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Old November 24, 2018, 06:25 PM   #1
Deer hunter88
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Slug gun

I'm considering buying a savage slug gun but can't decide between the 212 or 220. Which do you all prefer?
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Old November 24, 2018, 07:46 PM   #2
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Why a slug gun (i.e. if for hunting why handicap yourself)?
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Old November 25, 2018, 12:02 PM   #3
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Why a slug gun (i.e. if for hunting why handicap yourself)?
Because we don't always get the option to use a rifle...

I looked at both of those options for my slug gun. I couldn't find one in stock around here to handle first. So I went with a TC Encore. I have other barrels for it now as well. Accurate with sabots, deadly on deer. 1 shot kills . Longest shot so far on deer was 125 yds.

I do own other Savage firearms. If I liked the feel of the slug guns I would have no issue with purchasing one. You should hold both and see which one fits you best.
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Old November 25, 2018, 12:54 PM   #4
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It's not important why you want a slug gun but choice of rifled barrel gun almost
forces you to go with sabots. I was stuck with slugs in Ohio until just a few years
ago. We did everything to get an edge with slugs. We made slug guns, bought
everything on the market. We tried all the factory slugs, bought molds and slugs
as loading components. A decent smooth bore slug gun will shoot into 3" at 100
yds. When rifled barrels came out we got into them too- same way. Our average
shot on deer in these parts is 100yds or less because of thick cover. The rifled
barrels and sabots will outshoot smooth bores and range is extended. I went
back to smooth bore only because I didn't need the range and expensive sabots.
The bulk of hunters here used Rem 870 & 1100 slug guns/ scope. Other good
ones were Ithaca 37 & Brn A5s. It was not unusual for deer to be taken at 125
yds. Point is that rifled barrel is not necessary for most deer hunting situations
in the woods. It is a plus for guys who hunt out of stands that can take advantage of extended range and can shoot supported. Ohio got rifle a few years
back and my slug guns been gathering dust since.
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Old November 25, 2018, 01:02 PM   #5
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A 12 gauge is more versatile and it's easier to find 12 ga. slugs than it is 20. $85 higher MSRP on the 12.
LOP is 13.6" on both and that matters. So does the half pound more weight on the 12.
If recoil is an issue the 20, obviously, is less. Difference in OAL is 5/8". Still won't feel the same though.
"...why handicap yourself..." Ain't no handicap with a slug. Like Big Al says, it may be a hunting regs thing anyway. Always amuses me when MNR/Fish and Game types say a shotgun with a rifled barrel is still a shotgun.
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Old November 25, 2018, 02:28 PM   #6
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Because Iike slug guns and from what I have been told the savage slug guns are just like shooting a rifle.
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Old November 25, 2018, 02:55 PM   #7
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I have never heard of a Savage slug gun. Maybe try posting this in the shotgun forum and find the answers you are looking for.
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Old November 25, 2018, 03:15 PM   #8
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Ballistically the 20 gauge is very similar to a 12 gauge but with less recoil. Assuming you are going to shoot sabot slugs, the 20 gauge will do everything the 12 will. 20 gauge everytime in my opinion.

http://www.randywakeman.com/Slug_Gun...elve_Gauge.htm. the author even mentions the 212 and 220 specifically giving the nod to the 220.

Last edited by ndking1126; November 25, 2018 at 03:21 PM.
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Old November 25, 2018, 08:36 PM   #9
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Because we don't always get the option to use a rifle...
The OP lives in Mississippi (same as I do). There is never a requirement to use a slug gun here. That is why I was wondering why he was looking for one. If it is for hunting, then using it is a severe handicap - even over a muzzle loader (which also isn't ever required here). If it is just for fun shooting, then a smooth bore shotgun shooting rifled slugs will do that much cheaper. I'm trying to find out what he REALLY wants to do so as to possibly offer an educated opinion.
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Old November 25, 2018, 10:44 PM   #10
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I remember one time I was hunting deer in Virginia as a guess in a camp. The
Crew filtered in the weekend before opener. I'm always interested in seeing the
guys pull out their deer guns. Lots of hand me downs through the generations.
One guy comes in and can't wait to show his buddies his new deer gun, a 1100
Rem slug gun. I couldn't believe somebody would want a shotgun when they could use a rifle. The guy had no experience with slugs but had been reading articles in magazines about them. It's like hunters in Ohio that have no experience with rifles. I started hunting out of state with rifle when I was a kid
and having to use slugs at home just isn't the same thing. It's like swimming
with your clothes on. I probably have close to a thousand slugs in 12 & 20g and
will not be using them deer hunting again unless I go where I have to use them.
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Old November 26, 2018, 12:00 AM   #11
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If you have your heart set on a Savage then get one. That said I bought a Mossberg 535 a few months ago. Comes with 2 barrels - a rifled one with rifle sights and a smoothbore barrel with 3 chokes. Receiver is drilled and tapped for a scope if you want one. And all for less than $400! Oh and it also has a 3 1/2" chamber if you want to break your shoulder with magnum loads.
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Old November 26, 2018, 01:06 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Doyle View Post
The OP lives in Mississippi (same as I do). There is never a requirement to use a slug gun here. That is why I was wondering why he was looking for one. If it is for hunting, then using it is a severe handicap - even over a muzzle loader (which also isn't ever required here). If it is just for fun shooting, then a smooth bore shotgun shooting rifled slugs will do that much cheaper. I'm trying to find out what he REALLY wants to do so as to possibly offer an educated opinion.
I hunt public land 99% of the time and the .35 caliber or larger is no longer allowed on public land and is restricted to archery, muzzleloader, or shotgun only.
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Old November 26, 2018, 02:02 PM   #13
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"...Because I like slug guns..." That is the sound of "I want one!" The best reason to buy anything. Nothing else matters. Well, except the legalities.
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Old November 26, 2018, 04:00 PM   #14
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I hunt public land 99% of the time and the .35 caliber or larger is no longer allowed on public land and is restricted to archery, muzzleloader, or shotgun only.
Where are you getting that? I think you are misreading the regs. Here they are:

Primitive Weapons: Weapons legal for use during the Primitive Weapons season are all archery equipment and primitive firearms.
”Primitive firearms,” for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double-barreled muzzleloading rifles of at least .38 caliber; OR single
shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions, or reintroductions of those type rifles with an exposed
hammer; OR single or double-barreled muzzleloading shotguns, with single ball or slug. All muzzleloading primitive firearms must use black
powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition. “Blackpowder substitute” is defined as a
substance designed, manufactured, and specifically intended to be used as a propellant in muzzleloading or other black powder firearms, excluding
modern smokeless powder. Metallic cartridges may be loaded with either black powder or modern smokeless powder (cartridges purchased at sporting
goods stores). Telescopic sights are allowed while hunting with any primitive firearm during the primitive weapon seasons. A telescopic sight is
defined as an optical sighting device with any magnification. During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person
may use any legal weapon of choice on private lands only, if the person is the title owner of the land, the lessee of the hunting rights on the land, a
member of a hunting club leasing the hunting rights on the land, or a guest of a person specified above. If the person is required to have a hunting
license, the person must have a primitive weapon license, Sportsman’s License, or a Lifetime Sportsman’s License

I think where you are getting confused is that on private land, hunters can ignore PW rules and use "weapon of choice". On public land, they still must use primitive weapons which include break-open hammer rifles .35 and larger.
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Old November 26, 2018, 04:31 PM   #15
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I'd go with the 20 Ga.. Youtube a video where they shoot three deer, three days in a row, at 300 yards, with a Savage 20 Ga and Sabot shells. It's deadly!
I've tried to find a rifled barrel for my 1100 in 20 Ga and as of now have NEVER found one for sale anywhere. I can't even find out if they were even ever made. Anyone reading this know?

Last edited by Roamin_Wade; November 26, 2018 at 04:37 PM.
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Old November 26, 2018, 06:08 PM   #16
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We here in Indiana are starting to get away from slug guns but some still use them. I used a Mossberg 500 12ga. with a cantilevered scope mounted on the rifled slug barrel. I used the Remington core-lokt ultra sabot slug or the Hornady SST sabot slug both can be deadly accurate out past 200yds with very little drop. I had no problem taking deer 200 yd out the only reason I stopped using the Mossberg was the weight. The deer around here are farther out & I'm getting older so to be able to walk distance some changes had to be made. I now hunt with a AR pistol in .300 Blackout it's a lot lighter & more maneuverable it tight woods. Good Luck hunting.
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Old November 26, 2018, 06:10 PM   #17
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I think Hastings sells rifled 20g barrels for Rem 870 & 1100.
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Old November 26, 2018, 09:46 PM   #18
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Before cantilevered scope mounts came out scopes on actions of interchangeable
berrel guns could be a problem. They would throw a flyer for no reason other than barrel connection. Guys were expoxing, pinning and soldering barrels in.
There were end caps sold with bushings to be put on with torque wrench. These
all helped to some degree. One way to get around this was to build a slug gun out of a solid frame gun. Winchester m25s, some Hi-Stnd models were sought after to cut down into slug guns. Popular sights were Rem 700 sights. They were
easy to come by because of take offs when they were scoped. They were steel
and silver soldered well. The newer Rem sights are cast and hard to solder. The
Williams reciever sights were also popular. There was a lot of guys shooting slug
year round at matches and someone was always coming up with a new idea to
get the edge.
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Old November 27, 2018, 02:35 AM   #19
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I just bought a semi-automatic browning silver deer hunter in 20 gauge--spectacular rifled-bore shotgun!
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Old November 27, 2018, 04:12 AM   #20
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me

I've read about guys taking the Savage bolt shotguns 212/220 and turning them into hybrid turkey guns........smooth bore of course. Part of the logic for doing so was a better trigger in the bolt gun vs the so-so trigger in most repeating shotguns. I suppose that same logic could be applied to the rifled 212/220 models for slugs and deer.

Were I required to deer hunt with a shotgun, I'd want some type of rifled repeating model, NOT a bolt. Thus, read auto or pump. For one, it would be a more versatile firearm, as it could take a smooth bore barrel (as long as it was not a fixed,solid frame, as well and be applied to other game hunting.

At the ranges most whitetails are killed, especially in the often dense cover we find them in MS and AL, I'm not so sure that the search for a slug gun that shoots like a rifle, is worth the trouble.
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Old November 27, 2018, 05:08 AM   #21
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I handload my slug gun ammo taking a page from the ubiquitous twelve gauge from hell threads. I use BPI’s one ounce Thug Slug over 75 grains of SR4759 (yes, it is a safe load.)
Any standard 12 gauge hull will work. I use RMC brass hulls. Very accurate out of my Mossberg 695.
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Old November 28, 2018, 04:39 PM   #22
Deer hunter88
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Originally Posted by Doyle View Post
Where are you getting that? I think you are misreading the regs. Here they are:

Primitive Weapons: Weapons legal for use during the Primitive Weapons season are all archery equipment and primitive firearms.
”Primitive firearms,” for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double-barreled muzzleloading rifles of at least .38 caliber; OR single
shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions, or reintroductions of those type rifles with an exposed
hammer; OR single or double-barreled muzzleloading shotguns, with single ball or slug. All muzzleloading primitive firearms must use black
powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition. “Blackpowder substitute” is defined as a
substance designed, manufactured, and specifically intended to be used as a propellant in muzzleloading or other black powder firearms, excluding
modern smokeless powder. Metallic cartridges may be loaded with either black powder or modern smokeless powder (cartridges purchased at sporting
goods stores). Telescopic sights are allowed while hunting with any primitive firearm during the primitive weapon seasons. A telescopic sight is
defined as an optical sighting device with any magnification. During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person
may use any legal weapon of choice on private lands only, if the person is the title owner of the land, the lessee of the hunting rights on the land, a
member of a hunting club leasing the hunting rights on the land, or a guest of a person specified above. If the person is required to have a hunting
license, the person must have a primitive weapon license, Sportsman’s License, or a Lifetime Sportsman’s License

I think where you are getting confused is that on private land, hunters can ignore PW rules and use "weapon of choice". On public land, they still must use primitive weapons which include break-open hammer rifles .35 and larger.
I called the corps of engineers and talked to a biologist and that's what he told me and they told my dad the same thing.
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Old November 28, 2018, 05:14 PM   #23
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I called the corps of engineers and talked to a biologist and that's what he told me and they told my dad the same thing.
OK, now we are getting somewhere. Federal land (including COE managed land) is kind of a hodgepodge in MS. Most federal land in MS does follow state rules. However, there are some COE units that have gone off the reservation and made their own. I hunted a COE unit next to the Stennis Dam last year and found that their rules had some slight twists.

So yes, those certain federal lands are neither "public" nor "private" when looking at the MDWFP website. But, not all COE units are the same so you have to check each one individually. Additionally, I have found that the biologists that may answer the phone don't always know the real rules. They aren't the ones actually patrolling the area. Much better to check the COE site directly.

Which COE area are you hunting? I've got bookmarks for some of them so I might be able to easily find their regs if it is one of those.
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Old November 28, 2018, 06:38 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by Doyle View Post
OK, now we are getting somewhere. Federal land (including COE managed land) is kind of a hodgepodge in MS. Most federal land in MS does follow state rules. However, there are some COE units that have gone off the reservation and made their own. I hunted a COE unit next to the Stennis Dam last year and found that their rules had some slight twists.

So yes, those certain federal lands are neither "public" nor "private" when looking at the MDWFP website. But, not all COE units are the same so you have to check each one individually. Additionally, I have found that the biologists that may answer the phone don't always know the real rules. They aren't the ones actually patrolling the area. Much better to check the COE site directly.

Which COE area are you hunting? I've got bookmarks for some of them so I might be able to easily find their regs if it is one of those.
Barton ferry in clay county.
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Old November 28, 2018, 09:07 PM   #25
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Barton is part of the Tenn-Tom area. Yes, the biologist was correct in that this is one of the areas where the COE has decided to differ from state rules. Barton is actually one of the areas I had planned on bowhunting before I joined my current club. I bought a boat last year that was particularly suited to sneaking in to the back side of Barton from the water. Here are the rules for the Tenn-Tom: https://www.sam.usace.army.mil/Porta...it%2018-19.pdf

So, that being said it looks like you are looking for something "other" than a bow to hunt with. That leaves slugs (as others have given you some good recommendations) or you could choose to go a different route. Since that area allows muzzleloaders, that is a viable option for you. Yes, you only get one shot - but I can tell you. I'm 59 years old and have hunted most of my life. I can only count 2 times that I've actually used a follow-up shot on a larger game animal and both of those times were when I was trying to kill multiple pigs in the same group.

A muzzleloader gives you more than double the effective range as a slug. Even at 200 yds, it is likely to produce smaller groups than shotgun slugs at 100 yds. Plus since MS changed its normal PW rules to allow Encores (and similar centerfire), used muzzleloaders can be had for next to nothing. The only reason I still hang on to my Encore muzzleloader barrel is the hope of moving to Alabama some day (somebody has to go over and bug BamaRanger).
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