View Full Version : Any slug gun hunters here?
I live in the only slug gun county in my area. I'm surrounded by rifle counties. I prefer hunting with my rifles. However, there is some really good deer hunting in my county....including right behind my house.
That being said, I've been having nothing but trouble with my slug guns for years. I have two Remington 1187's, a 12 ga. and a 20 ga., both with 21" rifle barrels with the cantilever scope mounts w/Leupolds Shotgun Scopes.
I've tried about every type of sabot slug I can in both of these slug guns and can't get them to shoot better then 5-6" groups at 100 yards. I will get a good group, then the next group opens back up. I've sent barrels from both guns back as well as both scopes. So my conclusion is it's probably not an equipment problem, it's me.
I'm doing something wrong. I can't figure it out. I have friends that shoot 2 to 3" groups with their slug guns. I'm at a loss here.
Help, NYH1.
I have similar issues. I have a Browning A bolt slug gun and group well at the range but miss easy shots on deer. I only missed once in 15 years with a rifle.
I have an 1187 with a rifled barrel, I've only taken one deer with it, a button buck at around 200 yards across a gully using iron sights. I knew from when I had tried to sight it in that it was shooting a little to the right but wasn't able to get it really dialed in, made a lucky guess on how far off it would be at the distance and did a hold off, almost the whole length of the deer. One round, entered right behind the front shoulder, destroyed both lungs, clipped the heart, and crushed the rear shoulder blade, DRT. Haven't shot the gun since, that was in 2005 if memory serves me right, was South of Lodi, NY, that was some fine hunting there.
No, but I always shoot some slugs from any shotgun I have.
Only advice I can give is look for lower-weight slugs (to reduce recoil) and buy a box of several different kinds to see what you and the gun like.
I've tried about every kind of sabot slug I could get locally with no real luck with any one over the other. That's what gets me. I just can't make any progress with these guns.
NYH1.
RetroRevolver77
11-27-17, 23:12
I run a smooth bore with rifle sights, improved cylinder choke, Brenneke's or Remington sluggers and get better groups than that off the bench.
I run a smooth bore with rifle sights, improved cylinder choke, Brenneke's or Remington sluggers and get better groups than that off the bench.
Yeah, I have a 18" cylinder bore barrel with rifle sights for my 12 ga. I can shoot it just as good at 50 yards shooting foster slugs as when I have my 21" fully rifled cantilever barrel with a Leupold on it shooting sabots. However, I know these rifled barrel/sabot slug shotguns are capable of seriously good accuracy. I've seen it.
NYH1.
https://www.hastingsdistribution.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=34
Try another barrel perhaps.
Silly question? Have you re-checked all of the screws, scope bases, barrel attachment/ screw/ nut for anything loose? Are the scope bases, and mounting rings lock-tited down?
https://www.hastingsdistribution.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=34
Try another barrel perhaps.
Silly question? Have you re-checked all of the screws, scope bases, barrel attachment/ screw/ nut for anything loose? Are the scope bases, and mounting rings lock-tited down?
I took the barrels from both the 12 and 20 gauges back to Ilion and got new barrels. Sent both scopes back to Leupold. Both barrels have the cantilever scope mounts that are attached right to the barrel, good and tight. Rings are good to go. I've tried tightening the barrel nuts down anywhere from hand tight to hand tight plus a little more (piece of nylon and channel locks). Same results.
NYH1.
Last year I went on a hunt in Indiana and the guide only allowed either slug guns or black powder during the regular gun season. There were a bunch of guys in camp shooting Savage 220 20ga slug guns. When we all got into camp we checked our zeros and all of these guys, there were 5 of them, were shooting 2" groups at 100 yards with those guns. Y'all may want to look at the Savages since your having problems with the Rem's
I have seen rifled slug barrels that were “plastic fouled”.
+1 on Hastings barrels being great
I live in the only slug gun county in my area. I'm surrounded by rifle counties. I prefer hunting with my rifles. However, there is some really good deer hunting in my county....including right behind my house.
That being said, I've been having nothing but trouble with my slug guns for years. I have two Remington 1187's, a 12 ga. and a 20 ga., both with 21" rifle barrels with the cantilever scope mounts w/Leupolds Shotgun Scopes.
I've tried about every type of sabot slug I can in both of these slug guns and can't get them to shoot better then 5-6" groups at 100 yards. I will get a good group, then the next group opens back up. I've sent barrels from both guns back as well as both scopes. So my conclusion is it's probably not an equipment problem, it's me.
I'm doing something wrong. I can't figure it out. I have friends that shoot 2 to 3" groups with their slug guns. I'm at a loss here.
Help, NYH1.
I just picked up a 450 BM upper to have as an option to use in our shotgun zones.
You can usually use pistols or muzzle loaders as well. Both should / could be more accurate for the distances in most shotgun zones. I can drill a single large hole with my muzzle loader at 100 yards.
I reserve my Shotguns for bird hunting primarily.
Just some ideas, your State law may be different.
1_click_off
11-28-17, 18:33
Have one of your 2” group friends shoot it. See if groups tighten up.
ICANHITHIMMAN
11-29-17, 07:37
My 2cents. Lightfield slugs or ditch the slug gun for everything but drives. I have a smokeless muzzle loader I hunt 99% of the time in Monroe county. Everywhere else I use a rifle.
I just picked up a 450 BM upper to have as an option to use in our shotgun zones.
You can usually use pistols or muzzle loaders as well. Both should / could be more accurate for the distances in most shotgun zones. I can drill a single large hole with my muzzle loader at 100 yards.
I reserve my Shotguns for bird hunting primarily.
Just some ideas, your State law may be different.
Can't use the 450 BM is area's where rifles aren't allowed....it's a rifle. I'm not a muzzleloader kind of guy. Don't bow hunt either. Nothing against either, just not my thing.
Have one of your 2” group friends shoot it. See if groups tighten up.
The problem with that is we're halfway through our season and everyone's hunting. Next year I'm going to start a lot earlier. Like in the summer.
My 2cents. Lightfield slugs or ditch the slug gun for everything but drives. I have a smokeless muzzle loader I hunt 99% of the time in Monroe county. Everywhere else I use a rifle.
Lightfield slugs don't shoot any better then any other brand. Well they group ok at 50 yds. then at 100 yds. open up bad in the 12 ga. 20 ga. is worse. So far the 20 ga. does best with Hornady SST.
Again, not a muzzleloader guy, not going to be one.
Thanks, NYH1.
Look into the Savage 220 for next season. Not expensive and very accurate for a slug gun.
Look into the Savage 220 for next season. Not expensive and very accurate for a slug gun.
I'll start with these two next summer instead of waiting a week or so before the season to start messing around with them. I only use a slug gun for about a 1/4 of my deer hunting. I'm not going to buy another one. I know these are capable of decent accuracy. Just a matter of me figuring out what I'm doing wrong and maybe trying more slugs.
Thanks, NYH1.
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