RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

When shooting slugs I personaly like a rifled barrel with a scope. But like everyone else is telling you it won't make you a better hunter. Sounds to me like you need more scouting time and better stand placement. Most deer are shot with in 50 yards so distance shoulden't be an issue. Hunting is suppos to be fun and has many parts to it not just shooting a deer. Get out in the woods and fields find those deer runs follow them try to figure out why the deer are using that run and when books and vidios can give you a few tips at first but belive me when I tell you its all foot work to get down and durty. Its all fun and all parts of the puzzle and when a hard worked plan comes together you just feel that much better about it. Good luck and stay with it. It took me 9 years to get my first deer so I know your fustration but it seemed like after the first one they all started comming. And its been 25 years since that first one and the excitement is still there for each and everyone since. One thing I did do all the way back to that first deer is keep a log of each deer I have ever shot I write stuff like weather, temp. how I was feeling exactatly what happened. And reading back the other day most of my deer came on a day I really didn't think I was going to see a deer. It was one of the best idias I ever had. Keep your head up and get to work and have a ball. Mike

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

i cant shoot over 50 yards with the setup i have. it just wont pattern past about 55 yards. i shoot winchester super x slugs out of it. any suggestions on slugs would be great. i hunt in a blind set up in tall grass by a small creek that runs along a field. i have been hunting this setup for 2 years and the deer just dont come within about 80 yards of the creek. there is a group of about 12 of them and there is a really nice 8 pointer.

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

Well in that case a rifled barrel might help you. Or maybe change your blind location or alter the way you hunt. Hard to say without knowing why the deer will not come closer, but 80 yards should be doable with a good rifled barrel and the proper ammo.

As far as what to use, you really need to play to see what your gun likes. The bad thing is it gets expensive, especially with sabot type slugs.

My H&R ultra actually shoots really well with the Winchester rifled slugs. Fouls up the barrel something awful after 3 or 4 shots, but they group around 1-2 inches at 100 yards for the first two or three shots.

80 yards is pushing it for a smoothbore though, some guns can do it, most can't.

I have two buddies, one uses an 870 and the other an 11-87. Both with cantilever barrels. There guns shoot pretty well with winchester super X sabots. I would also give lightfields a try and some of the newer pistol bullet type rounds. Like federal barnes expanders, remington copper solids and the winchester platinums. You could try some of the faster offerings, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. It seems to be hit and miss for accuracy in guns with slower twist rates, which most rifled shotgun barrels are.

Paul

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

Oh, you know what, I was talking about 12 gauges. You might have better luck with the faster rounds in a 20 gauge. They have a faster twist rate than the 12's do. They are pretty much like shooting an inline Muzzle Loader without all the mess. Very simular bullets and velocities.

Paul

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

Personally I wouldn't buy one. the slugs are twice the cost and you have the inital cost of the barrel. I have taken several deer with a smooth bore full choke (not adjustable). Do you currently have a choke in your 870? if so, what one are you using? try using a different one. you can also buy a rifled choke that is designed to mimic a rifled barrel....a lot cheaper.

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

yep a rifled choke is cheaper, it is also no where near the length of a fully rifled barrel which means it will not impart as much spin on the bullet. My opinion is if they worked so great more people would have them and they would be easier to find. Me personally I have neve seen one in a store.

If you are shooting a smooth bore with a full choke with good enough accuracy to hunt to 80 yards and beyond you are in the minority for sure. I do agree though, if you have interchangable chokes try a few others to see how they work. A full choke would not be my first suggestion though.

And like I said, you don't have to shoot the ultra expensive bullets out of a rifled barrel. They just have better ballistics and don't foul up the barrel.

Paul

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

Maybe you should look into getting a 870 combo if you haven't bought anything yet. I bought a Rem. 870 combo with bird barrel and rifled. Couldn't be happier. Hopefully I canget adeer or two where I'm going to be hunting this fall. Still have to try the sabots in myrifled barrel. The season is coming quick.

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

Go to WalMart hunting section, ask to see their special order gun catalog, order yourself a H&R Ultra Slug Hunter single shot in 12 or 20 ga. and put a $100 Nikon scope on it. In 20 Ga, the gun itself I believe runs about $160.00, which may be less than just the 870's barrell. With the right sabot slug, I can consistently put each slug in a business card at 120 yds.I also own the 12 ga version, and the ballistics chart on Winchester's Partition Gold's box touts a 6" drop out to 200 yards. Havent shot mine that far, but at 150 yds it'll put em right in there. Be warned, the 12 ga, shooting slugs pushing 1900 fps will knock your fillings loose, while the 20 ga in comparison feels like a bb gun.

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

i have a modified choke in it

RE: RIFLED BARRELS
 

i would take that money and buy a new gun that already has a rifled barrel. Then you have the best of both worlds and you got a new gun out of it.