Slug Firing

Nightcrawler · May 1, 2001, 02:01 PM

I'm contemplating getting a good all-rounder shotgun. I've been thinking of perhaps the Mossberg 590, but the model with Ghost Ring Sights costs more. Then there's the Winchester Camp Defender, which has rifle sights and a 22" barrel.

If you have sights on your shotgun, you can be accurate up to a hundred yards, with good rifled slugs.

What about a plain bead sight? Seems to me you'd have a hard time hitting the broad side of a barn past 30 yards with no real iron sights (firing a single projectile).

May 1, 2001, 02:56 PM

With my bead sighted 590 I've shot honest-to-God, no-exaggeration, one hole groups at 50 yards from braced kneeling, and made a 3/4-scale upper body silhouette clang at 100 yards from sandbag prone, so it can be done.

IMO, the bead's real limitation is not that it's coarse, or lacks a rear sight, but that it's not adjustable. I have to aim "appendectomy" to get a COM hit at those distances.

Dave McC · May 1, 2001, 02:59 PM

Any reasonably competent and trained shotgunner should be able to be effective to 50 yards or more with a bead sighted shotgun and proper ammo.

The first instructors' school I attended has us firing at 60 yards, and scores ran well above 80% on average. Those of us that LIKED shooting slugs did much better.

W/o a rear sight, stock fit to place the eye(your real rear sight) correctly is crucial.

Note: Bead sighted plain bbl shotguns tend to hit rather high with slugs. Beads on ramps and ribs print lower. And, if there's a slug shotgun out there that groups slugs in the center of a buck pattern shot to the same POA,I've not seen it yet.

A 21" bbled 870 "Turkey" shotgun is an awesome weapon of great flexibility and effect. The Mossy and Winchester versions are not far behind...

Nightcrawler · May 2, 2001, 02:07 PM

...picking up a Winchester Camp Defender this fall. It looks like a good all-rounder shotgun, having adjustable iron sights, 7+1 capacity, a 22" barrel, a choke system, and a hardwood stock. It retails for quite a bit less than the Mossberg 590 with Ghost Ring sights, and looks better, in my opinion.

Dave McC · May 2, 2001, 06:12 PM

I've little experience wiht the newer Winchesters, but they seem to be decent shotguns. The one I shot did what I wanted it to.

uglygun · May 2, 2001, 07:17 PM

Well I'd have no problem using slugs in my shotgun for defensive type target shooting out to 100 yards. Sounds awful but it would essentially boil down to aiming for the head and the round would likely hit just below the neck, aim for the neck and you'll drill the target right through the chest.

Every time I go out to the range I fire off 10-15 rounds of slugs at the 100 yard line, it's a lot of fun and I personally think the bead sight is just fine so long as I'm not trying to bust locks off doors or anything. With my 870 I can expect to hit a basket ball sized target at 100 yards if I aim for the top of it.

Thing that surprised me most with my 870 was that the slugs pretty much followed the bead with respects to hitting within the vertical plane. I was fully expecting it to be 6-7 inches left or right of my point of aim but it was accurate enough that my only worry is really that of trying to figure out the amount of "kentucky windage" elevation to compensate for, that will come with practice.

I much prefer the bead sight over ghost rings or rifle type sighs, was born and raised on the bead sight and it's what I know best and am quickest with.

May 1, 2001, 02:56 PM	#2
Jeff, CA Guest Posts: n/a	Well... With my bead sighted 590 I've shot honest-to-God, no-exaggeration, one hole groups at 50 yards from braced kneeling, and made a 3/4-scale upper body silhouette clang at 100 yards from sandbag prone, so it can be done. IMO, the bead's real limitation is not that it's coarse, or lacks a rear sight, but that it's not adjustable. I have to aim "appendectomy" to get a COM hit at those distances.

May 2, 2001, 02:07 PM	#4
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	I'm contemplating... ...picking up a Winchester Camp Defender this fall. It looks like a good all-rounder shotgun, having adjustable iron sights, 7+1 capacity, a 22" barrel, a choke system, and a hardwood stock. It retails for quite a bit less than the Mossberg 590 with Ghost Ring sights, and looks better, in my opinion.

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May 1, 2001, 02:01 PM	#1
Nightcrawler Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2000 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,945	I'm contemplating getting a good all-rounder shotgun. I've been thinking of perhaps the Mossberg 590, but the model with Ghost Ring Sights costs more. Then there's the Winchester Camp Defender, which has rifle sights and a 22" barrel. If you have sights on your shotgun, you can be accurate up to a hundred yards, with good rifled slugs. What about a plain bead sight? Seems to me you'd have a hard time hitting the broad side of a barn past 30 yards with no real iron sights (firing a single projectile).

May 1, 2001, 02:59 PM	#3
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Any reasonably competent and trained shotgunner should be able to be effective to 50 yards or more with a bead sighted shotgun and proper ammo. The first instructors' school I attended has us firing at 60 yards, and scores ran well above 80% on average. Those of us that LIKED shooting slugs did much better. W/o a rear sight, stock fit to place the eye(your real rear sight) correctly is crucial. Note: Bead sighted plain bbl shotguns tend to hit rather high with slugs. Beads on ramps and ribs print lower. And, if there's a slug shotgun out there that groups slugs in the center of a buck pattern shot to the same POA,I've not seen it yet. A 21" bbled 870 "Turkey" shotgun is an awesome weapon of great flexibility and effect. The Mossy and Winchester versions are not far behind...

May 2, 2001, 06:12 PM	#5
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	I've little experience wiht the newer Winchesters, but they seem to be decent shotguns. The one I shot did what I wanted it to.

May 2, 2001, 07:17 PM	#6
uglygun Senior Member Join Date: March 27, 2001 Location: Cowpie Ca Posts: 552	Well I'd have no problem using slugs in my shotgun for defensive type target shooting out to 100 yards. Sounds awful but it would essentially boil down to aiming for the head and the round would likely hit just below the neck, aim for the neck and you'll drill the target right through the chest. Every time I go out to the range I fire off 10-15 rounds of slugs at the 100 yard line, it's a lot of fun and I personally think the bead sight is just fine so long as I'm not trying to bust locks off doors or anything. With my 870 I can expect to hit a basket ball sized target at 100 yards if I aim for the top of it. Thing that surprised me most with my 870 was that the slugs pretty much followed the bead with respects to hitting within the vertical plane. I was fully expecting it to be 6-7 inches left or right of my point of aim but it was accurate enough that my only worry is really that of trying to figure out the amount of "kentucky windage" elevation to compensate for, that will come with practice. I much prefer the bead sight over ghost rings or rifle type sighs, was born and raised on the bead sight and it's what I know best and am quickest with.