Sabots??

[traderdan]

Anybody have a preference on types of sabots to be fired through a rifled slug barrel? It has been several years since I hunted with a shotgun with a rifled barrel,and my son purchased an Ithaca Model 37 with a Deer slayer rifled barrel.

 

[FishnHunt]

I've had good luck with these in the past.
Shotgun Ammunition - Shotshell Slug - Premier Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded - Sabot Slugs
Honestly any of the major companies' offerings should do just fine.

 

[remauto1187]

I use the Remington Copper Solid 2 3/4" 12ga to do the job. They do it well and have used them for 10+ yrs now. Ive found the core lokt Remingtons 3" just to be too much overkill. There is no reason to even use 3" deer slugs in my opinion. (Unless you are shooting scope 200yd shots). But you may find that some other brand is what your barrel likes. Hate to break it to you, but its up to your barrel...not you as to what shoots the best.

 

[FishnHunt]

Ive found the core lokt Remingtons 3" just to be too much overkill.

FWIW, the Core-Lokts I shoot are 2 3/4". The newer Accu-bonds are 3", and I would agree that 3" could be considered overkill.
And about shooting what your gun likes. It'll vary from gun to gun, even within the same models.

 

[NDhunter]

My gun likes the Hornady's SST's. They really do shoot extremely well. Blood trails have been spotty at times in my hunting party's experience with them, though. Obviously a good shot with it is going to do the job, and they hit where they are supposed to, but if you're in a swamp or such where you may lose sight even after a good shot, be prepared to track. I'm not sure why some very well hit deer don't bleed when hit with them. I've killed 6 with them and 2 bled well and 4 left a lot to be desired. All were found. Just my .02, I'm sure experience varies.

Use what you like and your gun shoots best.

 

[Vamptepes]

I just been using the Remington Accu-tips. It's there version of the SST. I just could never bring myself to spend so much on those coppersolids. Especially since i used to always use Remington sluggers or Brenneke KO's with my old gun.

 

[nickman54]

Look at lightfield, my old slugger loved them.

 

[rkesar]

I use hornaday sst's

 

[snapping turtle]

I used to setup dedicated slug guns as a hobby for friends and co-workers. There are some guns that accuracy improved vastly with different sabots some guns shot about anything well. There are also some slugs that seem to work well for special situations.

Extreem distance the BRI hour glass shaped slugs work best and group at distance best.
For the fence line where you just have to put them down on one side nothing seemed to beat the federal Barnes expanders 3 inch.
Horniday sst's worked best in my 870 using a Mossburg rifled barrel. My Hastings compensated barrel would shoot anything well. I ended up using the federal Barnes expanders in it they were a dream load for it.

Both of these guns had pinned barrels dedicated as slug guns. Very much like the deerslayer. Believe me it helps with the accuracy. You will like that setup well. I set up two for left handed shooters. One scoped and one open sights with a laser sight.

Two that seemed to work well in about any of the platforms or barrel makers in 12 gauge it would be winchesters partition gold or rem core loc ultra bonded. They seemed to work well at distance and still have plenty of knockdown power up close. Maybe not the best in any one shotgun but accurate in all.

My shoulder now likes the 44 mag. I think the years of setting up and bench shooting 12 gauge shotguns with 385 grain sabots at 1900 FPS was brutal. we ended up creating some good slug guns. Wefigured out some great stuff on stock size/fit and recoil reduction and we also spent lots of money on slugs and shotgun related items like shotgun scopes

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

There's a reason the Remington copper solids are so expensive. They work. 2 3/4 for woods and 3" for longer cornfield shots. As beat half to death in previous posts, it is entirely up to your barrel. Don't be afraid to try Remington sluggers and winchesters, too. Just cause they're less expensive doesn't mean they're not good products.

 

[traderdan]

There's a reason the Remington copper solids are so expensive. They work. 2 3/4 for woods and 3" for longer cornfield shots. As beat half to death in previous posts, it is entirely up to your barrel. Don't be afraid to try Remington sluggers and winchesters, too. Just cause they're less expensive doesn't mean they're not good products.

Thanks for all the input guys..I used to hunt with an 870 with an aftermarket rifled barrel,and never was able to achieve satisfactory accuracy with it.I took an 80 yard shot at a decent 8 pointer and killed him..but it took more than one shot.It was not a real clean kill...I guess we will pick up two or three different types and see what works best.The older I get the less I enjoy recoil...so I will let the 17 year old take most of the punishment.He can't quite keep up with Dad on the range,but it won't be long...

 

[Zoub]

My old Hastings barrel groups better with 2 3/4" rounds. In the past 10 years or so I also only use it when distance is not the real issue but I don't want the deer to go far in a swamp, bog, thick forest or onto other private property. The only slug that has ever dropped a deer dead, and I mean legs just folded and dead when it hit the ground was a Federal Barnes Expander.

In 30 years with this barrel I have shot everything. These days most quality ammo will group well, your gun will like one better than the others, my focus with Sabots is on end result with the deer, not distance. BY keeping the shot at or under 100 yards with a well placed shot, 1 shot kills will be normal with most of the slugs listed in this thread, you can stretch the shot out farther when you need. I just keep Federals and Brenneke stocked these days but my barrel likes both. Once you find a round your gun likes and if it kills the way you want, I suggest you go buy 5-10 years worth of ammo. The other big issue with Sabots is getting exactly what you want when and where you want it. They are expensive, hard to find and loads change. Then after season you just put that barrel away with the dedicated ammo.

I agree with what jmarriott posted, including letting the kid do all the shooting.

 

[remauto1187]

Remington has a rebate for the Copper Solids. They do this pretty much every year around this time. $5 rebate per box! The cheapest Ive been finding a box of them is around $17 at Walmart. $5 rebate puts them back at $12/box which is what I was paying for them 5 yrs ago.

 

[traderdan]

There's a reason the Remington copper solids are so expensive. They work. 2 3/4 for woods and 3" for longer cornfield shots. As beat half to death in previous posts, it is entirely up to your barrel. Don't be afraid to try Remington sluggers and winchesters, too. Just cause they're less expensive doesn't mean they're not good products.

You have had success shooting rifled slugs through your rifled barrel?

 

[remauto1187]

You have had success shooting rifled slugs through your rifled barrel?

You CAN do that ya know? Granted it will foul the crap out of the rifling with lead after around 5/6 shots and then its down the toilet after that.

 

[DragonGunner]

My Mossberg 500 with rifled barrel has been shooting cheap Winchester SuperX 1oz. rifled slugs for years and years.....super accurate all the way out to 110 yds...have never shot beyond that. Barrel looks and shoots perfect.

 

[Tranquil]

Another +1 for Hornady SST's. If you haven't tried them, buy a box and see what the hype is all about. Your gun might be like mine and love them, or copper solids may suit you better.

 

[Sniper 79]

What ever is cheap and available. I have a 37 and it shoots cheap sluggers and chaep super x great.

 

[traderdan]

What ever is cheap and available. I have a 37 and it shoots cheap sluggers and chaep super x great.

Rifled barrel?

 

[twolfe82]

Light field 2 3/4 always worked good for me