Some people are probably tired of hearing my story, but I jump at every chance to help educate others that the newer slug guns are way more powerful and lethal than the slugs of years past that had smooth bores and used the old "pumpkin ball" or standard slugs. With the new rifled barrels made for slugs, better sites and the new sabot ammunition, you can easily expect to get rifle like accuracy out to 100 yds and beyond if you practice enough.
Both my brother in law and I use Remington 11-87 semiauto's with Hastings rifled barrels and I can consistantly shoot 5 rounds at 100 yds with most if not all touching each other. We use Lighfield 12 ga slugs and I cab personally tell you how devastating they are. We both have harvested dozens of deer over the last few years and I would have no use for a high power rifle in the areas we hunt (assuming they were legal where we hunt).
In addition, I had a most unfortunate accident on opening day in NY state last year. I was shot in the back just as I stepped on the ground, getting out of my stand with one of these slugs. It put a huge hole in my back, just missing my spine and the top of my right lung. It knocked me right on my face. When the state police and game wardens investigated, they found that the shot came from my brother in laws' stand. He had gotten out of his tree stand also and was 180 yds away (they measured) when he had shot at some running deer that were crossing between his stand and mine. There was a sligh hill and a lot of trees and brush between us, but one of his shots missed and traveled (amazingly enough) through all those trees and over the hill, down to me without hitting a tree or bush before it hit me. It was a freak accident and we have always hunted safe so in my opininion, he's not really at fault for doing anything wrong or illegal. The point is, that slug traveled 180 yds to hit me. I weigh 270 lbs and have very large shoulders and that's the only reason that slug didn't take my shoulder clean off. I am very lucky to be here but just wanted to let guys like you that aren't sure how powerful or how far a slug will travel know that they are excellent deer guns and don't let anyone tell you they won't go far.

Good luck in whatever you choose and BE CAREFUL !