Remington Slug Barrel
Question:
Looking for the ideal slug barrel for my 870 Remington Express Magnum (12 ga.) I’ve heard of rifled slugs and rifled choke tubes and rifled barrels. Has anyone done the research on this? I get a different answer from each dealer I talk to.
Response:
I have used a 20" rifle sighted slug barrel on my 870 express for about 10 years now. I can keep shots within a 4.5 inch group at 100 yards(the limit at which I will "throw" slugs at animals). I use remington 3" mag slugs and have never changed as I have gotten excellent results. I have only taken two deer with the combo(don’t use it much) but in each case the deer was down HARD and FAST! Here’s the low down from where I stand 
… The hastings rifled or other FULLY rifled barrels WILL no doubt give you better accuracy from your gun IF you use the saboted slugs. You may have togo through several saboted slugs before finding the one that suits your barrel best, just like finding a bullet for a rifle… If you are looking for a quick handling, short range slug gun out to 75 or 100 yards then save your money and buy the regular rifle barrel about $90 vs the fully rifled at $200ish. I use a shotgun when the brush is so thick that you have to crawl through and/or the weather is extremely inclement(too BAD for a scope, and for me, that’s pretty bad weather…). The regular barrel has suited me fine, have never had to even adjust the sights fromthe factory. I neglected to mention but I think you got it was that I use the "rifled slugs" from remington. Oh, and don’t bother putting a load of buckshot in one of these little short barrels! You’ll be luck if two pellets hit the target at 40 yards! Stick with the slugs when deer hunting with a shotgun(my personal choice, have seen far to many deer wounded with buckshot, so no flames thanx) Gotta go, hope this has helped. "RUSHTON" Wapiti95
: Looking for the ideal slug barrel for my 870 Remington Express Magnum (12 : ga.) I’ve heard of rifled slugs and rifled choke tubes and rifled : barrels. Has anyone done the research on this? I get a different answer : from each dealer I talk to.
Response:
I have tested all the major makers slugs and about half a dozen sabots in by sons 870 and my 1100. The most accurate slug was the2 3/4", 1 oz. Winchester. We have killed deer with a single shot up to 130 paces. From a bench rest we have groups as small as 2.5" to 3" at 100 yards.Both guns are equipped with 2 to 7 variable scopes. Heavier slugs, even with greater powder charges, from all makers have unacceptable drop at 100 yards and we have never been able to get groups better than 6" to 8" from the bench. The BRI sabat gave even better groups but lacks knock down power. I can consistantly group the Winchester 1oz. better than my buddies 870 that has a Hastings riffled barrel irregardless of what he is shooting in it.
Response:
>I have tested all the major makers slugs and about half a dozen sabots in >by sons >870 and my 1100. The most accurate slug was the2 3/4", 1 oz. Winchester. >We have killed deer with a single shot up to 130 paces. From a bench rest >we have groups as small as 2.5" to 3" at 100 yards.Both guns are equipped >with 2 to 7 variable scopes. Heavier slugs, even with greater powder >charges, from all makers have unacceptable drop at 100 yards and we have >never been able to get groups better than 6" to 8" from the bench. The BRI >sabat gave even better groups but lacks knock down power. I can >consistantly group the Winchester 1oz. better than my buddies 870 that has >a Hastings riffled barrel irregardless of what he is shooting in it.
Irish, My experience exactly matches yours. My Ithaca 37 Deerslayer with the smooth bore barrel will shoot consistant 3" groups at 100 yards with the Winchester 1oz slugs. Like you I tested all the foster and sabot slugs out there and none did better. I also obtained a fully rifled barrel ( Ithaca Mod 87 ) and that smooth bore Deerslayer barrel out shot the rifled barrel every time. Naturally I sold the rifled barrel, since the smoothbore barrel out shot it with cheaper ammo. regards, Ken Karcich
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> RE: REMINGTON SLUG BARREL > Newsgroups: rec.hunting > Post a followup article to newsgroup(s) > Send e-mail reply to: Irish Jim > Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) >I have tested all the major makers slugs and about half a dozen sabots in >by sons >870 and my 1100. The most accurate slug was the2 3/4", 1 oz. Winchester. >We have killed deer with a single shot up to 130 paces. From a bench rest >we have groups as small as 2.5" to 3" at 100 yards.Both guns are equipped >with 2 to 7 variable scopes. Heavier slugs, even with greater powder >charges, from all makers have unacceptable drop at 100 yards and we have >never been able to get groups better than 6" to 8" from the bench. The BRI >sabat gave even better groups but lacks knock down power. I can >consistantly group the Winchester 1oz. better than my buddies 870 that has >a Hastings riffled barrel irregardless of what he is shooting in it.
I too have experienced excellent results using conventional, Forster type slugs in my Rem. model 1100 using the non-rifled slug barrel. My Remington will fairly consistently get 5 shot 3" groups at 50 yds. with the factory open sights using Remington’s 2-3/4" 1 oz. slugs. I had a Browning A-5 that would do almost, but not quite this well with it’s non-rifled slug barrel at 50 yds. using the same Rem. 1 oz slugs. Though I have not seen them, however, I have heard some really good things from some of my hunting buddies regarding the new saboted slugs out of rifled barrels. It may depend on the individual shooter-gun-load combination. I do believe, apparently like you however, that those of us who still have the older non-rifled slug barrels shouldn’t necessarily consider them as no longer good for anything other than tomato stakes!
