12ga Slugs

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Finally got a real slug barrel, one with rifling and a scope this time. What kind of slugs does everyone like? I’ve never had the option of using sabots and the like before, was always stuck with rifled slugs till now.
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Its not a question of what everybody else likes, it's a question of what YOUR slug barrel likes.

Each shotgun barrel is an individual, and a slug / sabot that works fine in one won't necessarily work as well in another, even if their the same brand & model.

That being said, I've had good luck with Barnes XP Expanders......
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Its not a question of what everybody else likes, it's a question of what YOUR slug barrel likes.

Definitely true, I’m planning on buying 3 different types to start and see what shoots best. Just trying to get some ideas on what brands to start with.

I didn’t realize Barnes makes slugs. I’m shooting their TTSX through my 308 handloads this year.
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Better hope you have a Lead Sled or a titanium shoulder. That is the only drawback to patterning slugs or buckshot. You take a beating.
I’m hoping to fire one 3-shot-group from each test ammo at 100 yards, pick the best group, and then sight it with as few rounds as possible.

We could all sit here and debate the merits of 3 vs 5 shot groups and how many groups you should actually shoot, but in all reality this is a 100 yard gun and even a 6” group at that range would be fine.
 

FITZH2O

Old Mossy Horns
Lightfields... shoot a deer with one and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

And second the lead sled... nothing like slinging 600 grains of lead to wreck your shoulder.
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Definitely true, I’m planning on buying 3 different types to start and see what shoots best. Just trying to get some ideas on what brands to start with.

I didn’t realize Barnes makes slugs. I’m shooting their TTSX through my 308 handloads this year.

Federal makes a 12 ga sabot using the Barnes Expander, both hollow & polymer-tipped versions. I believe Remington does as well.

Don't know where you are located or if it would be worth it to you, but I have a bunch of 12 ga sabots I don't use anymore - Remington Buckhammers, Lightfields, and some other brands I can't recall offhand. I'd let them go cheap......

 

PG2

Ten Pointer
I would but a box of each, hornady sst, Remington accu-tips and light fields. I would shoot 50 yards first, you are right in 3 shot groups because the barrel will get hot. Also make sure you really clean the barrel good between the groups. Not only powder residue but plastic from the sabot builds up quick and throw the gun off in a hurry.


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ncstatehunter

Twelve Pointer
I got a whole bunch for my Savage 20 ga and shot them to let it tell me what it liked best, which in my case was the Federal Trophy Coppers. They shot so good I didn’t even get to shooting the Accutips I still have. I’d say start with those two, in both 2 3/4” and 3” lengths and go from there. This reminds me another day of comparing slugs is needed...
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
I was thinking about buying a slug gun earlier this year then started looking at the slugs available. There are tons of good options but they are crazy expensive! Make ammo for my 257 weatherby look cheap! Hope you find a good load quickly.
 

darenative

Twelve Pointer
As far as the accutips go, for what ever reason my guns (2 12's and a 20) shoot the 2 3/4" accutips better than the 3". No idea why.
 
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darenative

Twelve Pointer
I’m hoping to fire one 3-shot-group from each test ammo at 100 yards, pick the best group, and then sight it with as few rounds as possible.

We could all sit here and debate the merits of 3 vs 5 shot groups and how many groups you should actually shoot, but in all reality this is a 100 yard gun and even a 6” group at that range would be fine.
If all i wanted was a 100 yard gun with 6" groups, i'd never waste the money on a rifled barrel or sabots.
If you are expecting that kind of accuracy with a rifled barrel and sabots, you are in for one hell of a surprise..in a good way. You are way underestimating what they are capable of
 

NCbowjunkie

Ten Pointer
If all i wanted was a 100 yard gun with 6" groups, i'd never waste the money on a rifled barrel or sabots.
If you are expecting that kind of accuracy with a rifled barrel and sabots, you are in for one hell of a surprise..in a good way. You are way underestimating what they are capable of
I agree with this 100% I have an old 20 gauge pump that my dad bought me when I was 15. 62yr old now I had a 26” improved cyl barrel. It shot ok groups with the Remington sluggers. Then I happened to come across a new rifled barrel that the Walmart had in stock when they were closing down the old store and moving into a new super store. Got it for 20$. Finally put it on the gun and shot a few sluggers through it. I was amazed. Drilled and tapped the receiver for a rail and install a 3x9 scope bought some sabots and it is a tack driver. It is now my dedicated thick woods gun.
 

22LR

Twelve Pointer
Sabot slugs get expensive. I sold my rifled slug gun because of that. I had good luck with Remington copper solids. I now use a smooth bore slug barrel on my 870. It shoots Federal Tru-Ball foster slugs good.
 

Wills1289

Button Buck
Hunting in Delaware, all we are allowed to hunt with is either handgun or shotgun.
I have hunted my entire life with an H&R single shot 12 gauge shotgun. All i have ever shot is the Remington Copper Solid Sabot Slug. Was also told with these guns, the first type of ammo you shoot from it, will always be your most accurate (may just be an old mans tale). But..... it has proben to be true for me! I love it.

31431
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
Not only powder residue but plastic from the sabot builds up quick and throw the gun off in a hurry.

Interesting, never thought about the plastic building up.

If all i wanted was a 100 yard gun with 6" groups, i'd never waste the money on a rifled barrel or sabots.
If you are expecting that kind of accuracy with a rifled barrel and sabots, you are in for one hell of a surprise..in a good way. You are way underestimating what they are capable of

I’ve never shot a slug out of a rifled barrel before, with my smoothbore barrel it was a crap shoot if it would even hit a paper plate at 100 yards. Didn’t know the accuracy was that good.
 

darenative

Twelve Pointer
Interesting, never thought about the plastic building up.



I’ve never shot a slug out of a rifled barrel before, with my smoothbore barrel it was a crap shoot if it would even hit a paper plate at 100 yards. Didn’t know the accuracy was that good.
2 of my slug guns will pretty much clover leaf 3 round groups at 100. The 200 yard groups are about grapefruit size. The 3rd slug gun i've never figured out completely. The poi shifts after the first shot as the barrel heats up. If i wait 10 or 15 minutes between shots it groups as well as the other 2 guns.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
I've killed deer with many different slugs. In the sabots the Federal Barnes Expander, Remington Copper Solids, Win. Partition Gold and Remington Accutip slugs performed well. I didn't like the on game results from the Hornady SST slugs. I would say I have killed well over 50 deer with slugs if not getting close to 100. I liked the Win. Partitions the best, with the Remington Accutip taking the lead when Winchester backed off on the velocity of the Partition Gold Slugs. I still have a stash of old/new stock of the Partition Gold slugs though for when the Savage 210F comes out to play. My suggestion would be go with a heavy slug with the highest velocity you can find. It will recoil like a Howitzer, so what ever you can stand. The reason for the heavy slug is so you can get exits on "long" shots. The point blank hunting range for the Partition Golds and the Accutips will be about 150 yards for a +/- 3". 175 with a little more, but much after that you will need to compensate for the trajectory. The slug starts to fall quickly over little yardage past that point, meaning you would have to know the exact distance within just a few yards to properly compensate. Accuracy is not the issue as I have shot out to 250 yards with excellent accuracy.
 
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