Can you use a muzzle loader? For under $200 you can pick up a cheap muzzle loader and that will give you additional range and accuracy.

Tom

Live in a Shot Gun only state however go to PA to hunt with Rifle. My experiance with shot guns I would suggest in your situation get a Rifled Slug barrel from Mossberg they have one for under a $160 @ Cabelas/Bass Pro. Also get a 1-4x power scope and sight it in with your choice of Sabot Slugs zero the rig @ 75yards so anything under 50yards you would be approx 2" high and over 75yards to 125yards maximum you would be approx 2-3" low with most of the slug brands out there. Hope this helps good luck shot gun hunting is fun however you got to get to the range and sight in you rig so you know your limitations.

I fired a slug through my 870 that had a 30" full choke barrel and bead sight. It impacted 1 foot high at 50 yards. I guess if you want to take the time (and your shoulder could stand it), you could take shots at various ranges to get your shooting dope.

I grew up in Iowa. There are a few open spots but most deer I see in the bush are under 50m. The soil is good so the weeds and brush are really freakin' high. Prairie grass can get so high you need a compass to navigate. :-)

I have missed deer before. I can laugh at myself. No problem.

I bet you will be surprised and impressed at what you can do with this setup. just after you got it fired in, don't disassemble to keep your POI there. You will be fine.

Just finished a course today where I fired over 1200 rounds of rifled slug ammo through a smooth bore, no choke using a ghost ring sight with a front post. No problems out to fifty yards but the sights start taking up a alot of target area after that. Can consistantly hit man sized chest areas out to 100yds, but that was only after a lot of shooting and getting to know the gun and letting the gun get to know my shoulder

DOn't know how true this is, but i've heard that the rifled choke does not make much difference compared to a smoothbore with a rifle slug. thoughts?

Why on earth put a 3x9 scope on ANY shotgun? No need for anything over 4x, nor all the bulk and weight of the larger scope.

Thanks for all of the advice fellas. I picked up a fully rifled slug barrel at a gun show this weekend for $100. I will post some range reports when I have them. Once again thanks for all the advice!!!!!

Try the Remington "Buckhammer" slugs in a rifled choke tube. There is a simple scope mount that uses the existing pin holes in the receiver to mount - put a low powered scope on it. You may also have to get some very thin shim stock and shim the barrel extension so it fits tightly into the receiver. This combination should get you to a 125 yard gun.