Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

After taking some heat on another post about my chance at a 150 class buck at 80 yards and using a shotgun with slugs, what do you slug hunters use as far as gun, barrel, scope and of course slugs? I know there are some newer slugs out now that are more accurate, with some touting a 200 yard range. Are they really this accurate at that kind of range? I use a Mossberg UltiMag 835 with a rifled slug barrel. Can I get long range accuracy with this setup and what slugs would you suggest. I hunt a "big" buck area and would like to score on one. Thanks for any input!

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

I hunt with a Remington 870 with a fully rifled barrell, a Bushnell Duskto Dawn Scope, and use and will ONLY USE lightfield hybrid sabot slugs!!! They are awesome and the gun isa tack driver with them. I have dropped 160-180lb bucks dead in their tracks with a shoulder shot at 8-100 yards. These are upstate NY deer and pretty thick. With a smoothbore slug gun I have always used Brenneke 3inch magnum slugs and they were always good out to 100 yards never had a problem.

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

The answer is yes.

http://www.buckhammerchallenge.com

Remington Buckhammers are the newest in a long line of rounds that are produced to answer the call of slug hunters like you and me.

Other loads are offered by Remington, Lightfield, Brenneke, Federal, and Winchester that tote tight (2" or better) groups out to and beyond 100 yards for slug gunners with smooth bores or rifled barrels.

I have been looking at this lately too, as the deer I took here in NY this year was sitting at about 85 yards and had multiple chances at deer this weekend, but at about 120. It's tough passing up those shots knowing that your set up doesn't easily lend itself to long distance capability.

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

i would love to try those buckhammers in my 835. i use 3" lightfields and they are accurate. they're not meant to pass through an animal but use up all the energy inside the body cavity. both loads are pretty close as far as energy at 100 yards. the buckhammers are heavier by about 90 gr. though. i also would like to try those winchester partition slugs. but for now I'll stick with the lightfields. they tend to run a little cheaper than the competition. all i think will be similar in ballistics. you'll just have to see which your gun likes to digest:)

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

Tell me more about the Buckhammers? I have never seen them?

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

I use the same setup as scshep2002 except I use a burris fullfield 1-4x. andIhave hunted upstate NY. Everything he says is true. IMO if you are in big buck country and need more distance(150 yards)then get a inline ML.

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

Who was giving you crap about shooting a deer at 80 yards with a shotgun? I must have missed that one. I know of smooth bores that could do that.

How accurate your gun is really depends on your gun and what you shoot out of it. We could suggest ammo that might work, or that has been proven to work by others, but that doesn't mean your gun will like it. Lots of people swear by Lightfields, personally I am not that impressed by them. They don't shoot that well out of my gun and they really are not designed that differently than a winchester or simular round.

I think 200 yards is pushing it a bit for slug gun, but it can be done with some rifles if you find the right ammo. 80 yards should be a piece of cake with a rifled barrel if you shoot half way decent. Most of the guys I know get between 1 and 2 inch groups at 100 yards if they do thier part. Mine will shoot pretty much anything well at 50 or 60 yards. However when you get to 100 yards it gets sort of picky. And mine does not seem to like the faster 1900 fps rounds. I just don't think I have the twist for it. So I look for ammo that is 1700 fps or slower and seem to do alright.

Paul

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

Follow the link and you'll see all the info you need. The only problem I have with Buckhammers is that I'm still shooting a smooth bore barrel. The Buckhammers are designed for rifled barrels. Plus the fact that they are about $12/box.

Some friends of mine used them this year and really like them both on the range and off. One is using an 835 with a rifled, cantilever barrel and a 3-9x40 Simmons.

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

That's no problem for my smooth bore shooting Brenneke's.

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

Personally,
I use an Encore 209x50 and am very, very happy with it.
But, I bought my kids a 20 gauge last year, didn't like the performance w/ buckshot so I bought a rifled, ported barrel for it. One of the ones with the scope mount on the barrel. I bought some Winchester Partition Gold Sabots. Man, this thing reall works well. The ported barrel pretty much eliminates any kick and the boys like shooting it. I put a 3x9 scope on it and it will shoot 2 inch groups at 100 yards with the partition gold sabots all day long.
The 26 grain hollow point jacketed bullet (looks like a big handgun hollowpoint bullet) exits the bore at 1900 fps or so and the ballistics have it 3 inches high at 100 yards and dead on at 150. Now, I would not at this point in my kids life let them shoot at a deer at 100 yards, 80 to 100 is about the limit, but I have shot the gun at 150 and it will put every bullet inside a 4 inch circle. I don't know how much energy it has left at this distance, but I would think it to be plenty.
So far, they have killed two deer with this setup and it really does the trick. Full pass through, great tissue damage and very accurate. Hopefully they will be using this gun for another year or two before I have to get them a .243 or something similar.
BTW, the link for the Winchester site w/ ballistics and performance is;
http://www.winchester.com/products/catalog/shotdetail.aspx?symbol=SSP20&use=7&gauge=2 0

R
Hank

RE: Shotgun slugs, what is most accurate at longer range?
 

Here is a post I wrote a number of months ago in response to a similar thread...

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There seems to be three or four favorites that will shoot in any gun. Ideally you get lucky and the one with the best ballistics performance also happens to give your gun the best accuracy.

The top four are:

Winchester Partition gold
Lightfield Hybrid Exp
Remmington Copper Solid
Remmington Core Lokts

In terms of down range performance, they rank from best to worst:

1).Remington Core Lokt Ultra's/ Winchester Partitions
2).Remington Copper solids
3).Lightfields Exp

To give an idea of how far behind the Core Lokts/Partions the Lightfields are think about this fact.


12 ga Remington Core Lokt sighted 2 in high at 50 yds = 0 inches at 150 yds

12 ga Lightfield Exp sighted 2 in high at 50 yds = -9.7 inches at 150 yds