Challenger Slugs - Puzzling range report

blasted_saber

blasted_saber

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A blue part of Ontario
Here is my setup

Rem 870 Wingmaster w/ 21" rifle sighted smooth bore barrel

Since I do 90% of my deer hunting with a rifle, slug hunting takes a back seat when it comes to what I shoot. I currently shoot Winchester Super X rifled slugs because, well

1. They are cheap
2. I can shoot a 3 inch group at 50 yds, and a 6 inch group at 100 yards in a sitting position. Ive done the "three in a pie plate" at 100 yards freehand numerous times.

Now ive always read the Challenger Slugs were supposed to be the King of slugs, so I decided to give em a shot yesterday, and boy was I disappointed.

Loaded up 2, fired from the sitting position at 100 yards. Went to check the target and was SHOCKED to see they werent anywhere on the target, nor the 4'x4' sheet of cardboard it was mounted on.

Next I went and tried off of some sandbags to take out the "human factor", and i also had my father in law spot for me. The shot hit the ground well ahead of the target

So then I moved the target up to 50 yards. They were all over the map, anywhere within 12 inches. No consistency.

What the heck? I know different guns like different ammo, but this is bordering on absurd. The cheapest rifled slug on the market shoots as well as can be expected of any slug, while the KING doesnt even shoot minute of barn.

What are your experiences with Challengers?
 
Try Brenneke Classic Rotweill slugs. In my Ithaca slug shooting shotgun, these 12 gauge 2 3/4 inch slugs, cloverleaf at 50 yards, are about 6-7 inch drop at 75 yards, and have about 20-24 inches of drop at 100 yards. (my maximum is around 75 for me, on game)

my two bits............
Edit: My shotgun is kind of weird, because it has a non-adjustable rearsight. It is set & unmoveable, & made for a 25 yard slug zero.
That's why I have an atrocious drop @100.
 
I would not agonize about this too much, since you are at the top of your game with the Super-X. I have always had good results with SX and I have never tried Challenger.
 
Covey Ridge said:
I would not agonize about this too much, since you are at the top of your game with the Super-X. I have always had good results with SX and I have never tried Challenger.
Click to expand...

Oh im not worried about it. The majority of my deer hunting is rifle hunting, so this will never be a priority for me. I just found it hard to believe they had neither the range nor the accuracy of the cheapest slugs on the market.
 
I too have found that Super X foster slugs provide excellent accuracy in several guns I've shot them in. As for the poor accuracy you have experienced with the Challengers, that simply underlines the fact that one should check the ammo he intends to use in his particular gun before he uses it in the field. I have a few rounds of Challengers around, an in all honesty its been so long since I've shot any that I can't tell you how accurate they are from my gun, but I suspect that the wad attached to the base of the slug is not making a good seal in your barrel.
 
I found the same thing in my 14" norc. Those challengers are a hoot to shoot tho. 1600fps or so IRC.

I just stick with my cheapy winchesters.
 
I have also had good results with the Winchester Super-X slugs. Using my 870 with a 20" rifle sighted Rem-choke barrel, I was able to get 3 shot groups of around 1.5" with the modified choke. The improved cylinder choke shot groups of around 2.5" at the same distance.

While I realize that 3 shot groups aren't really the best for accuracy testing, my shoulder can only take so much punishment from shooting slugs from the bench.
 
I was also told the Challengers were a great slug and they worked ok in my gun. I do buy the winchesters sometimes too. Sounds like you are getting some respectable groups with the Winchesters so why switch it up. Stick with what works.
 
I think that if i had to use slugs, I'd go with the Brennekes or make my own, the Brennekes are very expensive I've heard, which does not allow alot of sighting in or practice. It is surprising just how accurate a round ball can be in 12 gauge!!
 
I thought the big deal with challenger and brennekes are that they use hardened lead. I have no idea if lead can be tempered or not.
 
Go with what your gun likes. My 870 20" with an IC RemChoke put 9 slugs from 3 different manufacturers into a 3" hole at 50yds when I was zeroing it last fall, so it's pretty much an omnivore. At 100yds, the Challengers slightly outshot the Winchester and Federal Classic loads that I had handy.
 
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