Remy 870
 

I have a Remy 870 Express with a 26" barrell plus a 22" I believe Non-Rifled Slug Barrell. Now my quesiton is. Is it better to Use Sabots + a Rifled Choke in the 26" barrel or should I put the Slug barrell on and use a Rifled Slug? I think the Rifled Choke with Sabots would be better, no?

RE: Remy 870
 

I'm going to assume that since you mentioned no scope that you are going to be shooting open sights. Then I am going to assume that your 26 in barrel has a double bead for sighting. Your slug barrel should have rifled sights. My suggestion would then be to go with the foster type slugs in the smooth bore slug barrel. Try a few and see which one groups best and fine tune the sights on the slug barrel from there. The rifled choke tube with sabots would be a viable option with a scope or rifled sights, but just no way to fine tune it if your impact was off your aimpoint with the bead sights.

RE: Remy 870
 

I just bought one also and had the same question. I decided just to pick up a few boxes of the sabots. I know, they are expensive but I did not want to mess around with the choke and I figured that it would only take a few shots to get sighted in with anyway. I do not plan on taking any shots further than a 100 yards with it either so a few shots to sight in with is more than enough. It has the open sights as well and I actually prefer that since the shotgun will be good for quick accusition in spot and stalk situations.

RE: Remy 870
 

You will never know until you try both. I have heard that rifled choke tubes are hit and miss sometimes. And sabots are expensive. I say grab some boxes of shells and try both barrels with both types and see which actually shoots better.

I would personally put money on the slug barrel, even though it's a smooth bore.

Paul

RE: Remy 870
 

I agree with hunterdeneugene, don't try to hunt with justbeads. This is extremely difficult for even the best shooters. Although smoothbores can be amazingly accurate with Foster slugs, the problem lies in the sights: drill and tap for a scope, which can be expensive, or get a side mount or saddle mount, either of which is nearly sure to mar the finish on the receiver.

You say you think the slug barrel is rifled. Look down it and find out. I've not used the sabots much, mostly because I'm cheap but also because I don't have a lot of 100 yd. shots where I hunt, but my understanding is they don't do much for you with a smoothbore. On the the other hand if it's a rifled bore, I've read that sabots are the best way to go.

RE: Remy 870
 

My 870 with smoothbore 20" barrel cuts clover leaf groups at 50 with foster slugs. It likes Winchester XX

RE: Remy 870
 

Let me clarify. I have a scope on a saddlemount. The 20" barrell is a smooth bore. I was thinking of getting a Rifled Choke for the 26" Rib Vent Barrell that I use for skeet, waterfowl, upland, etc. I know I can use Sabots in a rifled barrell or with a rifled choke, but use a rifled slug in a smooth bore with no rifling or rifled choke, ie the 20" barrell. I was just wondering what everyone else uses. Most of my shots are within 50yds but I would like to reach out to 100yds if I had to this is my thinking for the Rifled Choke with my 26" barrell. I guess the only way to tell is to try both right? Boy is my shoulder goign to be sore...

RE: Remy 870
 

Trying it out is the only way. If you get a limbsaver recoil pad, your shoulder will thank you for it :)

RE: Remy 870
 

and that's the truth! When I started sighting in my 870, those recoils add up quick. Personally, I wento to Bass Pro where they have a lead sled and did a lot of work there. Used a little cheaper slugs for the initial sighting in then switched to Sabots when my groupings were a little better and then did the fine tuning with the sabots. I personally use the slug barrel that came with the combo when I got it 10 years ago. First time I used it on deer was 2 years ago. Took 2 nice does with open sights, think this year Im going to give a saddle mount scope a try, hunting what I believe the best area i've ever had the chance to hunt. Good Luck!

RE: Remy 870
 

Try both ways and see what works better for you.

RE: Remy 870
 

Since your scope is mounted to your receiver, and not your barrel, you may not get better results with the scope than your rifle sights, because there can be some slop in the barrel mounting system. But then again, you may do well enough for your hunting situations. You really do need to try each combination and see for yourself. I've heard from a couple guys that they got the best results when the barrel screw was tightened with pliers (over a rag or towel to avoid scratches) to take as much of the play out of the system as possible. I can't recommend that you do that, but apparently it helped them.

For 50 yd shooting I would use foster styleslugs and the smoothbore slug barrel if you can shoot that well enough. 75 yds might be my max range with that setup.

RE: Remy 870
 

I have been hunting with the exact same set up for 10+ yrs. (Rem. 870/22" smooth bore slug barrel/saddle mount w/red dot scope) with good results. It cuts cloverleafs out to50 yds. good out to 100 if sighted in slightly high at 50. Mine likes the Brenneke slugs best, I have also shot Rem. sluggers and Winchester XX with decent results. One thing about the Remy is it does have a pretty good kick to it, After about 7 or 8 shots at the range you start to feel it pretty good. If most of your shots are 75 yds. and under this is the way to go IMO.

RE: Remy 870
 

i LOVE my 870 :)

RE: Remy 870
 

Barrel length will not matter, the advantage of the other barrel is it has interchangeable chokes. However I believe even with the choke removed there is still some constriction to it. Where as the slug barrel will be a true cylinder bore and should shoot foster slugs pretty well. Not to mention the sights are fixed to the barrel which should be more consistent.

The only thing a longer barrel on a shotgun does is effect the balance and the way it swings. Most modern loads burn all their powder in under 20 inches so the longer barrel will not yield you more velocity. Or least not enough that you will notice anyway.

Paul

RE: Remy 870
 

If your set up already with the scope, then your set. I got a 870 three or four years ago, just set up this year with a square d mount on the reciver, and a trueglow red dot 30 mil. I have a 26 in. smooth bore, and could not belive how tight the pattern was with the winchester sabo compaired to the rem slugs.

RE: Remy 870
 

I would shoot the sabots out of the slug barrel. The slug barrel should be rifled. The foster style in the smoothbore can only shoot to about 50 yards accuratly without a significant amount of drop. So if you plan on shooting short distances I would go with them. I shoot an 870 super magnum with the slug barrel with remington core-lokt 395 grain sabots. I can easily shoot out to 150 yards. I don't use a scope though. It gets tough sometimes to shoot that far but I am comfortable shooting that far without a scope.

RE: Remy 870
 

I would go with smooth barrel and rifled slugs.....add a scope and you will be at 100 yds

RE: Remy 870
 

RE: Remy 870
 

I know two guys that have 870's with drilled and tapped receivers, Weaver bases. Both are comfortable shooting out to 100 yards with the receiver mounted scope, smooth bores, and slugs. I have a 870 Police model, 18" cylinder bore barrel, that I'm going to have drilled and tapped for a Weaver or Warne base. Probably put a Nikon or Bushnell scope on it with QD rings.

Bugs.