Deer Slugs?

[z71rad88]

I'm just curious if most of you who hunt with a smoothed bore use a 2 3/4 slug or 3inch. Im probably going to use my SBE 2 with either a skeet choke or IC. We'll be driving deer and shooting no further than 50 yards?

[lizard55033]

Won't hurt the gun one bit...

[honkhunter]

I have hunted deer more than thirty years and never had a problem taking them humanly with 2 3/4" slugs. Never has one gone more than fifty yards after being hit with one. Just know your gun and your ability.

For practice, in a safe area put cardboard in a old tire and have someone roll it down a hill. when you can put five out of five in the card board, you have it. It works to build confidence.

[Page]

Not sure if this is true or not b/c I've never shot slugs out of a smooth bore but I've always been told to use NON-rifled slugs. Not sure why. As stated above practice a bit to make sure you are comfortable with your gun. I've never had any problem killin em with 2 3/4 shells. Just practice first deer can be darn tough. Good luck!

[z71rad88]

Good infor guys. Thank you, I'll probably purchase the 2 3/4 then.

[CUPPED & COMMITED]

Not sure if this is true or not b/c I've never shot slugs out of a smooth bore but I've always been told to use NON-rifled slugs. Not sure why. As stated above practice a bit to make sure you are comfortable with your gun. I've never had any problem killin em with 2 3/4 shells. Just practice first deer can be darn tough. Good luck!
Its actually the opposite. A non-rifled slug is known as a Sabot and will not shoot worth a damn out of a smooth bore. Therefore you want to use a rifled slug. In other words a big ass hunk of lead. Also look into mabe getting a rifled choke tube for like $40. It will help you accuracy incredibly and pay for its self in no time. JMHO

[Ryan Skinner]

I use my smooth bore on deer drives also. I use a rifled choke tube with the winchester super x rifled slugs, and it is accurate to about 100 yds. You definitely want to put it on paper to see where it shoots though. Mine shoots about 6 inches high at 100 yds.

[z71rad88]

I use my smooth bore on deer drives also. I use a rifled choke tube with the winchester super x rifled slugs, and it is accurate to about 100 yds. You definitely want to put it on paper to see where it shoots though. Mine shoots about 6 inches high at 100 yds.

But if I'm inside timber shooting 40 or 50 MAX yards, do I need to spend the time patterning at that close of a distance??

[CUPPED & COMMITED]

I would most deffinately take a box and just put 5 good shots through a piece of cardboard just so you have an idea. Its not going to be like a rifle or a bow for that matter. You should always shoot any gun to c what its gonna do with the slug. You may have to change slug brands or grain. Just depends on the gun. And you dont want that trophy of a lifetime getting away because you didnt take the 5 minutes to shoot your gun.

[Ryan Skinner]

But if I'm inside timber shooting 40 or 50 MAX yards, do I need to spend the time patterning at that close of a distance??

Definitely take the time and do it, like said earlier, just take 5 slugs and put them on paper to see how they're shooting.

[TravisL]

With slugs you always have 1 thing rifled. If the barrel is rifled then the slug is not(sabot) If the barrel is not then use rifled slugs. Most times 3 inch slugs are faster than 2 3/4. A rifled slug works when it can grab the barrel for aslong a distance as possible. The faster the slug the easier it is to slip and not rotate which results in less accurate shots. Just my .02

[iawaterfowler88]

get yourself some Brenneke K.O. slugs. Ive hunted shotgun deer since I was 10 and those have always been the most accurate out of our guns. At 50 yards (most of our drives shots wont be farther) I can easily put 5 into a paper plate...and I was 6 for 7 last year with coyotes. Now shooting at a deer on the run is a different story....but at least you dont have an excuse that its your gear. Honestly I dont think 3" is necessary...we shoot the 2 3/4 and they perform great. Just know your gear.

We mostly sit stands in the morning and then do small pushes in the afternoon when the deer have started to hunker down. In the stand I shoot a fully rifled barrel in my Browning gold with 2 3/4" Hornady Sabots....as soon as we start pushing...the smooth bore with the brennekes come out and the I.C. choke.

[tornadochaser]

we have a large hunting party that hunts together in minnesotas shotgun zone, and we all use smooth bore shotguns for most of our hunting. in the last 15 years ive seen slugs do some crazy things. from shooting 2 feet left at 30 yards to dead nutz accurate at 100 yards. ive seen more deer die from 1 oz winchester super x slugs than any other brand, but they do not shoot well in my gun. for me its the remington buckhammer 1.25 oz 2 3/4" through a briley rifled choke tube. (win sx2 26" barrel)

[z71rad88]

Ya thats the load I have left over from last year. I never shot it through my 870 but maybe its a good thing. My SBE 2 is in the shop for a thorough cleaning and once I get it back I'm gonna pattern both guns with the Winchester Super X slugs and see where my gravy is at.