered mine from dantes in Quebec when they were first re introduced. I had one of the first of these guns in Canada. I also bought one from the EE here for a buddy and he loves it The dealers in here in SO are hit or miss with having them in stock. I've only seen a couple for sale on here and never seen a medallion version for sale. I'm just glad that wasn't available when i bought my hunter, that would have been nice but too pretty of a gun to beat up in the woods!
 
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