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Slugs?

3676 Views 22 Replies 1 Participant Last post by  ShotgunPro, 
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Hey all, since I plan to use my friends Remington 870 Express to hunt deer this year...I decided I want to shoot a few different kinds of slugs through the gun before I go out hunting. I just want to see which work best with the gun before I attempt to shoot an animal.

My main question is this; the gun is one of the combination packages, it came with a long shot barrel and then a shorter slug barrel...which slugs do I need to shoot from the slug barrel? Clearly I can use any 12ga 2 3/4" or 3" slug, right? Or do I need special slugs?

Ive been shooting trap since I was about 8...but Ive never once shot a slug before and just want to educate myself a little before I go buy some potentially incorrect ammo.
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Is the slug barrel rifled? If so, you'll want to use sabot slugs. The Remington accu-tip slugs are pretty impressive.

Oh, and if you've never shot a slug before, its much harsher on the recoil than any bird/target load.
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The slug barrel is smooth. No rifling. So does that correlate to a specific slug...or just the same kind I could shoot through the shot barrel?

I was anticipating more recoil. That is another reason to shoot a few slugs before I climb up a try and try it for the first time!
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If the slug bbl is smooth shoot a rifled lead slug. Here is a pretty good article; Shotgun Slugs
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For a smooth bore I hear great things about Breneke, (think thats how it's spelled). For me it's fun to try different brands and see what kind works in a certain gun.

good luck.
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Sounds good. I will steer clear of sabot slugs. Although I can still tell you that the first time I go to pull the trigger I will be a little leery...
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I get the best accuracy out of the cheap Winchester Super-X rifled slugs. I have a 20" barrel Mossberg.
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PlayFront36 said:
Sounds good. I will steer clear of sabot slugs. Although I can still tell you that the first time I go to pull the trigger I will be a little leery...
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. Trust me, if a deer if crossing your path 2,3,4 shots won't feel like a thing and you won't likely hear the shot either. Targer practice will hurt if yoiu aren't holding the shotgun proper, I learned this the hard way.

Practice for the one shot, only way to go.
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Any rifled slug will do. Take some practice shots at 50 yards and 100 yards. 100 yards is pushing the limit of a humane kill with a smooth bore fired slug.
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+1 for Breneke slugs...used the hybrids on my first doe, shot them out of an remington 1100 smooth barrel. Took a 60 yard snap shot and we had a down deer about 23 yards from where she was hit. Slug shattered the front shoulder and ended up taking out a lung and knicked the heart. Ended up finding the slug when we gutted her and kept it...if i can find it i'll throw up a pic just so you can see how it kept together.
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jake - Like I said, Ive been shooting shotguns for 15 years...I know what to expect regarding recoil and accuracy. I just wont want to trust the slugs until I shoot one. The image that keeps replaying in my mind is the barrel just blowing open like in the cartoons. Just a mental thing.

laserss - I have been doing a lot of reading on slugs. I had read that 100 yards was pretty much the limit. But I will definitely by practicing before I head out into the field. Im an excellent shot with a rifle...just need to make sure its the same for a shotgun.
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I've shot hundreds of slugs though my smooth bore no problem. The Winchester slugs I shot made it though 2.5 really thick wet phone books at around 30 yards. It was still one solid piece, granted it was also a hollow point round. I have a lot of confidence in slugs.
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misfit-x said:
I've shot hundreds of slugs though my smooth bore no problem. The Winchester slugs I shot made it though 2.5 really thick wet phone books at around 30 yards. It was still one solid piece, granted it was also a hollow point round. I have a lot of confidence in slugs.
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I don't think anyone was saying you can't shoot them through a smooth bore, simply that accuracy from a smooth bore leaves something to be desired at range.
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Terry said:
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LOL! Seems like a bit much!
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Oh i forgot critters are a lot smaller in the lower 48. LOL I keep thinking Alaska size. :smile:
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Brenneke Rottwiels/Blitz are good stuff...so are the el-cheapo Winchester, Federal, and Remington sluggers.

Believe it or not, however...the odds are that your shotgun will like one a little better than the others.

So, I'd recommend buying 5 or 6 different brands/types (I really recommend buying ones that you can easily find, so you'll be able to get them again without a hassle), go to the range, and do a little shooting....then, just lay in a stock of which ones seem to work best in your shotgun.

Now--in my experience, you really don't get much--besides a metric buttload more recoil--for moving up to a 3" over a 2.75" slug; they don't shoot all that much flatter, they don't hit all that much harder (against deer--with proper placement, I've never noticed a 3" knock a deer down faster than a 2.75...), or are more accurate...in fact, I tend to get better accuracy out of 2.75" slugs in my shotguns...about the only way I've found a 3" consistently shoots better is with sabots. YMMV.
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Cuda66 said:
Brenneke Rottwiels/Blitz are good stuff...so are the el-cheapo Winchester, Federal, and Remington sluggers.

Believe it or not, however...the odds are that your shotgun will like one a little better than the others.

So, I'd recommend buying 5 or 6 different brands/types (I really recommend buying ones that you can easily find, so you'll be able to get them again without a hassle), go to the range, and do a little shooting....then, just lay in a stock of which ones seem to work best in your shotgun.

Now--in my experience, you really don't get much--besides a metric buttload more recoil--for moving up to a 3" over a 2.75" slug; they don't shoot all that much flatter, they don't hit all that much harder (against deer--with proper placement, I've never noticed a 3" knock a deer down faster than a 2.75...), or are more accurate...in fact, I tend to get better accuracy out of 2.75" slugs in my shotguns...about the only way I've found a 3" consistently shoots better is with sabots. YMMV.
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+1 i've heard all over that 2.75" shells seem to shoot straighter than 3". Something about too much power. I think it even said that in the 2009 Mossberg gun annual. I know 2.75 has no trouble going through 2 2x4 woodplanks and an old truck hood and then dissappearing into a dirt bank 10ft away(took a few shots to sight in the red dot):smile:
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I like the Winchester Super X slugs.

Hunted with a smooth barrel for years before I got my 870, and most people I know still hunt with them. The Super X slugs fly straight, and penetrate good, as well as expand a bit. The brennekes I've seen blow right through without any expansion, and had to track a deer all over hell's half acre. It went through the lungs, dunno how the deer went that far. The sluggers are underpowered, saw one go into the neck of a deer, and stop about 3/4" under the skin. Nicked one of the main lines, otherwise that deer would never have dropped. She still went a couple hundred yards, but she was leaking enough, and it was pretty open, so she was easy to track. It was a pretty close shot too, probably 30 yards. Federals seem to be OK too, but haven't shot any of their modern slugs.
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Hastings makes decent slugs. Used them last year hunting. Got my first deer (8 point buck) with them.
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