Hello everyone,

I'm looking to purchase a Remington 870 for hunting deer since I can't hunt with rifle in the area that I live.

I was looking at buying a Rem 870 with rifled barrel and rifle sights. I was wanting to put a mount and scope on the shotgun for longer distance shooting with the rifled barrel.
I'm not sure which mounts and rings are solid enough, and what scopes are appropriate for hunting deer with shotgun.
If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them

thanks

Just to point this out you don't need a rifled barrel for long range. I would go for a 20-23" barrel range, the new 870 receivers i do believe they accept weaver rails.

200 Yards

Barrels I've Found
Remington Barrel Remington 870 Express 12 Gauge 3" 20" Improved Cylinder with Rifle Sights Matte
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=381172

Remington Barrel Remington 870 12 Gauge 3" 20" Fixed Improved Cylinder with Rifle Sights Parkerized Blue
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=498375

Remington Slug Barrel Remington 870 Special Purpose 12 Gauge 3" 20" Rem Choke with Rifled Choke, Rifle Sights Matte
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=918972

Remington Slug Barrel Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 Gauge 3" 20" Rem Choke with Rifled and Improved Cylinder Chokes, Rifle Sights Blue
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=248240

Why would you post that video? A smooth bore shotgun is not good much past 100 yards. He didn't even hit that huge plate every time. And so what if he can hit that plate, it's a lot bigger than a deers vitals. In hunting you have to hit your target EVERY time.


A rifled shotgun shooting sabots is awesome for deer. I've used a 20 gauge with a rifled barrel before and it really hammers the deer. A good 2-7x33 scope, made by Redfield, Nikon or Vortex for example, would be perfect. To mount a scope a cantilever barrel would be best, because you wont lose your zero every time you take the barrel off. You could get your current receiver drilled and tapped, and put a scope on that way. Or, you could get a saddle mount that fits over the receiver, not real sure how well those work though.

200 yards more longer than most use hunting. He hit the gong almost 3/4 of the times he fired.

I was looking at getting a 20 guage with the cantilever rifled barrel but didn't know a whole lot about it (the cantilever barrel). You can mount a scope to that rail that's attached? What rings can withstand the recoil?

if you are getting a shotgun just to deer hunt, look at the savage 20g bolt shotgun



1.5" groups easily at 100yds



any good rings, scope etc. will hold up to the recoil
 

That would be an excellent choice.

With rifled slug barrels used on pumps you want the scope mounted on the barrel, not the receiver.  Cantilever was developed as a way to accomplish that and also allow the use of scopes with shorter eye relief.  Before that the mount was forward on the barrel and you had to use handgun scopes.  Now you just mount up with pretty much the same rig you would use on a larger caliber rifle.  There are plenty of scopes made for shotguns, just do your homework and you will see them offered by every major brand.  1x5, 2x7 or a 3x9 will do fine but if you are not sure, lower powers are better for closer shooting.  

I have used rifled barrels for over 27 years now and I usually use a red dot, 1.5x or 2x fixed power.  I have stayed at 100 yards and in for shots, old habits die hard.  One of these days I will put a variable power scope on, but I suggest you use one.

20 gauge is a great choice, a little lighter gun carries easy, add a vent rib barrel for a good all around gun.   The newer sabot rounds are pretty hot.  You are basically shooting a short range .50 cal.

There are packaged guns out there that come with both a rifled barrel and smooth bore.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=416737&pdesc=Remington_870_Express_Combo_Shotgun&aID=510D2&merchID=4006

I think this is a "package" like what you're talking about!

As far as scopes go I was looking at this one...

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/scopes/shotgunmuzzleloader-scopes/vx-i-2-7x33mm-shotgunmuzzleloader/

Has anyone used this scope?

^ Haven't used that scope, but you may want to check out the Leupold UltimateSlam 2-7x33. It is specially designed for muzzleloaders and shotguns. I use one on a 44 mag rifle and it allows me to be accurate out to 200 yards using the SABR reticle.
They make a 2-7x33 in matte black as well, but Midway doesn't sell it anymore for some reason.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Find?userSearchQuery=ultimateslam

Yeah I noticed that on Leupold's website. Wasn't too sure how effective the SABR reticle was. Has it worked well with you?

Yes. I mounted it on a Ruger 77/44 and I can easily make accurate shots out to 200 yards with it using the SABR reticle.

Go here and look at the first 10 pages and you will see all kinds of combos, it will open your eyes a bit to what is out there and not just pump gun combos.
Combos

Yes that is a typical combo, but the one you posted was a 12 gauge.  Gander tends to be high in prices but I noticed they have some 20 gauges on sale, you might be able to build your own combo.  On the other hand, fully rifled shotgun barrels are not cheap.

If I was building a 20 gauge slug gun, no matter what brand, I would tend to do it on a Youth or Jr. gun.  A 20 gauge is small and light to begin with and the shorter length of pull can be very nice when hunting or used for defense too.  The small one with 18" to 20" barrels are very snappy guns.  Gander in particular has some of the 20 gauges with 18.5" barrels, not the typical 20" barrels.  Gander 20 gauge 870's  When you handle a 20 gauge with 12" LOP and 18.5" barrel it allmost feels like a toy.

It is hard to tell someone what to do with an all purpose shotgun.  A 20 or 12 gauge with a 26" vent rib barrel can do almost anything.  On the other hand a light weight 20 gauge with short LOP and short barrel will fit anyone and is more likely to be used.  Rarely does anyone say a shotgun is too short but they are very often too long.  A tall person can adapt to a shorter gun easier than a short person can adapt to a gun that is too long.

I had an 870 with an Aimtech saddle mount, Burris Z rings, and a Leupold compact 1.5. Solid as a rock. It also had two barrels, one 21" with tubes for turkeys and a rifled barrel. Since my longest deer shot was about 55 yards I just left the turkey barrel on and switched from X-full for turkey to IC and foster slugs for deer. POA/POI was close enough for both so that no rezeroing was needed between seasons, just a choke and ammo change. Consider that option.

I ordered a Remington 870 Express 20 gauge with a 18.5 inch fully-rifled cantilever barrel.

The salesperson was telling me he has had experiences with losing zeroes on the cantilever barrels.
Which kind of made me doubtful, but I've heard more good than bad so I went with this choice anyways.

Now I'm just trying to decide what scope or sight to mount onto it.
I've been looking pretty hard at the Leupold 1-4x20, 2-7x33, or the 3-9x40

If anybody else has had good experiences with any other scopes on their slug guns I'd love to hear about it

Good choice of guns.  If you find you lose zero on your gun, you can always pin the barrel or have a smith do it for you.  It is an old trick but it works.