Author Topic: slugs from a modified choke barrel? (Read 1374 times)

huntsman · « **on:** September 16, 2004, 06:24:13 PM »

I'm brand new to shotgunning and have a Rem 870 Express youth 20 ga with a modified choke. Is it wise to shoot slugs out of this choke, or should I get a different choke for slug shooting? Thanks for any responses.

mountainview · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2004, 05:02:29 AM »

I agree with C130. For years my father used an Ithaca with modified choke to shoot birdshot and slugs. For better accuracy and if the budget can absorb it, a slug barrel with sights would be the ticket. But as C130 noted the more open chokes do better with slugs and the cost of a second choke tube (if your 870 is so equipped) in IC or Cylinder is pretty nominal.

Safe shooting.

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2004, 12:25:09 PM »

I deer hunt with a 20 ga. NEF Pardner that has a modified choke with no problem at all. Try it, you might be surprised.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2004, 01:28:02 PM »

i sighted in my modified choke pardner a few weeks ago and it shot great, at 50 yards it grouped into a few inches.

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #4 on:** September 17, 2004, 03:31:56 PM »

well there you go

Big Paulie · « **Reply #5 on:** September 28, 2004, 07:32:17 AM »

I agree with all, that the foster type slugs will shoot, and that the best recommendation would generally be a cylinder or improved cylinder choke.

However, the biggest issue to accuracy is going to be your sights! You need to have a complete set of front and rear rifle type sights on this gun. Just pointing the bead will not do it, because you will be lining up the rear of the rifle differently every time, and may very well get trash can lid groups at 50 yards, a horrible wounding tool. You may be able to buy some slip on front and rear sights from Cabellas. I haven't looked in a while.

I know that for 12 gauge models, several companies make a slip on metal scope mount, that slides over the top of the 870's receiver, and just uses the existing metal pin holes in your receiver to hold it in place with some replacement pins. Again, see Cabelas. They probably make these in 20 gauge as well.

Your scope will have to be one specifically designed for mounting on a shotgun, as ordinary scopes cannot take the punishment of the recoil and will break.

When you mount that scope, though, you are going to definitely need to lace or strap on a leather cheek piece to the butt stock, to raise your eye up to the scope level, and to cushion the recoil. Just putting the bottom of your chin on the top of the butt stock to look through the scope is NOT an option, particularly for a youngster. You are talking about chipped teeth, cut open eyebrows, or maybe much worse.

Hope this helps.

Mannyrock

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #6 on:** October 02, 2004, 07:31:41 AM »

I don't agree with the "horrible wounding tool" comment. I have never wounded and lost a deer with my 20 ga. Pardner. "Garbage can" groups are not what I get. My gun shoots into "coffee can lid" groups at 50 yds. and is still doing ok groupwise at 70 yds. And that is with a front bead only.
I don't use this shotgun because I have to. I use it because i like it and it gets the job done. I just wish that sometimes people who "know everything" would try it before the knock it. :grin:

LMM · « **Reply #7 on:** October 03, 2004, 04:56:15 AM »

gwhilikerz,

Amen.

The biggest issue to accuracy is the shooters ability.

Like golf, high dollar components and gadgets won't make a poor shooter (player) a good shot. JMHO.

tscott · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2004, 11:42:16 AM »

years ago I bought a smoothbore slug barrel for my 1100. I think $49.
Never sighted it in. Shot 2 deer with it in Hudson Valley, NY. Only shots through the barrel. I hunt mostly with rifle. I found this barrel to hit exactly where I wanted on deer...
Over the years I have been tempted with a Hastings rifled barrel, but
the cost which rises all the time never justified the expense, when I recall the 2 shots from the smoothbore. By reading all the comments, I surmise the difference between smooth vs. rifled is minimal at best! Comments?

LMM · « **Reply #9 on:** October 03, 2004, 12:31:17 PM »

Just the price difference in ammo (smoothbore slugs vs slugs for rifled barrels) is inhibitive. I've been the rifled barrel route. There is performance advantage at longer ranges (over 75yds) but not worth the cost in my opinion.

brown-trout · « **Reply #10 on:** October 05, 2004, 04:03:56 AM »

i agree that a 20 ga smooth bore with "just" a bead sight can be an effective deer gun(here in Ohio..thick timber & second growth brush/trees).
While my deer slug gun is a scoped mossy 500 with a fully rifled barrel with williams iron sights just in case, all of my deer have been taken at less than 65 yards. The average is around 35 or so yards. im sure if I were more patient I could lower that avg. even further, as NONE of my bow kills have exceeded 18 yards.

20 gauge slug is more than potent enough on whitetail deer... a "bruiser" these days is just about 250 pounds....a big guy...thats all. Remingtons 20 ga slugs have 930 ft/lbs at 50 yards......what a 44 mag might acheive at the muzzle.

my youth pardner keeps them in an 8" circle all day at 50 yards , with bead sight. wouldnt want to go further, but why would I??

just my opinion, BT.

Big Paulie · « **Reply #11 on:** October 12, 2004, 05:39:45 AM »

Dear Guys,

When I spoke of really large groups at 50 yards from using a shotgun with a bead front sight only, I was speaking from personal experience and observation. Over the years, I have tried three different shotguns with front bead only and foster slugs, and I continually got terrible groups at 50 yards. My comment about trash can size was definitely an overstatement, for which I apologize, but my groups were generally 12 to 14 inch big, with no real consistency.

I think that maybe I just have a cheekbone that cannot consistenty settle into the exact shooting position every time, and get the same sight picture every time, with just a front shotgun bead. I was also using 12 gauge, and maybe the big time recoil from the bench was also playing a big part. I have seen the exact same results, year after year, from other guys trying to shoot slugs from their 12 gauges, with front bead only, at the range.

So, in my hands, and certainly in the hands of the people I have seen at the range, the bead only sight would be a horrific wounder. I realize, of course, that other people may not have the same experience and may be able to get a more consistent cheek weld. The bead only system may also work better with a 20 gauge, which certainly has sufficient power. (I just don't own one.)

So I guess you are right. Perhaps he should take his shotgun out to the range first and see how well the bead only system works for him form the bench!

I like the scope, though, because with the rifled slug barrel and sabots, you have a good 100 yard rig. In places with very heavy woods, however, I can see how this may not matter much.

Best Regards,

Big Paulie

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2004, 07:02:45 AM »

Big Paulie I agree with you about large groups from most "bead only" shotguns. Everyone should try their own gun to see what it does at the range they figure to shoot at game. I got lucky in that my pardner shoots really good groups with just the bead. But I am always looking for improvement. Maybe I will drill and tap for a scope one day. Now I know that most guns simply are not that easy to shoot accurately with just the bead. Check before you take any gun hunting.