What shotgun (remington 870) for deer?

[6gunsal]

Hey er'body! It's nice to be back and see that no-one stole my username while I was out :D

I need help choosing my first shotgun for hunting this deer season. I'm already leaning heavily towards the 870 express, but I don't know where to start when it comes to barrel lengths. I think I would like to use slugs, but I'm not sure if it would be practical to have my only shotgun set up as a slug gun exclusively.

Are slugs definitely the way to go? Or should I get a 28" smooth bore so I can use rifled slugs or buckshot?

[Krupski]

Hey er'body! It's nice to be back and see that no-one stole my username while I was out :D

I need help choosing my first shotgun for hunting this deer season. I'm already leaning heavily towards the 870 express, but I don't know where to start when it comes to barrel lengths. I think I would like to use slugs, but I'm not sure if it would be practical to have my only shotgun set up as a slug gun exclusively.

Are slugs definitely the way to go? Or should I get a 28" smooth bore so I can use rifled slugs or buckshot?

Well, I don't hunt so I can't suggest a load to use for deer... but I can tell you that my two Rem 870 shotguns have always worked flawlessly. Never once a jam, misfire or any other problem.

One of them has a wood stock and a 20 inch barrel with "rifle sights" (but it's smooth bore). That's my clay buster.

The other has an 18 inch barrel, a pistol grip and black plastic furniture. That one is my "get the f--k out of my house" shotgun. :)

Rem 870... can't go wrong :thumbsup:

[O.S.O.K.]

Well the 870 allows for an economical barrel switch making it a multi-purpose rig for you - deer, bird, duck and home defense... just switch the barrels.

They are pretty easy to find for well under $300 a pop and even down to $200 for a good used one.

If you're in a shotty-only deer hunting area, then I'd go with a rifled slug barrel with cantelever scope mount attached to the barrel - this keeps the scope and barrel lined up together for best accuracy. Choose one of the new sabot-slug loads for best accuracy.

Buckshot is a close-range deal for deer - slugs now shoot well enough to make shots at 200 yards - in a good rifled barrel.

You may check the regs too - in some areas that were formerly shotgun only - they've gone to handgun and even pistol-caliber carbines too... which would be my choice over a slug gun (think 44 Mag levergun).

[Hondo]

+1 on everything OSOK said. The only thing I might add is if you want just a single purpose shotgun (deer, slugs only) then I would consider the H&R Ultra Slug Hunter series. I'm not a fan of single shot shotguns for hunting, but I am surprised at all the good reviews this firearm gets.

[mriddick]

If it's a GP shotgun you want get a smooth bore barrel since the rifled ones don't work well for shot. I've shot deer with cheap ol'foster slugs out to 115 yds with a smooth bore barrel and rifle sights, I don't see the need for $5/rd sabots yet :)

Different slugs will work differently, I've found Winchesters group best with federals next, Remingtons are always last in accuracy.

[O.S.O.K.]

What if you spot the buck at 150 yards... and he's not coming any closer?

That's why I'm biased towards a rifled slug barrel and sabots - the better loads are truely good out to 200 yards if you account for the drop properly - which is actually not too hard with a little practice.

[DeadPool]

I gotta wingmaster from 1952 w/ a hastings rifled barrel. i like the winchester ballistic tips. i forget the name of the slugs but they sure are nasty.

[mriddick]

What if you spot the buck at 150 yards... and he's not coming any closer?

That's why I'm biased towards a rifled slug barrel and sabots - the better loads are truely good out to 200 yards if you account for the drop properly - which is actually not too hard with a little practice.

You have to take your hunting enviroment in stride, I've seen deer that would probably be within sabot range that is out of my smooth bore capability to which I just didn't take the shot. I've never gone without a deer in any seaon I've hunted and just consider part of the hunt I partake in.

[6gunsal]

So is there an ideal barrel length for shooting slugs? (Rifled or smooth)

[6gunsal]

I saw this in a local gun shop the other day, which barrel would you choose?
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-express-deer.aspx

[mriddick]

So is there an ideal barrel length for shooting slugs? (Rifled or smooth)

Alot of Remington barrels are 20 inches, Winchester I think puts 22 inch slug barrels on theirs, Mossberg 24 inch. I'd say the spread is 20 to 24 inches :) I like my shotguns to do double duty between hunting and home defense, so I end up with 20 inch barrels and never had an issue with accuracy with mine.

[6gunsal]

great, thanks for all the input

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, I already said fully rifled but I'd go with 20" too. Because of the size of the bore, you aren't going to lose much velocity with a 20 vs 24" barrel and the 20" will be a little stiffer and more handy in the woods.

[6gunsal]

awesome. much appreciated

[HDR]

FWIW, the only shotgun I ever killed deer with was an old M37 using low brass buckshot.

I said old M37 meaning using low brass was required. :D

[6gunsal]

FWIW, the only shotgun I ever killed deer with was an old M37 using low brass buckshot.

I said old M37 meaning using low brass was required. :D

so you're saying I'd be better off with my 100 year-old single shot my grandfather passed down to me? :D

[HDR]

so you're saying I'd be better off with my 100 year-old single shot my grandfather passed down to me? :D

Well, if that's what you have, yup.

That was my reason for carrying the M37 and because the M37 meant I could go hunting deer so I was considered very lucky by my buds. As I took deer with low brass and never got a second shot if I missed the first shot; I learned other than getting close and hitting them nothing else mattered.

If it is anything like the family hand me down single barrel hammer shotgun with a chicken wire barrel I have, I'd hunt with a spear first.

lol

[aliceinchains]

Sorry i am partial to Mossberg .:)

[HDR]

I'm partial to 12ga. lol


AFA delivery systems Mossberg, Savage, Stevens, Rem, Win, Daly, Fox all work well enough.

[Sidartha]

Remington came up with a dedicated slug gun for hunting recently.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-sps-shurshot-synthetic-super-slug.aspx

I read the write-up in one of my gun mags, Guns Magazine I think, and the authors seemed to like it but then I've never seen a gun writer not like a gun.

Anyway that's what I can add to what has been said about the 870.
If I were going to get a dedicated deer shotgun I would get a bolt action for the accuracy advantage. If I were going to buy one shotgun and want to use it for everything from hunting to home defense, then the modularity of the 870 cannot be beaten.

[old Grump]

I'm not brand fussy, 10 gauge to .410, Stevens, H&R, Winchester, Mossberg et al are all in my rack. My 20 gauge Mossberg with a cheap Simmons, (Deerfield), 2.5X scope on it has been my back up deer gun for almost 20 years. 28" IC choked smoothbore it is also my turkey gun and my varmints in the yard gun.

I won't recommend a specific gun but I find 4" groups at 100 yards with the Mossberg shooting cheap generic Brenneke slugs plenty for any deer I'm likely to see and if I lost all my guns but that one I would still be well armed for almost any contingency.

My recommendation any barrel over 24" and smoothbore since it is the most versatile. IM or IC chokes do well for me, stay away from cylinder bore for anything or full choke for slugs and you are good to go.