What is the range of a shotgun for deer?
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location:
Posts: 10
What is the range of a shotgun for deer?
Both barrel types preferably
I am looking to buy a shtgun and am debating if I should go with the regular barrel or belly up and buy a combo of rifled slug and regular barrel.
Thanks in advance
I am looking to buy a shtgun and am debating if I should go with the regular barrel or belly up and buy a combo of rifled slug and regular barrel.
Thanks in advance
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 295
Best thing to do is to pattern your gun at different yardage and then determine what range your gun will allow you to make an ethical shot on an annimal. For me, I don't shoot at a deer beyond 30 yard w/ a shotgun, 25 yds w/ a bow. This keeps my recovery rate high.
As far as what to buy, it will depend on where you plan to shoot/hunt. My first shotgun was a combo with a slug barrel and a smooth barrel. Because I can use rifles where I hunt, I only use the smooth barrel. For distance shot I use the ML or rifle.
As far as what to buy, it will depend on where you plan to shoot/hunt. My first shotgun was a combo with a slug barrel and a smooth barrel. Because I can use rifles where I hunt, I only use the smooth barrel. For distance shot I use the ML or rifle.
Last edited by vadeer; 12-27-2009 at 03:51 AM.
#4
From my experience with shotguns, it comes down to accuracy. A smoothbore barrel won't be too accurate out past 50 or 75 yards I don't think. If you get a rifled barrel and try out some of the newer sabots, I think you will find you can hit a paper plate (about the size of a whitetail deer's vitals) at 150 yards without too much difficulty. The slug is starting to drop pretty fast out there at that range, so practicing at 100, 125, and 150 yards would be important.
Regular smoothbore barrels are not that good at stabilizing slugs, especially sabots. A sabot round needs the spin from the rifling to allow the sabot to separate from the actual bullet. Sabot rounds are what you really want to use for deer, they are way more advanced than the older slugs.
Regular smoothbore barrels are not that good at stabilizing slugs, especially sabots. A sabot round needs the spin from the rifling to allow the sabot to separate from the actual bullet. Sabot rounds are what you really want to use for deer, they are way more advanced than the older slugs.
#7
For smoothbore, 50 - 75 yards for most shotguns. My friend can shoot his accurately out to 100 yards, but from my experience, that is the exception rather than the rule.
With rifled shotguns, the only experience I've had is with the H&R single shot full rifled. That was extremely accurate with Lightfield slugs - like 2" groups at 100 yards. It is my cousin's deer gun, and he has taken deer out to 120 yards with it. I'm sure it would be good to 150+ if you practice to account for the bullet drop.
With rifled shotguns, the only experience I've had is with the H&R single shot full rifled. That was extremely accurate with Lightfield slugs - like 2" groups at 100 yards. It is my cousin's deer gun, and he has taken deer out to 120 yards with it. I'm sure it would be good to 150+ if you practice to account for the bullet drop.
#8
What brand and model is this shotgun?
And the right slugs? What brand are they? Any particular bullet configuration?
iSnipe
#9
With my 870 28" bbl (smoothbore), I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn at 25 yards with rifled slugs, using the standard Rem chokes. Okay, I could hit a target at 25 yards but about 8 inches high and 5 inches to the left. TERRIBLE. I recently got the Wad Wizard choke and now I can sling rifled slugs 100 yards within 3 inches of bullseye. Go figure!
I also I have a Marlin 512 bolt action slug gun. It has a 3" chamber but I've only fired 2 3/4" sabots out of it. It's sighted in for 100 yards and can do 1.5" groups at this range with the Remington Premier Accutip sabots. They are the ONLY slugs I was able to get to group accurately out of that gun. With that said, I haven't tried everything out there. I am able to group about 4" at 200 yards with this gun. I aim about 3-4" high to hit bullseye.
I also I have a Marlin 512 bolt action slug gun. It has a 3" chamber but I've only fired 2 3/4" sabots out of it. It's sighted in for 100 yards and can do 1.5" groups at this range with the Remington Premier Accutip sabots. They are the ONLY slugs I was able to get to group accurately out of that gun. With that said, I haven't tried everything out there. I am able to group about 4" at 200 yards with this gun. I aim about 3-4" high to hit bullseye.