# Slug guns and the slugs used.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I bought a slug gun after decideing I wanted a bolt action 20ga. Really gave thought to the Tar Hunt model untill I saw the price!!!!!!
The savage 220 had recently been released and seemed like it was just what I wanted till I went looking at new ones. I got to say the quilalty controll on the ones I looked at didn't give me good feelings about them.

So started shopping for a used one possiably a mossberg 695 Ugly gun but I didn't feel the Marlin 512 looked lot better. Along the way I ran across a Ithaca 37 deer slayer with rifled barrel I what just about to buy but keep looking at the acton haveing been drilled and tapped for a scope and looked cocked. went home and got a straight edge and returned and sure enough it was slightly cocked. 

My hunting partner had a Remington 870, hastings slug barrel, gun was a killed in both directions. shot it just one time and decided no way I wanted a 12 ga. Would just stick with my Muzzle loader instead.
Then when I was looking at a Ithaca 37 smoot bore deer slayer 20ga at a shot the young sales man 
suggested I look at the Remington 870 slugger New.
I liked the looks of it so decided to buy it. I was told by the young sales man he used 2 3/4 Remington buck hammer ammo. Said he had tested the 3" stuff and decided in the short barreled slugger the hunks of lead jump out so strong they don't engauge the rifleing in the short barrel. So I got a couple boxes of the Buck Hammers. I have no complaints with the shot gun or the BuckHammer other than Reming stopped makeing the Buck hammers I suppose be3cause they didn't sell for $3.00 a shot.

so I decided that since I reload shot shells and rifles I would reload the slugs. I had a hard time at first on finding any information on where to buy and componites. then a guy at the sports man club turned me on to A web site slugs are us.

I started with the SPW sabots and hammer heads useing Blue Dot powder because it is what I had on hand to load 357 mag ammo.

So far they work fine and are a lot cheaper than buying factory loaded stuff. there is also the satifaction of useing some thing you assembled to shoot deer.

I have been thinking of investing in a trinney trigger up grade for the 870 for some reason.

 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I have a Mossberg 500c 20ga with the ported 24inch rifled slug barrel and I mounted a 2-7x32 Nikon on top.
that shoots about a 3 inch 3 round group at 100 yards with the Winchester dual bond slugs which are a 260gr 44cal bullet in a sabot running 1800fps last year it took a nice spike big body shot just behind the shoulder at 75 yards deer traveled about 20-25 yards and collapsed .

I looked into making my own and decided for as few as I use and with still finding them for 10 dollars a box of 5 on sale.

my 500A 12 ga is a 24 inch smooth barrel with iron sights and shoots the Win super X bulk pack slugs surprisingly well overlapping holes at 25 yards.

I have a scoped 1100 12ga also that I had drilled an tapped and mounted a 2-7x32 nikon about 13 years ago , pre-glasses I could hold a paper plat at 100 yards after the scope I could stack up rounds overlapping in a vertical string at 50 yards and keep then on a desert plate at 100 unless it was very windy. this was my primary deer gun from for 26 years.

everything smooth bore gets the Winchester super-X bulk pack slugs be it 12 or 20

only the one rifled barrel 20ga gets the Win dual bond slugs.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

My Remington wears a Bushnell 1.5 x7 dusk to dawn scope. My reloads are for us sissies at 1500 FPS. but do a mighty fine job.











 Al


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

My current slug gun is a 12ga. Mossberg 500 I got when my Dad passed. Gun was built in 1968, put a ported rifled barrel on it and a quickpoint on the receiver. It likes Lightfield slugs. I hunt pretty thick stuff so it is sighted in at 50yds. Those Lightfields hit like Thors hammer. It's a bang, drop situation.
My old '37 had the barrel cut down to 20" and Remington rifle sights put on it. It loves Federal Hydrashock slugs and will cloverleaf at 50 yds. Unfortunately my eyes ain't what they use to be plus squeezing the trigger on a cut down featherweight is more than my old bones could handle. The nice thing about it was you could carry that thing all day. It is still my favorite gun. Bought it off my uncle for $50 when I was 16. Blueing is worn and there are some chips in the stock and scratches on the receiver but that thing functions flawlessly. The action is as smooth as silk.
Won a Savage 220 last spring. It's still sitting in the safe. Going to put a Vortex 1.5-4 power scope on it. That will give me three slug guns all together. Don't think I need anymore.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

The newer 870s have had some QA issues and based on what I have heard first hand and read, are not of the same quality as the older Remingtons. 
I have hunted with my 870 since I bought it in 1992. It is as solid as a hammer, and like any 12 gauge, will leave a hicky on the shoulder until you learn to give it a firm hug.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

when I am driving I like to carry the 500A easy to carry and light.

slug guns around her got very reasonably priced when the state went rifle state wide unless by local ordinace.

since I was still hunting a township that was shotgun and pistol only by local ordinance I picked up a few


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

We can use a rifle with straight wall cases. So they makes rifles like the 45 70 357 max and a few others make good ones. But since I have my slug gun and have used it with success getting a real nice buck and a small one every year.

Although Last year we decided we don't need so much venison so I started only taking one.

 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I was reading the Michigan farm zone strait wall cartridge rules , 45-70 is out too long.

you need to keep to 1.8 inches max case length
with a minimum of 1.16 inches 

Michigan farm land and a few others is basically the reason they invented 350 legend it is a 35 cal bullet at 1.71 inches in case length.

given the restrictions I would probably just keep shooting the 20ga rifled barrel also for the few deer a year.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Your right the 45 70 is long. But hey way I figured If I wanted to use my 7 mm08 They would never know. I've ripped on the DNR guy for tresspassing before. They have to show cause why they are tramping around on private property.

But I won't I like the little 20ga. does a nice job and the deer just lay down.

 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

unless they see you shoot the deer with the 7mm-08 your just coyote hunting with it.

they used to close coyote season in WI for dear season

I always thought it really stupid that you could hunt coyote with any rifle you wanted but come opening morning you had to use a shot gun.
about 2 years after the change to rifle in my county I was talking with a sherrifs deputy at a hunters ed class , reports of stray rounds in out buildings , farm equipment and vehicles dropped significantly , because people started hitting what they were aiming and treating a rifle with the respect they never gave a shotgun.

people frequently forget that just because you can't reliably hit a gallon jug at past 125 yards with a foster slug from most guns doesn't mean it isn't still traveling with lethal force.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I always get in trouble calling my 20ga a rifle, Has a rifled bore after all and I would have to look it up but think it is (bought ammo) as strong as my Winchester 94 32 win special.

 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

A 2 3/4 Winchester dualbond 20ga slug at 1800fps is right on the heels of a 444 marlin that would be about 2000fps.

and it hits deer like it also 

there was a wild cat cartridge some tried 44-06 it was a 30-06 case cut just behind the shoulder then tried at 1.8 inches then formed and a .430 bullet seated in the case , it used the case mouth to head space much like a 9mm does .
it creates a rimless strait wall cartridge a ballistic equal to a 444 marlin but in a Michigan legal case


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

*Ballistics and Drop for the .32 Winchester Special*








Cartridge Type: Rifle
Height: 2.04"
Width: 0.506"
Average FPS: 2250
Average Energy: 1911
Average Gr: 170
Recoil: 1.95
Power Rank: 3.83 of 20 



The .32 Winchester Special was designed in 1901 by Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The cartridge was made for the Winchester Model 94 lever action rifle. The case is based off the .30-30 Winchester with a rimmed bottleneck and large rifle primer. The ballistic performances based off two grain types for velocity are 2,410 ft/s (165 gr) and 2,283 ft/s (170 gr).

The .32 Winchester Special gained mixed reviews because of the lack of bullets available on the market to brass hand loaders when it was introduced. The bullet diameter fits a .321 inch bullet onto an expanded neck .30-30 case. The design for the .32 WS is meant to give it more power while also having less kick than the .30-30. The .32 WS can be used effectively up to 205 yards out before a noticeable drop-off in trajectory and wound penetration occurs.

The .32 Winchester Special is good for shorter range hunting due to its decreased wound penetration as distance increases on targets. The Model 94 lever action was offered in 32-40 blackpowder chambering, and Winchester wanted to offer a new series off cartridges for hand loaders on the market. The .32 Winchester met the needs of hand loaders by having more powder capacity than the .30-30 loads and eventually became more popular as bullets entered the commercial market.



*Casing image above is an artist rendering and not a real photo of .32 Winchester Special Ballistics cartridge. While we have went to great lengths to make sure that it's as accurate as possible this rendering should not be used to generate specs for casings."


I don't have any wants for a deer hunting wild cat. Have plenty of rifles and I do like my shot gun with reloads.

Some day before I die how ever I will havew a 308/22, 7mm08/22 260/22 or 243/22
All are the same case just necked to the orginal caliber.


 Al


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

32 WIN SPL is a great round , the issue for MI is that it isn't strait walled , it isn't 35cal and it is too long .

the 22 chetta II is a barrel burner for sure , but if the performance is worth it in coyote calling not a lot of faster than 223 centerfire 22s out there


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Was just compairing the FPS of the 32 Win special to thre 20ga. The 32 was a lot more than I remembered. I shot a lot of deer up north in the 1960 with it and like it a lot.

I coyote hunt with a 220 Swift, every one says it is a barrel burner too. But if you only use jet fuel instead of rocket fuel it works nice.

My friend Dean has a 308/22 that he likes really well.

Guess there isn't to many that use slugs on here.

 Al


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

My old Win. 94 in 32 Special with Lyman #2 peep sight.


 Al


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I have run the gamut on slug guns since IN was a slug gun only state until a few years ago, and I also hunt IL which is still slug guns only. In the early 70's we all just used our bird guns and the standard cheap lead foster type slugs, but accuracy was poor and range limited to 50 yards or so. 

Next upgrade was a smooth bore Ithaca Deer slayer with rifle sights. I had the receiver drilled and tapped and mounted a scope to it. Killed a lot of deer with that rig but about all you got was pie plate accuracy out to about 75 -100 yards. The smooth bores shot best with the Brenneke rifled slugs.

Next they came out with rifled barrels, and saboted slugs, so I switched to a Remington 870, drilled and tapped the receiver and mounted a good scope. It was better than the Ithaca but the barrel being a separate piece from the receiver allowed a little movement which affected accuracy. Had a gunsmith 'pin' the barrel to receiver to improve the situation and could get 6" 100 yard groups. That gun really liked the Federal premium, 2-3/4" Barnes copper expanders which you can't buy anymore.

Next upgrade was to a Savage bolt action 12ga with rifled barrel. With a good scope on this gun, using the same Federal premium, 2-3/4" Barnes copper expanders, this gun shot pretty darned good, 4" 100 yard groups and I could shoot 150 yards pretty confidently.

My current slug gun is the Savage 220, 20ga which in my opinion is the best option currently available. Mine wears a Leupold scope and I shoot 3" Remington, copper Accutips out of it. 100 yard groups are 2" and I have checked the drop and can consistently hit the mark at 150 and 200 yards. Really starts dropping off any further than that.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Dean gave me a box and 3 Hornaday SST slugs Sunday said they wouldn't shoot for crap out of his slug gun with a Hastings rifled barrel. He had gotten them on sale for $12.00 a box some hole in the wall hardwear store.

I shot 4 of them yesterday from my Remington. Two I found the black sabots laying on the snow about 25 yards out. the other two I never found the sabots and none shot worth beans from my gun either. Infact only one even hit paper.

My hand loads are still stacking them up in the 50 yard target 2" high and still on the money at 100yrds.


 Al


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