I will be using a Rem. 870 Express Pump for my first time hunting. Is it better to use 2 3/4" or 3" slugs for deer? What is the difference? Do the larger slugs travel faster and shoot flatter? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

Do they travel faster and shoot flatter, well not really. It all depends on the load you pick. Some 2 3/4 inch loads are as fast or faster than some 3 inch loads. You have to look around and make sure what you are buying.

It really depends on what your gun likes. If you take the same load, but one in 2 3/4 and another in 3 inch your gun may prefere one over the other. The only way to know is to try them.

What kind of barrel are we talking about, smoothbore with an IC choke, or a fully rifled barrel shooting saboted slugs? The newer saboted slugs that use the pistol or muzzle loader bullets normally have better trajectories and performance on game regardless of the shell length. Some of the 2 3/4 inch shells are around 1900 fps.

I honestly don't see a need in using 3 inch shells unless your gun shoots better with them. You sort of have to experiment.

Paul

Oh, and the slugs will most likley be the same size. The norm is 1 OZ or 435 grns. for a 12 gauge. Some times they can be lighter, and sometimes a bit heavier. The size of the shells just determins the length, they can load them however they want pretty much regardless of shell length.

Paul

What kind of barrel do you have? I have a 20" smooth bore barrel on my 870 slug gun and it likes the cheapo 2-3/4" Winchester XX in the silver box... $5 for 15 of them.

My barrel is a fully rifled barrel. I beleive it's the 20" one. Thanks for the help guys.

Then the answer to your question is NO, for saboted slugs most of the faster offerings are actually 2 3/4 inch shells. However it is questionable if they will shoot well out of your barrel because of the twist rate. Never hurts to try though, some have good luck them. Only problem is they are expensive!

Paul

So the 2 3/4" ones will work best? What does saboted mean? Sorry I'm new to some of this hunting lingo.

Yes, 2 3/4 are fine for everything but guns with 3 1/2" chambers...

Basically for your purposes......Sabot slugs mean that the projectile is smaller than the gauge of the gun. These slugs are usually prefered by most whitetail hunters when possibly

Here is a more indepth history...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_slug

you dont want rifled slugs in a rifled barrel. you want sabots. a sabot slug is smaller than a rifled slug, and its encased ina plastic cup called a sabot that will separate from the slug after it exits the barrel. the sabot spins because of the rifling of the barrel.

Here ya go.

Slug Comparisons by the American Hunter (NRA)

Pictures and everything!

Paul