Rifled Shotgun Barrel w/out scope

[Troutman10]

I'm not as familiar as I would like to be with my rifled barrel that came with my Remington 870 combo.I mainly bought the combo to Turkey hunt and eventually use the rifled barrel if I was restricted with only using a shotgun. What is a realistic distance to expect using the iron sights that came on the barrel (without using a scope)? Should I sight in @ 50 yards? If not, then how far?

[Chantecler111]

Sighting in at 50 yards would be ok with slugs.

[Paul L Mohr]

It's really going to depend on how well you shoot it with open sights. A scope doesn't make a rifle or barrel more accurate, it just lets you see the target better. I have seen some guys with open sights shoot better than guys with scopes, just depends on how well you shoot.

I would advise sighting in at 50 yards, heck start at 25 yards if you want to. Then once you get it dialed in at 50 yards try some shots at 100 to see how you do. Keep in mind wind drift is pretty good on a standard slug so if it is windy out expect your windage to be off at longer distances. Not so much of a problem with some of the newer high end saboted ammo though.

If most of your shots are going to be 75 yards and in with an occasional shot at 100 I would not worry about using open sights, you will probably like them more. Much better field of view and quicker to get on target. Good fiber optic sights are even better yet.

Depending on the ammo you choose sight in a few inches high at 50 yards to compensate for the drop at 100 yards.

You can use cheaper rifled slugs out of a rifled barrel, but they will make a mess and you will have to do some scrubbing when done. Pick some of the moderately priced sabots and you should be ok. If you want to shoot a full bore slug take a loot at the Remington buck hammers. They kick like heck, but they make a reduced recoil version as well.

My opinions any way.

Paul

[Slackdaddy]

I used a rifled slug barel with iron sights on My Mossberg500 for years (till the eyes went bad)
at the range, I sighted in 1" high at 50 yards.
I could group 3" at 70 yards, and keep them on a 8" plate at 95 yards.

I did take a deer with 1 shot from a climber at 90 yards, most hunting kills where 20-70 yards.

Loved the simplicity and dead on (nother to bump out) never had to worry about it.

Slack

[Hairtrigger]

I used to sight my slug barrel in for 100 yards. I shot over the backs of several deer that were in the 35 yard range. I have since sighted my barrel in for 50 yards

[Bulzeye]

I wouldn't zero too much beyond 50 unless you're shooting the fast sabots (1,900 fps). Slugs have too much of an arc , and you'll end up with too much difference in point of impact between the different distances.

I like to have it set up so that I'm never more than a few inches high. That way, shorter shots that can come up quickly are no-brainers. Point and shoot. When it's up close, just put the crosshairs on the top of the heart/bottom of the lungsand squeeze. If it's 2 inches high, you'restill in the center of the lungs, and you're just a bit low out at 75 yards. Never have to aim outside the fur.