Shot gunning for deer

Papaclaude, did you try other brands of slugs or just the Challengers? I found that the Win BRI Sabots worked best for me, both the 2 3/4" and 3". I stayed with the 2 3/4" just for the reduced recoil. The 3" shot flatter but I couldn't get back on target as quick as with the 2 3/4".
 
big boar said:
Papaclaude, did you try other brands of slugs or just the Challengers? I found that the Win BRI Sabots worked best for me, both the 2 3/4" and 3". I stayed with the 2 3/4" just for the reduced recoil. The 3" shot flatter but I couldn't get back on target as quick as with the 2 3/4".
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I tried several brands in the rifled tubes, and none amazed me, but I'm not sure if I tried the Win BRI. I'll have to go back through my records or try them. The thing is though, that all are well within minute of deer accuracy, which is fine for me. I have to admit that I was a wee bit disappointed in the Savage 220 - I would have expected better from a Savage bolt gun.
 
I have an old Lakefield Mossberg with an 18.5 inch barrel with a carlsons rifled choke tube in the end. I have shot sub - 1 inch groups (centre to centre) at 50 yards with Federal Truball DP's. I tried nine different brands before I found this group. Each shotgun shoots differently but I have seen some rifle like groups from Savage 220's and a Beretta 391 slug barrel that are far and away better than I would ever have expected.
 
I recently bought a Smooth Bore deer barrel that takes choke tubes. I have both IC and Rifled chokes for it. I want to see what I can do with both Buck and Slug from the IC choke, then try Slugs with the Rifled choke tube to see if accuracy is acceptable. If it works alright I'd be able to just carry my choke tubes in the field so I can change from Slug to Buck Shot at will.
I load my own Slugs and Buck Shot. The Slugs are not as accurate as factory Sabots but acceptable plus they don't cost $1-$2 each to shoot. If I remember the slugs can be loaded for about 25 cents each.
 
I have a Winchester 1300 Speed Pump that shoots very well with a simple bead and 28" duck barrel. Sometime I will have to shoot some groups with it to post. My brother-in-law has a Baikal MP-153 that we recently had at the range. Within 5 shots he was easily hitting the centre mass on a 6" target and that was with no practice.

I personally use buckshot (pref. 00 loads with the Flite Control wad), and find nothing folds 'em quicker at 10 yards.
 
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pbonura said:
With a h&r 20 slug or savage 220 I would bet money on it with the right slug.
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My point was/is, we are highly unlikely to see sunray post actual results with either of the two shotguns you mentioned, nor with sunray with the one shotgun model I also mentioned. And certainly highly unlikely that sunray could provide pictures of 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards from his own efforts. I think I'm pretty safe in stating this last bit. Sunray is big on internet rumours and soft on hard experience IMO.

The OP did ask for some actual experiences versus supposition.

Cheers......
 
Brutus said:
My point was/is, we are highly unlikely to see sunray post actual results with either of the two shotguns you mentioned, nor with sunray with the one shotgun model I also mentioned. And certainly highly unlikely that sunray could provide pictures of 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards from his own efforts. I think I'm pretty safe in stating this last bit. Sunray is big on internet rumours and soft on hard experience IMO.

The OP did ask for some actual experiences versus supposition.

Cheers......
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I personally saw some very, very impressive groups with a Savage bolt 12 ga. It's what convinced me to buy the same gun in a 20, but I haven't been able to get those same groups. It's true that I haven't played with the gun that much, and it is more than minute of deer, so I'll keep trying different slugs out of it, but it does the trick for me.
 
OK, let's all play nice. 30 years ago if someone said they could use a slug gun out to 100 yards you'd think they were looney. Now, it's very common to see shotguns group very well at 100 and beyond. One guy, new to shotgun hunting, was disappointed that his 870 wouldn't do better than about 3"(?) at 100. (That's because I saw him shoot his 270 WSM at 300 yards and all shots were inside a looney). Let's be honest, if a shotgun groups about 4" (centred on the target), you're only missing your aiming mark by 2" and that's plenty good. The problems arise, I think, when we go for the long shots. Because of their rainbow trajectory, if you guess the deer is 100 yards and it's really 140, you'll miss. Never mind this stuff, let's get back to the fun of it all and show us what your slugs and buck shot will do.
(Hey, it took me over 2 hours to figure out how to post pics. Computers are a fad, I'm grey and this stuff is new to me, If I can do it, you can.) Keep it friendly boys.
 
Papaclaude said:
I personally saw some very, very impressive groups with a Savage bolt 12 ga. It's what convinced me to buy the same gun in a 20, but I haven't been able to get those same groups. It's true that I haven't played with the gun that much, and it is more than minute of deer, so I'll keep trying different slugs out of it, but it does the trick for me.
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I shoot the Savage 220F and have tried every Sabot slug I could find through it. My best results were with 2 3/4 Remmington Accu-Tips by far so make sure you give them a try if you haven't already.
 
Love the DA low recoil slugs of one ounce at 1250 fps out of my Tombstone 12 inchs barrel... Very accurate and light recoil those rounds slugs printed all in 12 inchs circle at 50 yards from both barrels and according to calculation of energy those would hit with 1526 pounds at the mouth so 1000 pounds at 50 yards is possible... Found my slugs for my shorty... JP.
 
Anyone ever shoot slugs out of a auto5? Mines been reamed to modified to shoot steel shot, I've never shot a slug out of it yet
 
I tried slugs out of 3 different Auto 5 shotguns. 2 12's and a 16. The 16 even had the pricey Buck Special barrel. All were miserable when it comes to any consistent hits. I managed to kill two deer with the 16 but both were broadside at 30 yards. Even then the slug hit away from where I was aiming. Average accuracy in all three guns was about 10" at 50 yards. Not what I would call confidence builders. Now a Magnum 12 with 3 " SSG inside of 35 yards is a deer killer. I know I have seen one in action.

Darryl
 
My 20 ga win 1300 xtr with rifled barrel iron sights loves the hornady sst sabots ive got a few deer with that gun now and puts them down as well as and centerfire at the ranges we are shooting. Most of our deer are taken well under 100 yards. Heres a bench grouping i shot at 85 yards.
View attachment 16524
 

60 yards offhand today with one of the Ithacas. 3 shots of Winchester fosters.

Sorry for the black tumor in the upper middle. My amateur attempt to remove the blinding glare. God knows I can't effing find that old option with the stupid new photobucket account!
 
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