ksigtuck

I have always hunted deer using a rifle but one of the places I want to hunt next year is shotgun only. I just wanted to get some opinions on what rifled shotguns that I should look at from those of you that hunt deer with a shotgun. What make/model do you like best and why? Also what scope do you recommend for a shotty?
Thanks,
Tuck

BOWHUNTERCOP

depends on what you want to spend.... No need for a 12ga., with todays high tech 20ga. sabot slugs it's all you need. You can get a dedicated slug gun like the Savage 220f which I have & love, also consider a single shot H&R Deluxe I also have it and its great !!!! If you want a pump and great deal they have at Dicks Sporting Goods is the Mossberg 500 combo it comes with two barrels one field and one rifle/cantilever barrel. Get yourself a decent scope and test out various sabot slugs to see which ones work best in your new shotgun !!!!

Gunplummer

How thick an area is it where you hunt with a shotgun? I live in a shotgun area and do hunt around home sometimes. If your shots are fairly close, maybe you only need a smooth bore. Lead slugs are a lot cheaper to practice with and shoot during deer season. I dropped a doe Friday about 80 yards out, which is really pushing it for my shotgun. It hit about where I aimed, but I know it starts to open up fast after about 70 yards. I have an old (From the 30's) H&R single shot. The tubes on the old shotguns are really thick and do not flex as much and they are thick enough to silver solder a scope base right on the top of the tube. I have a cheap Leapers 4x rifle scope on it and have had no problems with it even though the recoil is pretty bad on a short, light, 12 gauge. I really put a lot of Federal slugs through it over the years and the scope stayed good. If you do go smooth bore look for one with a thick walled barrel and you should be O.K. Up to you, just telling you some options.

buckinbowhunter

Savage 220f is an awesome slug gun. You'll find yourself using it more than you think. Since is started using it in the thicker brushier areas which I originally bought it for, I have used it all over. Paired with the right sabots it groups quite well at 250 yards.

BOWHUNTERCOP

an let me add it shoulders like a rifle !!!

miram

it depends on the type of cover you hunt ,,I have a scoped T.C Encore w/ a rifled slug barrel that will shoot 6 in. groops at 150 yds.But I wouldn't dare carry it in the thick stuff I hunt in.
I'll stick with my Ithaca Deerslayer with open sights.

buckhtr77

There are quite a few ways to answer your particular question. The best answer depends on how you plan to use it, your budget, and if you have a shotgun you can make work. If you plan on shooting over 100 yards you're going to need to step up to something rifled and good sabot slugs. If you're not going over 100 the lead foster slugs will do just fine. I have a Remington 870 as a backup that uses the lead slugs quite well. It has a rifled choke tube screwed in the end of a smooth bore barrel and it shoots quite nice out to 100. I killed a deer at 117 once but that's really pushing the limit. And hitting them with the lead slugs is simply devastating. I'm picking up a brand new H&R 20 Gauge with thumbhole stock tonight. I plan on taking a doe during the IL doe only season in January with the new gun. A trusted friend sights in guns for people and has reported consistent 200 yard success with the 20 gauge H&R with Remington Accu-Tip slugs.

ksigtuck

I really had not thought about a 20 gauge for deer hunting but after reading a lot of reviews on the Savage 220 it sounds pretty promising. That may be the route that I end up going. I am pretty sure that I want to go the rifled barrel route to have the extra distance if needed. I am not sure of the layout of the woods yet where I will be hunting as I have not been there yet, so I am not sure if it is brushy or if there will be more open shots. I also like that the 220 appears to feel more like a rifle as that is what I prefer to deer hunt with. I have a few shotguns that I could probably pick up a rifled barrel for (Benelli SBEII and a Browning Silver) but I think I would rather just add another gun to the collection. Can't ever have to many...right? Thanks for all the suggestions so far.
Tuck

toejoe625

mossberg 500a 12 gauge i have had it for a couple years and my dad has hd one for like 25 years i love it and you can shoot sabots or rifled slugs in it

UncleNorby

The savage 220 gets my vote too, but the high performance sabots are expensive. Not that you'll shoot all that many.

Another cheaper option os to find a used Marlin 512 or Mossberg 695. These are both bolt guns. My 512 shoots really well with a couple sabot brands. It seems to like the velocity under 1700 fps though.