20 gauge rifled slug

bspillman · May 15, 2014, 09:25 PM

I just picked up a nice Ithaca m37 featherlight 20 gauge deerslayer today. This thing shoots sweet. My question is if hunting deer with a slug is a 100 yards to far of a shot to make a kill with it? It has a 24 inch smooth bore barrel.

PetahW · May 15, 2014, 09:34 PM

.

I've been dropping whitetails since 1985 (when I bought it) with my 20ga Ithaca Model 37 Deluxe, w/o a problem.

I've only had to shoot @ 100yds three times over those years, but think it the limit for Foster Slugs.

I would only be confidant at 100yds, or a bit more, with a Sabot slug in a rifled barrel, with optics.

Remember that the Ithaca deerslayer barrels were underbored/undersize, to get optimim accuracy with Foster-type slugs, and IME other 20ga smoothbores are much less accurate.

.

jeager106 · May 16, 2014, 12:58 AM

Being in Ohio, which is (was), a s.g. State for deer I have shot tons of slugs.
A good smoothie with sights & slugs that work for the gun I have shot 100 yard groups of 3 inches on average.
There are tips & tricks to make the smoothie shoot well.
Most of the 50 odd deer I've taken with a slug have been well under 100 but my longest was a "slobber shot" that hit a runing button buck at 175 paces in the head.
It was pure luck & a shot I should never have taken.
I used the 12 bore almost exclusively but your 20 will do just fine out to 100 when you find the load it likes and practice, practice, practice.

idek · May 16, 2014, 08:21 PM

If were using a smooth bore 20 ga. and wanted to maximize distance, I'd give these a try.

Slopemeno · May 18, 2014, 12:09 PM

20 gauge Model 37 Deerslayers are really nice. A friend of mine back in college had one and it was a very nice all-around hunting rig.

jeager106 · May 18, 2014, 12:49 PM

I have been using Brennek K.O. in the 12 bore for years, still have over 100 rnds of the stuff.
Accurate in a smoothie and kills deer quick.

May 15, 2014, 09:25 PM	#1
bspillman Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2011 Posts: 559	20 gauge rifled slug I just picked up a nice Ithaca m37 featherlight 20 gauge deerslayer today. This thing shoots sweet. My question is if hunting deer with a slug is a 100 yards to far of a shot to make a kill with it? It has a 24 inch smooth bore barrel.

May 15, 2014, 09:34 PM	#2
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	. I've been dropping whitetails since 1985 (when I bought it) with my 20ga Ithaca Model 37 Deluxe, w/o a problem. I've only had to shoot @ 100yds three times over those years, but think it the limit for Foster Slugs. I would only be confidant at 100yds, or a bit more, with a Sabot slug in a rifled barrel, with optics. Remember that the Ithaca deerslayer barrels were underbored/undersize, to get optimim accuracy with Foster-type slugs, and IME other 20ga smoothbores are much less accurate. . Last edited by PetahW; May 17, 2014 at 03:42 PM.

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May 16, 2014, 12:58 AM	#3
jeager106 Junior member Join Date: November 24, 2006 Location: N.E. Oh. Posts: 527	Being in Ohio, which is (was), a s.g. State for deer I have shot tons of slugs. A good smoothie with sights & slugs that work for the gun I have shot 100 yard groups of 3 inches on average. There are tips & tricks to make the smoothie shoot well. Most of the 50 odd deer I've taken with a slug have been well under 100 but my longest was a "slobber shot" that hit a runing button buck at 175 paces in the head. It was pure luck & a shot I should never have taken. I used the 12 bore almost exclusively but your 20 will do just fine out to 100 when you find the load it likes and practice, practice, practice.

May 16, 2014, 08:21 PM	#4
idek Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2009 Posts: 903	If were using a smooth bore 20 ga. and wanted to maximize distance, I'd give these a try.

May 18, 2014, 12:09 PM	#5
Slopemeno Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2007 Posts: 2,663	20 gauge Model 37 Deerslayers are really nice. A friend of mine back in college had one and it was a very nice all-around hunting rig.

May 18, 2014, 12:49 PM	#6
jeager106 Junior member Join Date: November 24, 2006 Location: N.E. Oh. Posts: 527	I have been using Brennek K.O. in the 12 bore for years, still have over 100 rnds of the stuff. Accurate in a smoothie and kills deer quick.