If you are going to purchase a new shotgun for deer hunting I feel the rifled barrel is the best way to go. Irregardless of what slugs you use out of it. It should give you better accuracy and extend your range.
Paul
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I didn't climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots! (Ron White)
Oh my gosh. Here I go again. Thinking of buyin another slug gun. a HR ultra slugster. I need to have my head examined.
If your on a budget, HR is pretty cheap dedicated slug gun.
bigcountry, you must be a mind reader. Actually, I have an NEF in .223, and I'm thinking about getting a 12 g. barrel for it for deer hunting. Not sure whether to buy a smooth bore (cheaper, and can use it for rabbits, etc.) or rifled (quite a bit more expensive and single purpose, but superior performance?)
"A" is OK.I've taken many deer with smooth bore. But - If you gotta use a lead slinging 12-20 gauge in your state,you'll never regret "B" once you've tryed it in the field at 75-100 + yrds.
OK, one down side to , as AJ put it, choice B. Ammo costs five simes as much!
True! But three to five rounds to zero it, then one shot per deer from then on, and it becomes pretty economical per pound of venison. In addition, with a good sabot slug, youy can do just as well with a 20 ga., so there's no longer any requirement to shoot a 12 any more!
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"Bitte, trinks du das Wasser nicht. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
Also you don't have to shoot sabots out of a rifled barrel. They are just cleaner and offer better ballistics in some cases. You can shoot rifled slugs for 3 bucks a box out of a rifled barrel just fine. And some are very accurate. You just have to clean the barrel is all.
Paul
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I didn't climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots! (Ron White)
Which shotgun/slug option is best?
