Deer - with 20 ga, 3", rifled slug at 50-75 Yards (smooth barrel)

CZ453

New member
Has anyone gone this route? Assuming a clean hit, will it dispatch a deer pretty much DRT? Ballistic reports suggest that this is o.k. and it is legal to hunt with a 20ga up here. It seems to have possibilities for combining grouse/deer where the two seasons overlap.

Generally speaking, what choke works best with a rifled slug in a smooth barrel? I'm using a s x s 20ga double and looking for a clean take.
 
Your going to be pretty limited with your range using a smooth bore, prolly 50 yards. Choke, no more than modified. And yes a 20 gauge will kill a deer if hit in the vitals. Dont expect the deer to just drop in its tracks either after being hit.
 
CZ 453,

Walk past all these "experts" that tell you that smooth bore shotguns shooting slugs arent accurate past 50-70yds.

With a proper screw in rifled choke tube, 3 shots groups of 2-3 inches can be had at 100yds.

Your best bet is to buy a good rifled choke tube and several boxes of shotgun slugs & see what your shotgun likes best. Additionally, you may want to mount a scope on ur shotgun so that you can predictably place shots at point of aim just as would with a rifle.

Regards,
 
I use a fully rifled 20ga. And have killed several at 80 - 100 yards with no problems except 1 which I recovered but had to track a ways because of a bad hit. 2years ago I killed a 185# 10 point at a lasered 125 yards and he only went around 40 yards before he dropped. A smooth bore may limit you to the 50-75 yards you speak of. I use sabots in mine.
 
As Promised, pictures of 2 shot groups. Yes, i know...however, i shot these "grps" at 100yds, in the evening, with only a bead on the shotgun...it was hard to judge bullet drop as each slug behaved differently.

Once again, the shotgun is a Browning Maxus, the Choke tube is a Browning Sabot Express Rifled Slug, and the distance is 100yds. There no optics on the shotgun, only the crappy front bead.

The Federal PRI slugs are of high end quality, and cost $15.99/box of 5. They exhibited almost no drop at 100yds...I was aiming at the top of the target, since i expected a lot of drop at this distance...I made no attempt to compensate for wind, hence the off centered groups..These slugs are sabot slugs, and so behaved more like rifle bullets...I was pleasantly surprised at the stability the rifled choke imparted on them.

FederalPRI_BrowningMaxus_SabotExpChoke.jpg



The next pictures are are of the remington 2 3/4" slugger...these are dirt cheap, about $4.99/box of 5. They are rifled slugs, and exibited a lot of drop at 100yds...again, i made no attempt to correct for wind at 100yds...hence the off center groups.

275RemSlugger_Browningaxus_RifledChoke.jpg


I hope this helps put to rest, the notion that smooth bore shotguns with poperly designed rifled choke tubes are not accurate past 50yds.
 
Back in Michigan and prior to the advent of rifled slug barrels, one of my favorite deer guns was an Ithaca Deer Slayer in 20 gauge.
It was scoped with a Bushnell Sportview and would toss slugs into a pie plate at 100 yards all day long. In truth, 100 yards was a really long shot in that country though and most deer were killed at well under that range.

Is it enough gun? Well you're throwing a 62 caliber chunk of lead downrange...so yeah, it will put paid to a deer as long as your are doing your part and place the slug in a vital area.
 
Originally Posted By: CZ453Has anyone gone this route? Assuming a clean hit, will it dispatch a deer pretty much DRT? Ballistic reports suggest that this is o.k. and it is legal to hunt with a 20ga up here. It seems to have possibilities for combining grouse/deer where the two seasons overlap.

Generally speaking, what choke works best with a rifled slug in a smooth barrel? I'm using a s x s 20ga double and looking for a clean take.

I've tried shooting slugs from SxS shotguns before... I think you are in for a surprise. The barrels are regulated to throw shot patterns together at about 40 yards. Past that point with shot it really doesn't matter too much, but the barrels will cross. The shot string and spread of the pattern sorta disguise this, plus most don't sling shot from a double gun at 75 yards. But solid loads really highlight this. At a distance with slugs the left barrel will shoot well to the right and the right barrel will shoot well to the left. The last time I tried to make a double rifle for busting bucks outta the thick brush I had an Ithaca/SKB 12 gauge with 26" barrels choked IC/Modified. At 75 yards the left barrel went 2 feet right of point of aim and the right barrel about the same to the left of the target. Seems I decided to scrap the idea when about 35 yards was the farthest I could shoot and keep both barrels inside a 6" circle. That little shotgun patterned shot beautifully, but slugs brought out the worst in it.
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunShotguns are for shooting shot.......

We heard you the first time. Some states, such as IL, only allow shotguns with slugs (muzzleloaders are only allowed, too) to be used...and some of the biggest deer are taken in IL.

I've used a 20 guage 870 with a smooth bore, skeet tube, and Winchester 2 3/4" rifled slugs for 13 years or so. Most of the deer have dropped in their tracks, but I'm very picky as to my shots. You have to use good judgement and know your limits.
 
Originally Posted By: LeviSSOriginally Posted By: 2muchgunShotguns are for shooting shot.......

We heard you the first time. Some states, such as IL, only allow shotguns with slugs (muzzleloades are only alloweed after the first season) to be used...and some of the biggest deer are taken in IL.

I've used a 20 guage 870 with a smooth bore, skeet tube, and Winchester 2 3/4" rifled slugs for 13 years or so. Most of the deer have dropped in their tracks, but I'm very picky as to my shots. You have to use good judgement and know your limits.

Or Iowa, where it's slugs and muzzleloaders only. Nothing wrong with the 20's ability to drop 'em. A lot of guys who get sick of taking a beating from a 12 go to the 20 guage. I see the bigger problem being with the double barrel like GC said. I'd shoot it as a single and find the barrel that shoots best.
 
Originally Posted By: Tx ShooterCZ 453,

Walk past all these "experts" that tell you that smooth bore shotguns shooting slugs arent accurate past 50-70yds.

With a proper screw in rifled choke tube, 3 shots groups of 2-3 inches can be had at 100yds.

Your best bet is to buy a good rifled choke tube and several boxes of shotgun slugs & see what your shotgun likes best. Additionally, you may want to mount a scope on ur shotgun so that you can predictably place shots at point of aim just as would with a rifle.

Regards,

"experts " ?

A scope on sxs should be intersting.
Tell us how !
 
Not to be a wet blanket......isnt shooting slugs out of a sxs or o/u supposed to be a no no???

something about breaking the solder that holds the whole thing together.

ANyways, other than that, yes a 20 gauge smoothbore slug gun is a great choice for close range deer. Some are better than others. Some flat out suck. Problem is, its kinda hard to predict what your gun will do.
If threaded chokes are availible, a rifled choke tube has, for me performed in a more consistant manner than a plain old smooth bore.
 
It's the only thing I use. Have had no problems shooting out to a hundred. I use an 870 with a smooth bore slug barrel, no scope, no choke.
 
So we have a side-by-side shotgun with a scope shooting slugs. Is that where we are at here?

Imagination is a terrible thing to waste......
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Originally Posted By: 2muchgunShotguns are for shooting shot........

Oh Man, unbelievable! A world reknowned optics expert and Remington master and now a shotgun technician. A man with this much expertise that spends this much time on a forum has got to be really into himself. I know this much, I have a constipated bull and my vet doesn't know what's going on. I believe if you were closer, you could maybe look up his azz and tell me and the vet how many bushels of corn he ate. Is BCB sitting on your lap typing for you? You sure have been coming up with a lot of BS lately. Just saying.
 
Good comments. I wondered about the s x s with the barrels having an inward positioning. Will go with the experience of GC, and not do it myself. If I use a shotgun, it will be a Mossy 500 12ga with a rifled choke or better yet, a rifled barrel.
 
Originally Posted By: Nikon_Man I have a constipated bull and my vet doesn't know what's going on.

Maybe you not only have your head up your own azz, but the bull's azz also?
 
So do you prefer a Nikon on your side by sides? Let me guess, you have a BDC on it also.
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Taking shots at BCB when he's not here is pretty low. Turns out, we don't need him to make you look like a moron anymore, as you've accomplished that task all on your own........
 
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