Paul L Mohr

Ok, I did some quick checking, I checked winchester and remington and neither list a 3 1/2 inch slug so I may be wrong about them being made. They do list 3 1/2 inch buckshot loads though.

And your gun will shoot 3 inch magnum loads and some 2 3/4 inch loads so you are good there. I don't see a 3 1/2 inch slug load offering much more than a good 3 inch load as far as ballistics goes. Brenneki makes some pretty stout rifled slug loads. The 600 grn gold magnums come to mind.

I would bet your gun would cycle any slug you put in it except maybe a reduced recoil 2 3/4 inch. And I would bet it would cycle that as well. I think the only thing it may have problems with is weak target loads for trap and skeet.

Paul

GregH

Paul L Mohr,
Thank-you, I did try searching the web and could not find any 3 1/2" slugs. I did this back in May, when I bought the gun. Since I was unsuccessful, I thought I'd ask the experts (you). I bought the gun mainly for turkey hunting. I just love it. It is patterned for 35 yards with 3 1/2", #4 @ 2oz., 1300fps. Since I bought the gun, I've taken a spring tom and 2 fall toms with it. One of them at 64 yards. I ranged it after the shot. If I'd have had time before the shot to range it, I probably wouldn't have shot. I'm confident out to 50 yards with it. Btw, I'm kinda glad they don't make a 3 1/2" slug for it because if they did, I'd have to use it. I bought the automatic hoping for tamer recoil, oh well.... The thing still kicks like a mule! One thing, I really don't feel the recoil in a hunting situation.... ever notice that?

Thanks again
Greg

jogadaman

I have been using a Reminton 870 smooth barrel slug gun with a 1 1/2 power scope on for years. Up until last year I always used Remington slugs. Last year I bought some Federal Tru Ball slugs before season and shot them and shot my Remington slugs. The Tru Ball slugs were way superior. I used them and shot a large 8 pointer (208 poinds) opening dayof the Indiana gun season. I sight my gun in at 50 yards. I will shoot upwards to 70 yards or so, but no further. I am using the Federal slugs again this year, but have had no shots. Passed up 10 shots at smaller deer. Waiting for one of the big ones that I seen prior to gun season.

bass.deer

Amen to shooting different brands. Also you need to shoot off a good rest. I tried a fnecepost, my tailgate, then the hood with blankets, then a card table. I might get 2 shots close then spray the 3rd out about 5 inches and couldnt get any consistency. Finally a real shooting table and I have 6 brands with 5 shot groups within 4 inches and had 2 brands within 3 inches. The Hornadys that I shot last season were the worst spraying out 8 inches at 100 yards.

Paul L Mohr

The recoil thing is pretty common Greg. That is why most people tell you when you are looking for a new gun don't be too concerned with it. You usually don't feel it when hunting. However you will when practicing or sighting in and it can cause you to start flinching, so it is something to consider.

If you think your gun kicks try shooting a special purpose 870 turkey gun with the same load! My buddy has one and it is brutal!! I did use it hunting last year though and the same as you, I didn't even feel it when shooting at game.

If I were you I would just get some of the cheaper rifled slugs in a few different brands and varieties and see what it likes. DON'T leave that turkey choke in there though!!!! Use an IC or modified choke. Try both if you have time and money for extra ammo. And if your gun doesn't already have them throw a set of fiber optic adjustable sights on it. It will be nice for turkey as well.

Most slug guns are good to about 60-70 yards shooting foster slugs (rifled slugs) out of a smoothbore. However some guns with enough experimenting can get you out to 100. You won't be shooting MOA with it, but 4 or 5 inch groups are possible sometimes. I wouldn't count on doing that with bead sights though.

Paul

jaycar

Thanks all for the suggestions. Sorry but I had to leave the country fora couple of days and didnt have access to a computer. Anyways I will be sighting in at 50 yds. I know i have to shoot to see whats works but I just wanted to see what people where using to try and cut down on cost.

craig

Much good advice. I strongly agree with the man who posted that rifled barrels shoot best well cleaned, I've seen that in several guns. I'd advise you to NEVER shoot a foster or any other non sabot through a rifled barrel, they deposit lead quickly in the rifling & did not shoot well in the one gun I've seen it tried in (and the leading is a pain to get out).

I'd like to offer two more slugs I Know shoot well in several guns.

1) The Federal Barnes slugs. This is a all copper slug available in both 3/4oz. and 1 oz versions, a large hollow point design opens it into a 6 petal flower shape (I've recovered 2 of them from deer, both as near perfect as you can ask for.) Both my Benelli Black Eagle with 3" E R Shaw 1 in 28" twist barrel & a friends 3" 1100 with a aftermarket Ithaca barrel with 1 in 25" twist shoot these very well. My gun holds a 3" group at 140 yds, which is my zero for my gun.

2) Hornady SST slugs. These also shoot very well in my gun & buddy's 1100. I also know 2 other men, both shoot Rem. 870 having rifled barrels, from where I work who report very good results with them. These also cost less than the Fed. Barnes loads. The SST is the flatest shooting of slugs now on the market that I know of @ 2000fps. They are lighter than most @ 300gr. which is less than 3/4oz/325gr so they don't kick any more than other slugs & less than some I've tried. The SST also has the best b/c I know of. The combination of high fps & b/c will allow for a bit of added range if your gun shoots them well.

I actually get a fraction better groups with the SST than the Barnes loadings, but due to the number of Barnes slugs on hand, and the fact I've great confidance in expansion performance, I've stayed with the Barnes for now. Now if my buddy connects with his SST's and the performance on game is good my choice may well change.

I've gone through a bunch of differant loadings to find these two the best, just blind luck that my buddy's gun also shoots them very well, though his will also shoot very well with BRI Win. sabots which my gun doesn't do as well with.

My hunting partner and I have tried Win. partion Golds, Win. Platinum tips, Win. BRI, Rem. Copper solids, Lightfields (terrible in my gun), Fed. Barnes, Hornady Y2K slugs (also terrible) & Hornady SST which replaced the Y2K which shot bad for many folks. Not all inclusive, but a wide range to find the tightest shooting slugs we could. I know it's expensive to test this many brands, and we did so over several months. Our guns were held in a Hughes gun sighting set up we bought placed on a pretty heavy wood table we made out of wood with metal stakes added to the legs that go into the ground. A good sighting set up goes a long way to eliminate flyers due to shooter error & also greatly cuts the recoil beating you get from free hand slug testing.

craig

For those interested in 3.5" slugs run your search for Lightfield slugs...they make them.....and my GOD have mercy upon you as those 1 1/16oz Lightfields @ 1900fps won't..........

I think I'd pass on those....

GregH

I did try one of those[:-] .... that's why I bought an automatic!

beebecl

[I'd advise you to NEVER shoot a foster or any other non sabot through a rifled barrel, they deposit lead quickly in the rifling & did not shoot well in the one gun I've seen it tried in (and the leading is a pain to get out).
]

I've had OK experience with the fosters in a rifled barrel. Sabots are better, I think, but I haven't had problems with the fosters. You're right about the lead.