Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting rifled slug barrel shooters poll

I tried a dozen different ones, many expensive ones grouped really tight, but then they would produce a flyer ...

In the end I found plain old Super-X slugs from Winchester consistently performed well, and never had any flyers.

So I went cheap, and do well.

GG,

I tried them and got about 5-6 inch groups.

Not sure if the 1500 FPS versus 1900 FPS on other makes of slugs is worth the recoils or not. I guess it would be a question if they grouped better.

humdinger,

I'm most likely telling you something you already know, but make sure the barrel gets a good scrubbing every so often.

My slug gun in a 20 ga T/C pro hunter and I hand load my own 20 gauge slugs using the Hornady .45 250 FTX bullets.

Doc

New user question...

Do these lead or copper build up super fast?

Ive put about 15-20 down the brand new barrel and need to clean it before my next range session.

Plastic fouling is oftentimes as big of an issue as the lead/copper residue.

Once you find a slug that you like and you've become acquainted with how it shoots, it'll be readily apparent when it's time for a good scrub.

20ish rounds always seemed like the magic number for me.

plastic.. yea. Better get the cleaning stuff out.
Round two f slug experiments this weekend... unless I go turkey hunting.

I think my shoulder recovered from patterning the 2 oz loads last weekend ;-)

Slugs and turkey loads? You're a masochist, aren't you?

I think so. The urge to try fall turkey hunting using my citori (its my shortest shotgun) added to the deep joint pain from the slugs.

Need to sight in the 3006 & try the new slug loads on Saturday before going turkey hunting Sunday. Hopefully my shoulder will make it through the weekend.

What's the best way to clean the plastic fouling out of the barrel guys? Thanks for the info, by the way.

(I kinda had the same question... brush & solvent? acetone?)

I've never used a dedicated plastic solvent - though I'm guessing there are products that exist.

It might be naivete on my part, but in my experience, a good general gun solvent, a brush and a little elbow grease has never failed to deliver exceptional accuracy.

I used Shooter's Choice bore cleaner and it cleaned it right up . Browning Citori, Beretta Silver Pigeon ,Benelli and Beretta shotguns . I also used a Tikka rod after running the solvent with a little bit of beretta oil.

I've used 'Remington Bore Cleaner' it's specifically designed to get the plastic fouling out of trap and SC shotgun bores. It's brown and cruddy looking stuff but really works. Used it on rifled slug bbls too. It does the job.

I guess I should pay a little better attention when I'm at your place.

Thanks for the reply. I'll give this a try.

When I lived in IL, it was shotgun or m/l only. Tried a slug barrel on my Benelli M90 field. The recoil broke my scope mounts-twice. After my gunsmith put the second mount on, I went out and tried to sight the gun in. Over the next 2 1/2 hours, I fired 60 rounds before giving up. I went back to the gun store and bought a Remington 870 Express 12 ga pump with cantilever mount. Sighted it in the same day, the day before the firearm season opener. That SOB kicked so hard it actually loosened my teeth, and I thought I broke my cheekbone. I got a deer a few days later, but really had to talk myself into pulling the trigger. Tihing is, it shot Winchester Super X slugs like a rifle at 100 yds. Then I came to my senses and bought a Savage 220F in camo, and a Savage 10 ML Ii muzzleloader. Sighted them in and never used them again. Moved to a rifle state. Both guns were a joy to shoot after the 870 Express. The 220F is deadly accurate with Remington Accu Tips. The Savage smokeless M/L was also a joy to shoot. No smoke, cleaning only required every 100 rounds, and because it's heavy (it's a stand gun, not a spot and stalk gun), the recoil was very manageable even by me, and I'm only 5'6", and 130#, and old. Do yourself a favor a keep looking for a gun that does not kick like a mule. It's not necessary.

My circa 1987 12 ga. 870 "Special Purpose Deer" model started life as a smoothbore slug gun with rifle sights, (back before rifled slug guns became common). Got drilled and tapped for a scope in the early 90's and added a fully rifled Remington barrel back around 2001. Always seemed to prefer 2 & 3/4" Winchester BRI sabot slugs, although there were some other good ones, I finally standardized on the Winchester/ BRI's. In 2013 I purchased over 350 of 'em so at age 66 (this year) I figure that's probably a lifetime supply for me, as I also rifle and handgun hunt so it's not as if I need that many slugs annually. One thing I've noticed over the years is that even back in the smoothbore foster style slug days or the fully rifled barrels and sabots of today is that both of those remington made barrels preferred Winchester slugs. Probably not all Remington slug barrels are like this but that's my experience with the two that I have. P.S. Back in the smoothbore days I went through the 3" magnum slug phase and eventually went back to the 2 & 3/4" stuff when I realized that the deer couldn't tell which one I was using but the 2 & 3/4" slugs were more accurate, so I've stuck with them ever since. So whatever is most accurate is what should get chosen.

Op here again....

Got federal 2.75 300 grain 1900 feet per second into 3 inch groups and I said close enough. Shoulder survived because I wore my PAST gel pad.

I may check out a savage 220 if I get into slug hunting hardcore. It seems to come recommended by several here.

Shot slugs at deer for 20 years or better before the DNR changed the zone i hunted in to rifles. Shot a savage 210 for almost all of that time and had no issues. It shot the 2 3/4" sabot winchester or hornady slugs (385 grain) about the same. Was about a 1" gun maybe a little less off the bench with a cheaper scope. I ruined a weaver and leupolds from the recoil and honestly a cheap simmons is what held up the best.

I have shot deer anywhere between 20 yards to 200 yards and had great success. Its painful to shoot and expensive to feed but sight in with the slugs you are going to hunt with and go from there. The Past recoil pad is a lifesaver.