Though we can use center fire here in Alabama, one of my hunting buddies uses an older Rem. 870 for which he bought a rifled barrel. His is a 12 ga. He has killed deer cleanly out to the 125-150 yard distance. Which is about as far as we are likely to have where we hunt. Not sure hat slug he uses. I think that it is one of the Remington loads.

As for scope. Don't scrimp. Most "combos" do not include what I'd call a quality scope. They'll do OK and I am not necessarily knocking them, but ..... my buddy's is a Leupold Vari-XIII, 1.5-6 x 32mm with a heavy plex. Probabaly set him back $450 or so.

Buy the very best that you can afford. Low light performance, great contrast, not to mention being rugged enough to hold up year after year of the recoil of a magnum 12 ga. load are a must.

I bought the 870 combo about 6 years ago. If you go this route, make sure you get a cantilevered barrel if you want to use a scope. Mine came with iron sites, and you have to put a harness over the receiver to attach a scope, and it's not that easy to switch back and forth from slugs to bird shot (I feel like I have to re-sight in every time I remount the scope). I have a friend who bought a 870, then got an aftermarket cantilevered barrel that I believe was made by Mossberg. Saved himself a few bucks, and it has worked just fine for him.
All that said, I stopped buying Remingtons after that 870. The finish on the last 2 Remys I bought seemed cheap, I don't think the quality has been there recently. My last 3 new purchases have been Savages -- including a 220 slug gun -- and I have been happy with them.

I like the Savage F220 or an Ithaca "Deerslayer" for my money..............

I used to use a 12 ga. Mossberg 500 with a cantilever barrel. Mounted a Weaver 2.5X shotgun scope and used Remington sabots. Very accurate, very deadly out to about 120 yards (longest shot I ever took). Problem was I duck hunted at the time and got tired of checking the sighting when I switched barrels.

Now own a H & R in 12 ga mounted with a Nikon Pro Staff 4-9X using same Remington sabots. It's a little less accurate than the Mossberg was but I still haven't had a deer make it more than a step or two. Problem is weight but if you're hunting from a stand that shouldn't be an issue.

Bought the Savage 220f last year as well. Definitely a tac driver. As Majorwoods said there are a number of factors you have to consider in that decision. good luck. Let us know what you decide.

Just a heads up i too have purchased an 870 express one with the rifled barrel and scope mounted and another turkey barrel. While the gun shoots just fine the 870's for some reason are no longer built like they used to be. Mine had rust start showing up the first foggy/ misty morning i went hunting. the barrels are no longer blue and the new stuff doesnt hold up like the old blued barrels.

I hunted with the Ithaca Deerslayer. It's a 1996 model, hunted with it for ~10 years until I bought a Browning A-Bolt slug gun. Go figure, then they changed the laws and allowed rifles.

Both guns are absolute tack-drivers.

My first reaction would be to grab my Browning A-Bolt 12g, but I would hunt with my Deerslayer any day of the week.

I have had the 220F for 2 years. I have killed deer out to 220 yards with it an dropped them. I have it zeroed in at 200 yards. It loves the 3 inch accutip if you can find them that is.

savage 220 hands down the best slug gun I have ever shot..I own a rem 870 and 1187 12ga slug guns beneli sbe with slug barrel and none compare to the 220. you can stack groups inside 2-3 "out at 200yds with this gun.......at 100 you can stack them on top of each other. The first time I shot one I went out and bought one. and im shooting rem accutip

If you want a "pump" action & price is not an issue, than without question, Ithaca Deerslayer!!!!!!! jmop