RangerClay Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I have hunted deer for 26 years with my Remington 1100 16 gauge shotgun. It's a great shotgun but it is a smoothbore and 16 ga. slugs are getting tougher to find lately. So I am toying with the notion of buying a new slug gun as I sit here with cabin fever. If you were going to get a new slug gun tomorrow what would you buy and what gauge? Would you get a hard hitting 12 ga. or a flat shooting 20 ga? Your thoughts please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I bought a Remington 870 Express Magnum, synthetic stock and rifled barrel in 12 gauge. Shot it a number of times out back and really think I'm gonna like this one. I used to have a rifled barrel for my Winchester 1300, it was a pretty good gun as well, then thought I needed the H&R Ultra Slug. $$$ was tight, so I sold the 1300 barrel to buy the H&R. Hunted a few times with it, never really cared too much for it. Great shooter, could drive tacks with it, but the way we hunt around here, it wasn't the right gun for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Have to second Tom's vote. I don't gun hunt much, but my slug gun is an 870 with rifled barrel. On the bench, that barrel with Winchester 3" sabots can touch each other at 70 yards. I think I'd give that Ithaca deerslayer a look too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I think I'd give that Ithaca deerslayer a look too. Yep, Chris is right on. I forgot about my Ithaca Deerslayer 12 gauge, it was my grandpa's gun and I inherited it when he passed. I hunted with it one year since then ('94) and managed to kill a few does with it. I then determined that it's home was in my gun case, I don't want to beat it up at all. Means too much to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 There's a pretty impressive video on Ithaca's website with the new Deerslayer. Guy is plinking a target at 200 yards I think it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archerjg Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I would and did buy an H&R Ultra Slughunter. Excellent gun and with very tight patterns. It is heavy though and a single shot, but for my hunting gun it has served well. The 870 and 11-87 are both good as well. I have both of those and the 870 also has a slug barrel and does well in thick stuff walking. Archerjg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted February 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 I would and did buy an H&R Ultra Slughunter. Excellent gun and with very tight patterns. Archerjg I'm sure it is a great gun but I am not even concidering a single shot gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwood_HD Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 yea that single shot slug gun is a beast.. i held one at a pro shop not too long ago, i bet they dont kick much cuz the thing weighs about 20lbs lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 I like my Winchester 1300 12 gauge with a rifled barrel.Been using it for about 15 years it's taken quite a bit of abuse.I think if I were going to buy a new slugger I would actually look at one with a smooth bore slug barrel 12 or 20 gauge so I could use rifled slugs.Shooting Sabot's gets expensive between sighting in every fall and hunting.Most of my shots are about 60 yards or less because of terrain anyways,and with open sights I don't really use the sabot's and rifled barrel to their full potential.My cousin has an 870 smoothbore that just as good as my rifled barrel at ranges that we hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 Here's that video I was talking about. Scroll down near the bottom. http://www.ithacagun.com/deerslayer3.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted February 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 Here's that video I was talking about. Scroll down near the bottom. http://www.ithacagun.com/deerslayer3.html Thanks Chris! I would really like to see him shoot those rounds off hand. Being from NY, the home of Itaca guns, I can remember during the late 70's and early 80's when everyone had a Deerslayer. However their only downfall was that they kicked terrible. My brother shot one once and he got whacked pretty hard. He gave it back and bought the 1300. Being that the testers were shooting from a Leadsled I cannot see how much the recoil was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 I normally use a muzzle loader during our gun seasons but this past year decided to buy a 20 ga 870 with cantilever barrel... good shooting gun with lightfield slugs. 12 ga isn't needed imho but I've never had much luck getting them sighted in consistently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluelund79 Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 I love my Mossberg 500 w/ cantilever barrel. I put a Nikon Slughunter on it, and it loves the Winchester Super X 2 3/4" sabots. Its all synthetic and held up pretty well this past season...I wouold not hesitate to get another....Like the 935 for waterfowl, Silver Reserve O/U 12 ga that I got last year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I have hunted deer for 26 years with my Remington 1100 16 gauge shotgun. It's a great shotgun but it is a smoothbore and 16 ga. slugs are getting tougher to find lately. So I am toying with the notion of buying a new slug gun as I sit here with cabin fever. If you were going to get a new slug gun tomorrow what would you buy and what gauge? Would you get a hard hitting 12 ga. or a flat shooting 20 ga? Your thoughts please? I have been debating this very question myself of late and decided on going to a 20 gauge this time around. It's going to be the H & R single shot with the thumbhole grip. They have come a long way in making the 20 gauge slugs perform!!! Here's a pic of that gun I'll be getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matq2gs Posted March 5, 2008 Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I bought an H & R ultra slugger in 20 ga. I love it and it doesn't kick at all. Shooting 2 3/4 " Hornady SST's in it and it will drive tacks. I have an 870 in 12ga. with a rifled barrel and still will use it some. 3 shots at 2.5" high at 50 yards could cover with 50 cent piece and dead on at 150 yards. Shot a small button buck at 85 yards late season and fell on the spot. Don't under estimate the 20 ga. with the new slug technology. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtech_archer07 Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 I have a Mossberg 500 12 ga. and absolutely love it. Haven't had to track a deer yet with it. It hits hard and with Winchester sabots, it's accurate out to about 70 yards. I absolutely love this gun. It's the combination deer/turkey combo, so I have a 24 inch rifled slug barrel and a 26 inch field barrel. It has been an awesome gun so far!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oo_buck Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 yea that single shot slug gun is a beast.. i held one at a pro shop not too long ago, i bet they dont kick much cuz the thing weighs about 20lbs lol 11# without the scope..... More like a shove than a kick.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tecumseh Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 I got a trophy slugster barrel for my Mossberg 835 last year and used the 2 3/4 Remington buckhammer slugs they shot a 2 inch group at 100 yards and I just tried the 2 3/4 Remington core lokt ultra sabots and put 4 shots in a 1 inch square at 75 yards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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