In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Slug barrles. Smooth vs rifled

flyfisher363flyfisher363 Member Posts: 69 ✭✭
edited January 2008 in Ask the Experts
Buying a 22" slug barrel for a winchester 1300. Looking to fill doe tags. Are smooth barrels accurate enough for deer at 50 yards, 100 yards max. Or is a rifled barrel the only way to go? Thanx to anyone who replies
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Old hickoryOld hickory Member Posts: 1,368 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A smooth bore barrel will definitely do it to 50 yards. I wouldn't go beyond 60 if you want to consider yourself a good sport. I got my biggest deer with a 19 inch smooth bore but switched to a 26 inch cantilivered Hastings and know that it's humane to 125 yards. It depends on how much you want to spend, but if you're in average cover you won't give up much with a smooth bore. Just shoot alot so you know where your slugs go.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gskyhawkgskyhawk Member Posts: 4,773
    edited November -1
    i would agree just make sure you try several brand of ammo to see which shots best in your gun , some times the cheaper stuff will surprise you [:D]
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • scubabobfscubabobf Member Posts: 392 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi,
    I have the nearly same shotgun (1200) and have best accuracy with the smooth bore slug barrel using Brenneke slugs. The groups are about one half to one third the size of Foster slugs. At 100 yards you should have enough accuracy for deer and the power is more than sufficient. Because the cost is only slightly more than conventional slugs, I only shoot the Brennekes while hunting. I mounted a scope for accuracy and 50+ eyes. Good luck. Regards.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MossbergboogieMossbergboogie Member Posts: 12,211
    edited November -1
    always used smooth barrel shot deer out at 100 many times.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    +1 on using the German Brenneke slugs in a smooth bore, back before NYS opened the season for deer with a handgun thats all I ever needed to fill the freezer.
    Took my nicest shotgun Buck that way......
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you find the right load, you can usually get a smooth bore to print 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards which is plenty good enough for deer. You might have to experiment with several different loads.

    A rifled barrel and the right sabot loads will work out to 200 yards. However, do not buy a rifled barrel, and then cheap out on the slugs(try to run regular rifled slugs thru it). You will be dissappointed all the way around if you do.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • boltactionboltaction Member Posts: 505 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Both of my slug gun's are smooth bores one has open sight's and the other is scoped.The scoped one's sighted in for 100 yd's killed a lot of deer with it no problems and the slug's are a lot cheaper to shoot.Been useing them for 30 yr's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I Have hit 4" targets at 200 yards with Brenneke slugs from a smooth barrel. I don't know how much energy they carried, but the rubber suspended target jumped around pretty good.

    I am not suggesting 200 yard shots at deer, but if you shoot well and practice 100 is certainly reasonable.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.