Newbie Shotgun hunter, slug for Encore 12ga?

[GPMD]

Hi, I posted this on the deer hunting forum as well and then it dawned on me this may be a better place to ask.....

Been hunting deer bow, rifle, blackpowder for 17 years, never used a shotgun. I'm missing out on a lot of management Shotgun only hunts in my state so I finally purchased one. I just got the Encore Pro Hunter with the 12ga 28" barrel. I am completely clueless on slugs for it. I know I should try a few different ones but they are pricey, I'd like to narrow it down to 3 types to start out with and hopefully get lucky. Any recommendations? Oh yeah, these are going to be for Maryland deer, so no bruisers. 70-80lb does, a 130-150lb buck would be really really nice here.A lot of the management hunt areas have overpopulation so deer I'm thinking will be on the smaller size. Average shot will be 30-75 yards I'd say. Thanks!!!

[jcchartboy]

Hornady SST
Remington Copper Solids
Remington Core Lokts

The SST's will be the cheapest and should certainly provide adequate accuracy for 75-100yd shots. If you have the time and eneregy I would also try the Copper Solids as they are often particularly accurate in a wide variety of guns. Finally, if you are lucky and the Core-Lokts shoot well in you gun then you have hit a home run as they are some of the best quality, flatest shooting, slugs in the market.


JC

[gmil6184]

Is it a fully rifled barrel or smooth bore? If it is rifled I would take a look at the Remington Copper Solids, or some of the other sabot slugs...they are pricey but most high end slugs are. If you are shooting a smooth bore you can stick with plain old foster-style slugs. This past year I sighted in my 870 with the cheap winchesters and it shot big ragged holes at 50 yards and kept pie plate accuracy out to 100 yards. From what you described this should be plenty accurate, and much less expensive then shooting sabot style slugs designed for rifled barrels. Hope that helped a little and good luck!

[jcchartboy]

ORIGINAL: gmil6184

Is it a fully rifled barrel or smooth bore?

It is rifled...

(I don't even think they make a smoothbore barell for the Pro-Hunter.)

JC