I was told to use a 26" barrel with a skeet or improved cylinder choke tube with a rifled slug if I don't have a designated slug barrel...Is this close to being accurate? Thanks for any and all input

For starters it all depends on what you consider accurate and at what range. It would also depend on the particular shotgun. Some shoot pretty well with a smooth bore and rifled slugs, some not so much.

I don't know that you need a 26 inch barrel, I have seen smaller guns be pretty accurate with the right slugs. I would stick with a modified or improved choke though. Just try some different slugs and see what happens.

My mossberg with a smooth bore was good for about 60 or 70 yards with maybe 5 inch groups. I have buddy that has a Franchi (spelling?) lightweight 20 ga that will shoot rifled slugs into a 5 or 6 inch group at 90 yards with twin beeds on it.

If you are going to look for a shotgun with a particular barrel length or buy a barrel for it I suggest just getting a fully rifled barrel with decent open sights or a scope mount. You could probably get a H&R with a rifled barrel and open sights for what a barrel on most shotguns would cost. And with something like that you should be able to get 3 inch or better groups at 100 yards if you find a load it likes. However the saboted slugs are pretty expensive, like $10 and up for five rounds.

Paul

I can shoot 2 inch groups at 50 yds with my remington 1100 20 gauge and remington sluggers through a skeet choke. It is not my dedicated deer gun, but if all you have available to you is a bird barrel, it can certainly be used. The IC choke is usually rcommended and should do just fine. I installed screw on adjustable rifle sights (Williams) on my vent rib. It certainly outperforms a standard bead sight.

KEJ

thanks guys...I have a browning gold with 28" barrel and a Remington 1187 with 26" barrel. Both guns have the choke tubes...The reason I asked the question is because I don't use them enough for deer hunting to justify a new slug barrel and scope. I will try the improved cylinder tube with different slugs and pattern. I certainly don't see myself taking a shot much more than 50-60 or maybe 70 yards. Thanks for the help...

I highly suggest a cheap set of clamp on sights. At 60 yards that bead will probably cover the whole chest of a deer. And those sights don't cost that much. Good luck

Saltflyz,
A rifled choke tube for a remington is only $20, I like the snap on truglo sights. Just run a box thru and compensate your aim to your group.

I had some of the clamp on type fiber optic sights on my Mossberg as well. I got them for turkey hunting, but they worked pretty well. I butted each one up against my beads. They were fast to line up and pretty accurate once adjusted.

Paul