Slug gun for whitetails

[N2TRKYS]

Just a quick note on the 870 suggestion, I “built” my slug gun just before savage bolt guns became popular.

Bought an 870 express 12 gauge and put some magpul furniture that allowed me to raise the comb height. I put a cantelver barrel on it and a slug gun 3x9. The trigger was so bad I couldn’t get a decent group so I swapped that out for something with a light pull. I am talking variable weight between 10 and 14 pounds and gritty as a sand dune. While I was at it I did the follower swap too.

It shoots those Remington accubonds pretty well. I would say it is acceptably accurate to 150-200 yards using the BDC.

To get decent accuracy you have to use a cantilever barrel or pin the barrel to the receiver which makes cleaning a pain in the ass. So, I thought I would end up with a multipurpose gun with the cantilever but having to swap out the comb makes it fairly impractical to use it with the regular barrel without a bit more wrench time than you would like. 3” 12s also kick pretty good and the scope can bite you if you aren’t careful.

By the time I was done tinkering, I probably had over $800 in the gun not including glass. I basically have a mediocre slug gun that isn’t really good for much else. If I were doing it again, I would go with the savage bolt gun in 20 gauge. Done and dusted for less than $600 with likely better accuracy and function and much less pain in the ass.

I've got a bone stock 870 12ga with a smooth bore and rifle sights that'll shoot the cheap Winchester slugs tight enough to cover a 5 shot group at 100 yards with your fist. Not bad for me with open sights. I've got $200 in it and it came with 2 barrels.

I believe I'll stick with the 870. Lol

 

[Catahoula]

Remington 1100 with a deer barrel. 12 or 20 gauge.

 

[satchamo]

I've killed 20+ deer with an 870 express using the remmy barrel that came with the combo. That paired with Hornady SSTs and a simple 3x fixed scope and it's deadly. My average shot with it is probably 50-70 yards but I've stretched it out to 120 without issue.

Keep in mind when I got that gun - bolt action slug guns didn't exist. You pretty much had to use a pump or a single shot H&R.

All that being said, I would look at one of the Savage bolt action in a 20 gauge and save your wife's shoulder. SSTs are brutal for 2 3/4 slugs. They kick significantly more than. Lightfields which I used to shoot.

 

[Nuke Man]

I've killed more deer than I can count with a bone stock Mossberg 500. Cantilevered rifled barrel and whatever slugs were on sale at the time.

 

[Djacker]

I picked up a Savage 220 for her. Thanks again for all the feedback.

 

[Myronman3]

if you can find a browning a bolt slug gun, that would be my first choice. 20 gauge.
If not, savage bolt would be my second.

Can you use straight walled pistol cartridges? A model 1894 in 44 mag is about as sweet as it gets. Run a 240 at about 1100fps and it’s a little more than a 22lr.

 

[TauPhi111]

if you're looking for her to have a multipurpose gun for maybe some wingshooting or small game hunting outside of deer season, an 870 with the standard slug barrel can hold a good group at 100 with the right optics mount and slugs. On the gun end, the key is a solid optics mount. The only saddle mount worth anything that I've found is the Mesa Tactical. Other than that, you gotta mount directly to the receiver or get a cantilever barrel. Federal trophy copper is my slug of choice. With a red dot, I can hold a 3-4 inch group at 100 yards off the bench.

 

[howl]

Not all muzzleloader bullets load the same. 85gr of powder and a Power Belt is pretty easy to get along with.

Loading a frontstuffer with a lightweight hammer is probably a silly idea for some reason not obvious to me, right? Gotta be. Hitting blackpowder with a hammer or something like that.

 

[howl]

if you're looking for her to have a multipurpose gun for maybe some wingshooting or small game hunting outside of deer season, an 870 with the standard slug barrel can hold a good group at 100 with the right optics mount and slugs. On the gun end, the key is a solid optics mount. The only saddle mount worth anything that I've found is the Mesa Tactical. Other than that, you gotta mount directly to the receiver or get a cantilever barrel. Federal trophy copper is my slug of choice. With a red dot, I can hold a 3-4 inch group at 100 yards off the bench.

Small red dots mounted on the barrel solve a few problems. SumToy, JPRifles, AimTech and Aimpoint offer solutions.

 

[SCOH]

Savage bolt action 20gauge.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

Mine loves Remington Accutips. It is very much like shooting a rifle. I have killed deer with it to 125 yds in OH

 

[Djacker]

My plan is to use a leupold VX-freedom muzzleloader 3-9

 

[ncstatehunter]

Can't go wrong with the 220, I love mine and I'm not in a shotgun only area or state yet still find myself carrying it a lot. Spend the money on a couple different boxes now to find what it likes and it makes your life much easier in the future as slug guns can be picky when it comes to what they like. I spent a day shooting 3-4 different boxes and mine loved the Federal Trophy Coppers in both 2 3/4" and 3", they practically shoot the same groups. I've got some Accutips to compare them to this year but I stocked up on ammo when Gander liquidated a couple years ago since sabot slugs are $$$. That said, most of these guns seem to like either the Remingtons or the Federals so if you wanted to save a little money, you could just shoot those two and see which one it likes best. If you are worried about recoil for her, then stick to the 2 3/4" as they have less recoil IME.

 

[Chris Rinna]

can you use a straight wall cartridge? SLUG guns are DEAD here in Michigan, 450 Bushmaster will completely dominate any slug gun. If you can look at Ruger American. FYI

 

[PaCR]

Me too on the savage 220! Excellent slug gun.

 

[Shraggs]

Just a quick note on the 870 suggestion, I “built” my slug gun just before savage bolt guns became popular.

Bought an 870 express 12 gauge and put some magpul furniture that allowed me to raise the comb height. I put a cantelver barrel on it and a slug gun 3x9. The trigger was so bad I couldn’t get a decent group so I swapped that out for something with a light pull. I am talking variable weight between 10 and 14 pounds and gritty as a sand dune. While I was at it I did the follower swap too.

It shoots those Remington accubonds pretty well. I would say it is acceptably accurate to 150-200 yards using the BDC.

To get decent accuracy you have to use a cantilever barrel or pin the barrel to the receiver which makes cleaning a pain in the ass. So, I thought I would end up with a multipurpose gun with the cantilever but having to swap out the comb makes it fairly impractical to use it with the regular barrel without a bit more wrench time than you would like. 3” 12s also kick pretty good and the scope can bite you if you aren’t careful.

By the time I was done tinkering, I probably had over $800 in the gun not including glass. I basically have a mediocre slug gun that isn’t really good for much else. If I were doing it again, I would go with the savage bolt gun in 20 gauge. Done and dusted for less than $600 with likely better accuracy and function and much less pain in the ass.

My experience with the 870, in my case it was the 3” magnum express combo barre, l was the opposite. I did try ever brand of ammo into It until found what worked. The 2 3/4 Remington coppers. But a note, the slugs moving a bit slower with the shallow groves rifling is what it liked. And it like a cleaner barrel. It will group 5 shots in one inch. I figured good to 150 yards at 1405 FPS from the 23” barrel.

The 20 gauge savage is a great choice too.

But what like about the 870 is how balanced it is with a trijicon 1-4 scope, it’s light too, and a second shot doesn’t get much easier than a pump and 2 3/4” are tolerable recoil.

What I didn’t like, is the cantilever was not built for accuracy so my scope is pined to receiver and lost the multi purpose I bought it for. No biggie it’s a comfortable killer.

 

[Zmgsvt]

Savage 220 unless you can use a straight wall

 

[Jsuss]

@Djacker how does your wife like the gun? I'm about to pick one up for myself for local deer hunting in New York. Do you, or anybody else on this thread, have recommendation re: optics. Want something that is going to match the gun well in quality/price ratio (note I won't be taking shots longer than 100 yards where I hunt locally).

 

[Djacker]

She loves the gun. Light recoil and accurate. The action isn't my favorite, sometimes it has trouble ejecting. Also wish I could put a trigger tech trigger in it. We use the 2 3/4" accutips. I just shot it out to 150 yards the other day, accuracy

 

[Djacker]

I had a phone malfunction!! Accuracy was acceptable. 3" at 150 yards for 5 shots. I put a leupold VX-freedom muzzleloader 3-9x40 on it. Seems to work well.

 

[Rieckman]

@Djacker how does your wife like the gun? I'm about to pick one up for myself for local deer hunting in New York. Do you, or anybody else on this thread, have recommendation re: optics. Want something that is going to match the gun well in quality/price ratio (note I won't be taking shots longer than 100 yards where I hunt locally).

One of the local shop around here sells them packaged with either a Vortex crossfire i think?, Leopold Freedom, or a Hawke optic. All with variable ranges from like 2-7 to 3-9. I would think for slug hunting where I do in Central MN I would want to be on the lower end of the power spectrum.

I put a 1-6 razor on my 300 blackout which if I didn't have I would buy the savage 220.