Help. . .I'm new to shotgun hunting for whitetail deer. Which of these do you prefer and why? BTW, this is for deer hunting in OH. Buckshot may not be legal.

Fully rifled barrel. Sabot slugs. Barrel can be open sights or cantalievered with scope. Up to you. But your most accurate option, that will give you the greatest window for unknowns (ie: distance) will be the fully rifled barrel with sabots.

Being in college I prefera smoothbore with rifled slugs simply because of the cost factor. The slugs are accurate enough for the distances I shoot.

I have been shooting the brenneke's for 5 years now.. and they hit like a truck. I have never had a deer run after being shot. On 11/19/06 I shoot the biggest deer(9 point 154 lbs.dressed)of hunting career with Bren slug. (1 1/4 oz.) at 75 yards and it hit the floor like a rock. Not even a step. and Not even a sabot. I have a rifled barrel just haven't changed yet. just my 2 cents.

i've been hunting with my pops for some time with shotgun for white tail and we both use partition gold sabots (385 gr. win.) and we both haven't been disappointed with the result, but keep in mind the box does label that the shots should be used in a fully rifled barrel (you don't have to, but the performance of the shot will be decreased) right now i'm using the benelli super black eagle II and my pops is using a browning auto 5 with a hasting rifled barrel, where are stands are located on the farm i can hit (and clean kill) a deer at 135 yards

deffo worth it for sabots

What is max range for each as far as accuracy goes? You know minute of deer. About 9 - 10" spread.

If I'm in a ground stand, I want a scoped 12 gauge with a rifled barrel shooting something like a remington copper solid. I have complete confidence out to about 130 yards with this set-up. Ammo is really expensive but it shouldn't take more than 1 shot. If I'm up in a treestand, pushing brush, or at the waiting end of a deer drive, I'm carrying somethinglike a remington 1100 with an improved cylinder smoothbore slug barrel andwinchester super-x slugs(inexpensive)sighted in dead on at 50 yds. I have a scoped winchester pump with smoothbore barrel which is pretty accurate out to 100 yds (about a 3" group) and plenty deadly. My Ithaca deerslayer II with a rifled barrel will shoot sub 2" groups at 100 yds. Ultimately it is the type of hunting you plan to do that will decide it. I personally feel that if you plan to shoot with open sights, there is no need for the rifled barrel. I've found accuracy is more dependant on a good scope than a rifled barrel. If you definitley want a scoped gun, I would recommend the circle-x reticle because it will give you a much better opportunity to find a running deer in your scope picture.

KEJ

If I still take out the slug gun I usually use my pistol (contender) I've got a rifled barrell with lightfield sabots awesome slug 4-5 inch group at 125yds

if you hunt open area's that allow for shots from 50 yards to 100+, go with a slug. if you hunt brushy thick area's where your sight is under 50 yards, go with buckshot (if legal in your area). alot of people hate buckshot but i love it. when i do tote my shotgun it's loaded with 3 1/2" magnum 00.