# Best slug gun for deer hunting.



## greengoblin

What are your opinions on the best shotgun for deer hunting and what ammo should I be looking at.


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## Swamp Yankee

Mossberg 500 or Remington 870

Both are considered rock solid reliable. The Mossy is usually a little less $ than the Remington. Both come in multiple configurations from general use to slug specific. Plenty of accessories and sighting options available for both.

As to ammo. like most guns I would suggest buying a few boxes of different slugs. go to the range set up some 50 yard targets and let the gun tell you what it likes. The terminal performance a 12 gauge slug has a devastating effect no matter what factory it came from.

Take Care


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## Taxmantoo

If you want accuracy, the Mossberg 500 with cantilevered scope base and the H&R single shot are probably still the leading contenders. 

The barrels on the H&Rs with scope bases are very heavy, the 20ga is a 12ga barrel blank with a 20ga hole drilled through it, the 12ga is a 10ga barrel and frame. The iron sighted H&R Tracker II are quite light and handy, but will kick like a mule unless you stuff some lead in the stock to weight them down. I have the 20ga heavy barrel and 12ga light barrel, I can weigh them if you're curious. 

Any rifled slug barrel should be used with saboted slugs, plan on spending $10-15 for a box of five. Bare lead slugs will foul the rifling something awful.


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## BlueRidgeMark

Swamp Yankee said:


> Mossberg 500 or Remington 870
> 
> Both are considered rock solid reliable. The Mossy is usually a little less $ than the Remington. Both come in multiple configurations from general use to slug specific. Plenty of accessories and sighting options available for both.
> 
> As to ammo. like most guns I would suggest buying a few boxes of different slugs. go to the range set up some 50 yard targets and let the gun tell you what it likes. The terminal performance a 12 gauge slug has a devastating effect no matter what factory it came from.
> 
> Take Care



:agree2: ALL good advice. Some guns just like some ammo, and there's no predicting which combination will be the sweet spot. Same with .22s.


I had an 870 that would put slugs into a dinner plate at 100 yards. No sights - just the vent rib and a bead.


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## USMC0802

As stated, the best slug is the one you hit the deer with. If you hit the deer where you're supposed to, with just about anything bigger than a pellet gun, you'll be fine. I've seen people deer hunt with .22 mag.

Does Iowa allow you to use semi autos for deer? If so, consider one of those as they're great for birds if you get a smooth bore barrel with it.


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## Walt41

I had good luck in the past with an 870 and Federal sabot slugs, I tried a few different boxes and they seemed to shoot the best. For sighting it in I recommend setting the gun a little low, nerves tend to make you pull up early and that little nerve factor has been the difference between a cuss and buck for me a few times.


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## tjbier

I just use the trusty 870 with bird barrel and rifled slugs, does fine for me... just need the deer to walk in front of me
My brother has an 870 with the cantilevered scope mount/rifled barrel and shoots the newer Horniday sabots (black shell and red sabot) and that is a very nice setup, those sabots are very accurate and can push out to 150~ yards.


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## bowtechmadman

I've been very happy w/ my Mossberg 500 20guage. The cantilever mount is great if you switch barrels often.
I've found that it throws the cheapest Winchester slugs the best, out to 100yds it will hold a 6" group.


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## gwiley

You might consider 00 buck in a 3" magnum with a Mossberg 500. I have the 500, my brother has the Rem. 870 and they are essentially equivalent. I find the deer slugs a bit too punishing to my shoulder.


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## greengoblin

bowtechmadman said:


> I've been very happy w/ my Mossberg 500 20guage. The cantilever mount is great if you switch barrels often.
> I've found that it throws the cheapest Winchester slugs the best, out to 100yds it will hold a 6" group.



I have heard that the cantilever mount isnt real great because of the flex the cantilever has when shot....scope hitting the receiver and that the cantilever will naturally be affected by hot or cold temps throwing off the scope...any truth to that in your opinion?


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## bowtechmadman

Goblin...I'm sure there could be some truth in it, however, I've had my scope on that barrell for 12 yrs now and haven't made a single adjustment. My sister in law (my hunting partner) has the 500 in a 12 guage and hasn't touched her scope in the same amount of time. Neither of us get too crazy w/ trying to shoot long ranges majority of shots are btw 50 and 80yds, and we both shoot the cheap winchester slugs. My opinion for a slug gun that you want to also utilize as a field gun it's hard to beat the cant. mount.
I have to dispute the claim that a normal slug doesn't have knockdown power past 50yds. She dumped a nice buck 2 yrs ago with a perfect heart shot that I ranged w/ my range finder at 182yds (cheapest winchester slugs available). During youth hunt my nephew dropped a doe and a buck w/ in 15 min (nearly on top of each other) w/ my 20 guage that I ranged at 100yds.


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## Bigrod

I have a Mossberg 500 with the rifled barrel and cantilever scope mount and it shoots great out to 100 yards with a straight 4X scope, been on the gun for years. I also have a Mossberg 695 bolt action that shoots easly out to 150 yards. I have a Leupold 2x7x33 scope on it. I have tried several different types of ammo thru both and both shoot the best with Remington copper solids. Would like to try the new Remington Accutip sabot but have a good supply of copper solids on hand. I also have had good luck with Brenneke sabot slugs. They were miss marked at the store for $2 a box so a took all 12 boxes they had. If you use a scope make sure that you have enough eye relief, they can leave a nasty cut across the nose or forhead. If the recoil bothers you only shoot a couple at a time because you will start to flinch and thats not good when trying to site your gun in with a scope. Savage also makes a good bolt action slug gun that I have heard good reports about. Good luck on finding you one and good hunting


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## biggenius29

USMC0802 said:


> . I've seen people deer hunt with .22 mag.
> 
> .





.22 mag to a deers head. Dont ask me how I know......


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## greengoblin

bowtechmadman said:


> Goblin...I'm sure there could be some truth in it, however, I've had my scope on that barrell for 12 yrs now and haven't made a single adjustment. My sister in law (my hunting partner) has the 500 in a 12 guage and hasn't touched her scope in the same amount of time. Neither of us get too crazy w/ trying to shoot long ranges majority of shots are btw 50 and 80yds, and we both shoot the cheap winchester slugs. My opinion for a slug gun that you want to also utilize as a field gun it's hard to beat the cant. mount.
> I have to dispute the claim that a normal slug doesn't have knockdown power past 50yds. She dumped a nice buck 2 yrs ago with a perfect heart shot that I ranged w/ my range finder at 182yds (cheapest winchester slugs available). During youth hunt my nephew dropped a doe and a buck w/ in 15 min (nearly on top of each other) w/ my 20 guage that I ranged at 100yds.



No, I am not trying to disagree with you. I am just relaying what I have heard and trying to separate fact from fiction, with the gun nuts on this site I am sure I can do that here.


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## greengoblin

Stephen C. said:


> You are correct. The cantilevered mount will not move unless you hit it with a sledge hammer. The recoil of the gun will do nothing to it. If you are using standard slugs it is more than you need. If you are using the 1900m fps sabots out of a full rifled barrel.. the results will be amazing. You will put the meat in the freezer. You can shoot them with less but why would you want to.opcorn: Deliver the best killing shot you can. It is the humane thing to do.
> 
> Hey the origional poster asked for the "best gun and ammo" I don't know of any better than a 385 grain slug at 1900 fps. They are not cheap but they will put the meat in the freezer where other rounds fail.



hey there, I AM the OP....lol....here is what I am kinda looking at 

http://remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-express-super-mag-combo.aspx

I think that for what I will be doing a rifle sight might be better suited than a scope. One shot that I have may be 10 ft up from the stand at 100 yds and the next maybe be down 60 ft at 100 yds.....can I do this with a scope without lots of practice...I think with rifle sight i can with just a couple clicks up or down on the hind sight....probably true with a scope too once you get to know the gun and ammo


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## wooddog 066

there all good when you can get em to group and shoot but a great slug gun is a trusty old ITHACA DEERSLAYER with some lightfield slugs buddy has one and it will shoot snake eyes at almost 100yds me myself love a inline muzzleloader one shot but damn accurate i shot a buck two yrs ago at 165yd i was well impressed and its good to two hundred!!!! :jawdrop:


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## bowtechmadman

Kinda suprised to hear that about the Brenneke sabots...I've tried them and have no love, sprayed them all over the place. I tried the 3" Brenneke in 20 guage and couldn't hold them on a paper plate at 50.


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## jburlingham

If I could pick any slug gun
Benelli M4 super 90


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## CGC4200

*used to carry slugs in front pocket when rabbit hunting*

Now & then, beagles would bust a big hooved bunnie out of thickets;
just the way we rolled back then, I finished off one buck with .22 LR's 
out of a .22 LR Ruger auto pistol after my buds had already crippled it with rabbit shot. I dumped the whole clip into deer, finally remember to shoot for spine, was reaching for backup clip when my buds ran up, one grabbed the horns, the other cut throat and we drug it off later with 4-wheelers.


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