Recommendations needed for slug gun and ammo. Thank you for your consideration.
Slug gun
- Thread starter Trophy 2000
- Start date
JohnHenry
Gold $$ Contributor
TarHunt bolt action. Have one of Randy Fritz's early bolt actions. Capable of putting three shots touching at 100 yards.
https://www.tarhunt.com/product/rsg-12-professional/
https://www.tarhunt.com/product/rsg-12-professional/
james
Gold $$ Contributor
25 years ago purchased an Ithaca Deerslayer 12 gauge and mounted a Leupold 2x7 shotgun scope on it. Have harvested approximately 35 deer with it over the years - highly recommend it. Have used Lightfield Hybrid 2 3/4" slugs.
Thanks for the information.
Gary in MD
Gold $$ Contributor
Savage 220 slug gun, great accuracy and all you really need is the 20 gauge!
The current best I have seen is as above, the Savage 220. I have yet to see one that wouldn't touch slugs at 100 yards as long as a shooter was behind it and Remington 2 3/4" Accutip's were in the chamber. If I remember right all the locals use a "DNZ" one piece scope base and rings. I think it has something to do with the empties having clearance to kick out and not jam.
Many moons ago I had a Ithaca Model 87 "Deerslayer II" that was a good one. If you could scare up one of those I think you would be pretty happy. That one had the barrel screwed to the receiver like a rifle, so it was a true dedicated slug gun.
I am not what you could call a "fan" of anything Savage ever made, but I give credit where it is due, and the 220 got my attention as the best chance of owning an accurate slug gun. Many guns will throw a slug, but I have yet to see a 220 that wouldn't put them touching at 100 yards.
Edit: when these first came out I think they had some trouble with the magazines...typical Savage cheesyness...{politically correct to say "cost effective"}. I know several guys that complained and received a new mag that worked. This was several years ago when the 220 first came out. They said it didn't look any different or like an upgrade, but it positively fixed the problem.
Many moons ago I had a Ithaca Model 87 "Deerslayer II" that was a good one. If you could scare up one of those I think you would be pretty happy. That one had the barrel screwed to the receiver like a rifle, so it was a true dedicated slug gun.
I am not what you could call a "fan" of anything Savage ever made, but I give credit where it is due, and the 220 got my attention as the best chance of owning an accurate slug gun. Many guns will throw a slug, but I have yet to see a 220 that wouldn't put them touching at 100 yards.
Edit: when these first came out I think they had some trouble with the magazines...typical Savage cheesyness...{politically correct to say "cost effective"}. I know several guys that complained and received a new mag that worked. This was several years ago when the 220 first came out. They said it didn't look any different or like an upgrade, but it positively fixed the problem.
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
Another vote for the Mossberg 500 Bantam 20 gauge for the budget minded shooter. Lightfield 2&3/4, three shots touching at 100 yards. Have taken deer with it to 150 yds. Have since moved to a Benelli M2 in 20ga, same results with the Lightfields but a little spendier. I lucked out and found a used one relatively cheap.
Im currently shooting the Savage 220. Im getting below 2" groups @100 with Remington accutips. The bolt didnt cycle very well on mine. After basically lapping it in it works fine. Good trigger for a shotgun. Overall good performance for the money.
A good Hastings barrel is hard to beat if you have an existing shot gun you like. I have one on a 1100 that shoots 2.5" groops at 100.
For a cheap bolt gun find an old Mossberg 695. Terrrrrrrible trigger but otherwise good shooting accurate guns. I had a smith work on the trigger and the best I can say is it is better. He said he would never do another one. I keep one as a spare and for when it rains.
My favorite slug has been the Winchester Partition Gold.
A good Hastings barrel is hard to beat if you have an existing shot gun you like. I have one on a 1100 that shoots 2.5" groops at 100.
For a cheap bolt gun find an old Mossberg 695. Terrrrrrrible trigger but otherwise good shooting accurate guns. I had a smith work on the trigger and the best I can say is it is better. He said he would never do another one. I keep one as a spare and for when it rains.
My favorite slug has been the Winchester Partition Gold.
Savage 212 or 220 shoot great, if you need faster follow up shots for more than 1 deer, I think the ithica deer slayer 2 or there would be the ticket.
I don't know what your regs are but smokeless muzzleloaders are something to maybe consider if you can use them in your shotgun area. People are taking deer with them at over 500 yrds. There are a couple places that build/ sell custom smokeless muzzleloaders shooting 275g bullets at over 3000fps and very accurate. Something to maybe consider.
I don't know what your regs are but smokeless muzzleloaders are something to maybe consider if you can use them in your shotgun area. People are taking deer with them at over 500 yrds. There are a couple places that build/ sell custom smokeless muzzleloaders shooting 275g bullets at over 3000fps and very accurate. Something to maybe consider.
Kookie
Silver $$ Contributor
Thompson/Center Encore Pro Hunter Rifled Slug Gun is very accurate with sabot slugs.
Savage 220 bolt all the way. Don't bother with the 212. Recoil is much greater that the 20 ga model. The 220 is phenomenally accurate and offers all you'll need out and past 225 yards easily. Dollar for dollar I'd say it's your best value. The muzzleloader option, especially a custom version will exceed 2000.00. For under 500.00, the savage is a good choice. Typically with shotgun use, guys are not expecting to shoot beyond 250 yards. Good accuracy from otherwise inaccurate setups are what guys are hoping for. The 220 will give you that.
Yep, but didn't Browning only make it for like a year or two then it was dropped then several years later they brought it back. I don't know what all the jacking back and forth was all about, but it was a darn good slug gun. I just won't deal with outfits that make something for a year or two and drop it.
The H&R was very accurate and it had some problems...but, I have made a lot of money off those guns. If you get one try to get a couple extra hammer springs, a couple trigger guards {near impossible to find, I need one right now!!!}, and you can probably also plan on grinding down the top flat on the hammer so it has enough firing pin protrusion to reliably set off the primer. Other than that.......
The Lightfield slugs are arguably the most accurate you can buy, but my experience is that they don't kill too well. Those Remington copper solids were the same way. Buck Hammer slugs will go down in shooting history as one of the greatest of mysteries...why in the name of mother loving god did Remington ever quit making them???? There's an outfit called "Slugs R Us" in Pa. that has the equal...they sell a mold and sabots and all the associated goodies to load your own. I went this route and if you know anything at all about casting bullets {definitely not hard} you can save a medium sized fortune over buying factory slugs.
One other thing about the Savage...you get to a point where you need a decent trigger...only the Savage has one that is fairly moderately good. The rest??? Heavy creepy typical lawyer driven junk.
No laughing here. H&R makes the heavy barreled 20/12 gauge single shots. Plain, laminated and synthetic I believe. I also think your underestimating the range potential of that 20. Pretty sure with the right bullets, 200-250 is easily achieved. Those barrels are rifled and with the newest shotgun offerings for deer, that 150 is medium shotgun range. Very low priced guns too. Accurate and reliable. Many like the pump or bolt guns for follow-up shots making that savage 212/220 pretty appealing.
Maybe the question of what type of hunting will you be doing ? Most likely deer but are you stand hunting or pushing or doing deer drives. I think it will make a difference whether your shot opportunities will be on moving deer or relaxed standing shots. Some guys I know push deer doing drives in Ohio and use pump and auto shotguns and do well. When they hunt the first couple days, they sit waiting for deer on runways or bait. They use single shot or bolt guns. Definitely for them makes a world of difference.
Look no further than a Savage 220
I sighted mine in at 100 sent the ballistic information to Leupold and now with their custom dial system (CDS) I am able to hit 8" steel plates out to 350 yards with relative ease. Not that I would consider shooting at a deer at that distance but it is remarkable how far the slug gun has progressed over the last 20 years
I sighted mine in at 100 sent the ballistic information to Leupold and now with their custom dial system (CDS) I am able to hit 8" steel plates out to 350 yards with relative ease. Not that I would consider shooting at a deer at that distance but it is remarkable how far the slug gun has progressed over the last 20 years
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