Hey guys I hunt in Missouri but I'm going to have a chance to hunt in Illinois in the upcoming years and I want a good semi-auto/pump slug gun that you guys use. I also want it for Missouri when I hunt thick hardwoods because my Remington 700 SPS Varmint isn't very mobile haha. I wouldn't want to spend over 600 or so. Also what ammo do you use?

Thanks guys

If you only want the gun for slug hunting there are many options...I have a Mossberg 500 with a ported/riffled slug barrel...it gets the job done. I just use iron sights on it...had it scoped for awhile and found it cluncky and unnecessary. For the $ the 500's are a good choice, but the Remington 870's, 1100's and 11-87's also perform well with slug barrels as do the Mossberg 835's. Just depends on how much you wanna spend.

Savage 220

It's the best.

+ 1 for the Savage 220................

Yeah I've really heard some good things about the savage 220s, but I wanted something that's more maneuverable like a pump or semi-auto.

I have a Franchi I-12....could I just put a slug barrel on that?

I've never seen a slug barrel for the I-12, but that doesn't mean it isn't out there. Cause it could be. I would look into the Mossberg 500, or Remmy 870. Both make a good pump and can be an accurate slug set up. I'm not real familiar with the semi-auto's, but those two would fill your need.
-Jake

A buddy has a Mossberg 500 I think. It's the pump one, isn't that the 500? Anyway, I've never shot it, but he absolutely loves it and hasn't had any problems from it. I know he'd recommend it.

I hate using slug guns when I have a 280 Rem., 30-06 Spr. and 35 Rem. in the safe. That being said, here in New Yorkistan there are still counties that you can't use a rifle in. That's when I use my Remington 11-87 12 ga. Sportsman Deer 21" rifled barrel with cantilever scope mount with a Leupold VX-II 2x7-33mm Shotgun Scope on it. If I'm up to it, it'll shoot 2 1/2 to 3" groups at 100 yards with a few different sabot slugs.

NYH1.

Savage 220 gets my vote!!!, but if you want to stay with a pump or a semi, then look into the Mossberg 500 (pump), or a Remington 11-87 (semi) either one with a rifled/cantilever barrel with a good quality scope, also I would stay with a 20ga. over the 12ga.

BOWHUNTERCOP is right. A well setup 20 ga. works very well. They're usually smaller, lighter, have less recoil and can be just as accurate if not more so.

My 11-87 Sportsman Deer 12 ga. is a tank, the added weight does help tame recoil a little, but it's heavy. I set my 11-87 20 ga. up the same way for my dad to use, bought a 21" rifled barrel with the cantilever scope mount. It's like carrying a rifle. A 20 ga. is definitely worth considering.

11-87 Sportsman Deer

NYH.