I hunted many years with both an Ithaca Model 37 12ga smoothbore deerslayer - and later with a Model 87 Deerslayer Deluxe II rifled barrel (started with BRI Sabot Bullets in 1992).

Honestly - the downrange bullet effectiveness was the same for both guns - but the rifled barrel was more consistantly accurate. (past 100 yds - you had to know the distance though - because the bullet started dropping really fast for both guns actuallly).

My furthest shot with the rifled barrel was 110 yds - and my furthest with the smoothbore was a very lucky 150 yd holdover followup on an escaping wounded deer. Even at 150 yds a Federal Foster slug did mega damage.

FH