should i get these?

old fart · March 28, 2017, 10:09 AM

i hunt deer with a maverick 88 and have for the last 3 years, i have been hunting where my shots are 50yds or less in deep woods. i get a deer every year except last year when i got permission to hunt another area and thought i would try there. its woods but also a few open fields of 100-150yds max. i tried a shot using my regular shotgun beads and missed on the last day. i don't have the money for a rifle and need my shotgun also for turkeys so i thought about sights. how are the Williams "Universal' Slugger Firesight?, they seem well built and wonder if anyone has them and how well they will improve my shooting? my gun isn't drill and tapped so i can't use a scope and i don't care much for scopes anyways. so for those that use these or something like them are they worth the $30 they cost on making better shots? thanks

g.willikers · March 28, 2017, 10:19 AM

If the gun is capable of the longer shots, sights will definitely help.
But most smooth barrel shotguns won't cut it.
If/when you can afford it, get a rifled barrel and use sabot rounds.
Makes a huge difference, at distances past 100 yards especially.

Model12Win · March 28, 2017, 11:23 AM

Get a rifle.

150 yards is too far for a shotgun slug, unless you have a rifled barrel and sabots.

A cheap used (not abused) Ruger American or other .243-.308 rifle is your best bet. You can get great deals at gun shops if you know what to do. Don't buy it before deer season starts again. Not long after deer season is the best time to buy. If it doesn't come scoped there are several very inexpensive lower powered options that you can choose from that'll serve you well.

OR, like someone else mentioned, get a rifled barrel that comes with rifle sights installed. That'll do a good job out to 200 yards or so with the right bullet.

T. O'Heir · March 28, 2017, 11:43 AM

William's makes a Firesight specifically for a Mossberg M500. Your Maverick is the same thing as a 500. $33.95 directly from William's. A princely $6 less than the Universal sight. The Universal requires a rib too though.
Like Model12Win says, 150 is too far for a slug. 100 is not with rifle sights. Probably better if you buy a slug barrel. Shop around as prices vary a lot. Mossberg wants $200 for a 24" rifle sighted barrel. Midway wants $144.99 for the same thing.

Blindstitch · March 28, 2017, 02:29 PM

Simple solution is to get a rifled slug barrel and they come with sights on them.

FITASC · March 28, 2017, 02:38 PM

The OP stated he doesn't have the money for a rifle and his shotgun costs less than the Mossberg 500 replacement barrels, so the Williams alternative sounds like his best current bet (or going back to his old area where the shots were closer)

Blindstitch · March 28, 2017, 04:52 PM

Plenty of slugster barrels on ebay for $100.

I even have one in my safe that I'm 95% sure I'll never use but it's for a 20 gauge in case I end up hunting in a shotgun zone again. Bought the 500 Super Bantam 20gauge with 2 barrels for $210 used looking like new.

There are inexpensive options out there.

g.willikers · March 29, 2017, 10:04 AM

^^^^
Yeah, I've seen very nice used rifled barrels for 500s for under $100 at local shows.

March 28, 2017, 10:09 AM	#1
old fart Senior Member Join Date: May 24, 2009 Posts: 405	should i get these? i hunt deer with a maverick 88 and have for the last 3 years, i have been hunting where my shots are 50yds or less in deep woods. i get a deer every year except last year when i got permission to hunt another area and thought i would try there. its woods but also a few open fields of 100-150yds max. i tried a shot using my regular shotgun beads and missed on the last day. i don't have the money for a rifle and need my shotgun also for turkeys so i thought about sights. how are the Williams "Universal' Slugger Firesight?, they seem well built and wonder if anyone has them and how well they will improve my shooting? my gun isn't drill and tapped so i can't use a scope and i don't care much for scopes anyways. so for those that use these or something like them are they worth the $30 they cost on making better shots? thanks

March 28, 2017, 10:19 AM	#2
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	If the gun is capable of the longer shots, sights will definitely help. But most smooth barrel shotguns won't cut it. If/when you can afford it, get a rifled barrel and use sabot rounds. Makes a huge difference, at distances past 100 yards especially. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

March 28, 2017, 11:43 AM	#4
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	William's makes a Firesight specifically for a Mossberg M500. Your Maverick is the same thing as a 500. $33.95 directly from William's. A princely $6 less than the Universal sight. The Universal requires a rib too though. Like Model12Win says, 150 is too far for a slug. 100 is not with rifle sights. Probably better if you buy a slug barrel. Shop around as prices vary a lot. Mossberg wants $200 for a 24" rifle sighted barrel. Midway wants $144.99 for the same thing. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

March 28, 2017, 02:38 PM	#6
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	The OP stated he doesn't have the money for a rifle and his shotgun costs less than the Mossberg 500 replacement barrels, so the Williams alternative sounds like his best current bet (or going back to his old area where the shots were closer) __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

March 29, 2017, 10:04 AM	#8
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	^^^^ Yeah, I've seen very nice used rifled barrels for 500s for under $100 at local shows. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

March 28, 2017, 11:23 AM	#3
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Get a rifle. 150 yards is too far for a shotgun slug, unless you have a rifled barrel and sabots. A cheap used (not abused) Ruger American or other .243-.308 rifle is your best bet. You can get great deals at gun shops if you know what to do. Don't buy it before deer season starts again. Not long after deer season is the best time to buy. If it doesn't come scoped there are several very inexpensive lower powered options that you can choose from that'll serve you well. OR, like someone else mentioned, get a rifled barrel that comes with rifle sights installed. That'll do a good job out to 200 yards or so with the right bullet.

March 28, 2017, 02:29 PM	#5
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	Simple solution is to get a rifled slug barrel and they come with sights on them.

March 28, 2017, 04:52 PM	#7
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	Plenty of slugster barrels on ebay for $100. I even have one in my safe that I'm 95% sure I'll never use but it's for a 20 gauge in case I end up hunting in a shotgun zone again. Bought the 500 Super Bantam 20gauge with 2 barrels for $210 used looking like new. There are inexpensive options out there.