Encore 20 gauge rifled barrel

[scienceguy]

I am considering the purchase of a 20 gauge rifled barrel to take advantge of the improved ballistics of some of the new slug loads.  Has anyone had any experience with the Encore 20 gauge rifled barrel?  Anyone try the new Remington bonded 20 gauge slugs or the high velocity Winchester partition loads?  Compared to a 12 gauge, was there much reduction in recoil?  Any practical experience on deer with this set up?  What level of accuracy did you get from your T/C barrel?  Thanks!

[handgunhuntr]

I have a 20 ga. slug barrel and love it.  I started with the Winchester partition at 1900 fps and the groups were terrible.  I moved down to the Win platinum tip at 1700 and my groups are now about 1.5 - 2 inches at 100 yrds.The 1900 fps were somewhat harsh on the shoulder much like a 12 ga., but the 1700 are much easier to shoot.  I have no experience with it on game, but hopefully next week in the opening day, it will prove to be a reliable choice for deer.

Shawn

[Dragon31]

Last year I bought a 20 ga slug barrel from Ed for the purpose of having a lighter short gun in the tree stand.  I had my doubts about the 20 ga (I don't know why).  The gun performed just as I hoped.  It was lighter, shorter and very easy to handle in the stand.  I bought a bunch of different slugs and settled on the Winchester as my hunting load.  I took a small 8 point buck in Indiana that passed behind my stand and I hand to stand up and turn around to get the shot.  The shot was about 80 yards and slug passed al the way through breaking the on side leg going in and the off side as it left.  Sunday is the last day for slug guns in Indiana and I only have a doe tag left I may carry it again.

[scienceguy]

Dragon 31,

Which Winchester load did you settle on in that 20 gauge? What accuracy did you get?  Hope you filled that doe tag!

scienceguy

[Dragon31]

scienceguy:
Sorry it took so long to reply.  I finished Indiana's slug gun season up on the farm trying to help everybody  "get thier deer" and only returned home this morning.
To answer your question I settled on the Winchester Supreme.  The bullet is 260 or 265 grain, .45 cal traveling at about 1900 ft per sec.  The accurary was probably about 2 to 3 inch at 100 yards.  My Encore is sensitive to how I rest it on the forearm from the bench.  From the tree stand I don't notice any difference.  The Remington's do about as well and I,ve killed my share of deer with the Remington's.  I settle on the Winchester because my hunting partners (almost all females) shoot youth model Remington 1100LT with Hastings catilever barrels and 4X scopes.  The Hastings comes with a warning not to use the Remingtons packed in with the shipping materials.  So I just bought a case of the Winchesters and called it a day.  
Neither the 1100's with the Hastings barrels or the Encore will shoot the groups that my Savage 210F will.  Of course the Savage kills on one end and beats the shoot to death on the other.  Every guns is different and you just have to play around and find what yours likes.

[scienceguy]

Dragon 31,

Thanks for the info.  I noticed the same thing with my Encore forend, being sensitive to how the gun is rested.  I guess I'll just buy a couple of boxes of various slug types and have at it.

scienceguy

[Muddyboots]

I will echo everyone else's opinion on the 20 Ga. I also had some reservations but ordered one last year from custom shop. I tried numerous sabots/slugs out of it and best were Federal Barnes Expanders 3/4 oz (easy 2" groups at 100 yds.), Winchester Partitions (3-4" groups at 100 yds). Lightfields were terible out it barely keeping on paper at 50 yds. Killed 6 PT here in Indiana last year with the Federal Barnes Expanders at about 60 yds perfect shot behind shoulder, obiliterated lungs and left nice exit hole. Went about 75 yds before piling up with 3' wide blood trail to it even a blind vegetarian could follow. I am working on a Dangerous Game slug load for it from Ballistics Products which I think will be deadly combo. I just prefer my own reloads over factory otherwise I would never change from the Federals. The Federal load is a little cheaper than the Winchester but not by much.
Muddyboots

[hyltoto]

put 5 holes touching at 100 yards with a 4  power Leupold scope off the bench at our indoor range.