New to slug gun hunting!! Please look?

[matt_3479]

Im 16 and will be doing a whitetail hunt and i will be using a smooth bore 12 gauge 2 and 3/4" winchester model 1300. I have no idea what kind of slug i should be using. I have never hunted whitetail before. I have been on hunts since i was 8 watching and learning and i know exactly what to do, i just dont know what kinda of slug? please help.

[pilothunter]

There are a bunch of slugs on the market today. Tough to say what might work best. Perhaps, it would be better to mention what you shouldn't waste your money on. Being a smooth bore, it would be of no use for you to buy expensive sabot type ammo of any kind. Without rifling in your barrel it will simply not peform well. Typical "old fashioned" rifled slugs (foster type) would be a good place to start, especially because they are relatively inexpensive and you can possibly try a few different types.

Ones I'd suggest you try would be: Remington Buckhammers, Federal Vital-Shok truball 1 oz, Brenneke K.O. 1 oz Foster type, Fiocchi 1 oz Aero slug, Winchester Super-X

Look at Midways site to see reviews on most of these. I like the Buckhammers and the Brennekes, but the Winchesters garnered excellent reviews as well. Again, I'd not waste a nickel on any sabot type slug, with a smooth barrel.

You didn't mention if you had any type of sighting system in place, or what type choke is in place. If you can afford it, a saddle mount and low power scope (all you need is a 1X, 1-4, or simple 4X at most) would likely greatly improve your groups and give you a 75yd shotgun, more than likely. If you have changeable chokes I'd try Mod and IC.

The recoil will be stout with any of these slugs (especially full power Buckhammers) and I'd use a padded rest, if available or at least something between stock and shoulder to help you there. Good Luck.

[4406v]

Yes I agree slugs are no fun to shoot!!! But they are devastating on deer.I have used just plain old Remington "sluggers" in 1 oz. size for years in a smoothbore 870.They are plenty accurate and really knock the stuffing out of 'em.

[Brian Pfleuger]

The best answer is "the one that's most accurate in your gun".

However, that requires a lot of shooting.

If it were me (and it was 20 years ago), I would buy a boz or two of regular old Federal, Remington and Winchester slugs. 12ga 2 3/4 rifled slugs.

Shoot 'em up, see which ones are more accurate and buy those.

I always had the best luck in the widest variety of guns with the Winchester Super-X, but my Dad's Remington 1100 is considerably more accurate with Federals.

[jrothWA]

use what give best grouping at 80 yds.

That is the farthest a forster type slug is good for, the Brennekes will go 100yds but dive after that.

For the 1300, consider mounting a scope using the "B-square side mount", a 1X to 3X scope can be mounted over the receiver,, this will increase accuracy.

I have used the Brenneke and found therm to give best grouping.

Be safe and have fun. Enjoy the hunt and be respectful of the quarry.

[ELMOUSMC]

In Iowa we can only use slugs I have an old Mossberg 500 and I shoot the regular old Federals.As others have suggeted buy a box of several different kinds and see what works best for you Good luck;)
ELMOUSMC

[WeedWacker]

Having lived in Mason City, Iowa for 8 years I realized that I would be needing a shotgun for hunting. So I got a Remington 870 youth 20 gauge with both smooth bore and rifled barrels.

If you are going to be living in shotgun-only country for a while I would advise investing in a rifled barreled shotgun. I moved up to a Mossy 500A 12 ga with a rifled barrel. Winchester Supreme Platinum Tips grouped on ~4-5 in a paper plate at 50 yds and I got a good broadside shot at around 60 yds that year, ran about 25 yards into the woods.

I have used Partition Gold sabots in my 20 ga and they take down deer without a hitch. grouped very well at 50 yds, ~3 inches or less on a scoped Mossberg 500 20 ga and touching holes at 25 with iron sights.

[Double J]

--Illinois has always been slug country too. I've taken my share of deer, some well past a hundred yards. I use the old Federal 1 ounce slug.
--Slugs aren't fun to shoot from a bench, but try a few different brands to see what works best. Good hunting.

[J A]

When sighting in or choosing a brand/weight of slug I recommend standing up and shooting off hand. Last week I put a scoped barrel on an 870 and sighted it in. When shooting standing up the recoil was very managable. When sitting down or sitting at a bench the recoil kicked my
butt. (Yes I am a recoil weenie.) Your body will roll with the recoil better standing. And it is much more tolerable. Plus it is good practice to shoot how you will be hunting. Standing may not give you the smallest group the gun is capable of, but it will show you what you can expect in a hunting situation. Good luck deer hunting. And be sure to post pictures for us. Jim

[Come and take it.]

Shooting offhand is ideal as a shotgun is not designed for accuracy from the bench. You might experience differential between benchrest point of impact and hunting point of impact. The Shotgun is more mechanically accurate offhand as well as a lot of other guns which deliver marginal accuracy when the gun is rested solidly on a surface or locked down. Resting many kinds of guns solidly magnifies bedding problems and barrel / action imperfections.

On the slug side, Winchester or Remington full bore slugs are as good as any other..... and cheap!! I use them all the time for plinking and they do wonderfully. I have shot more slugs than most shooters around. Nothing like seeing the effects of a slug on various targets.

Anything other than full bore slugs defeats the purpose of using a slug shotgun. You want that big projectile to deliver maximum shock.

[Old Grump]

Didn't say if you are shooting a rifled barrel or smooth bore. If rifled you want a sabot round. If smoothbore any Brenneke or Foster slug will do you out to 100 yards but best if you stay within 65 yards for a sure hit.

Only caveat I have is don't shoot slugs if all you have is a full choke, cylinder is okay IM in my experience works well for me with 4" groups at 100 yards. One gun is smoothbored and scoped, the other is rifled and has rifle sights. I haven't found any brand that do not work well but that is only my experience with my guns.

Like previous posters this is a stand up on your hindlegs and shoot proposition, not a bench rest round. Good luck with your hunting.

[skydiver3346]

Each shotgun shoots different slugs better for some reason. You just have to find the one that shoots best in your particular slug barrel. However, I can reccommend the Remington Buckhammer slug. It is very accurate.
But not quite as accurate at longer ranges as the Lightfield Hybrid EXP (.12 GA slugs). That Lightfield EXP is the finest shooting slug I have ever shot out of any slug gun. I happen to use a Remington 870 w/ fully rifled Hastings slug barrel. Good luck