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Posted: 6/13/2008 6:58:37 PM EDT
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I've decided to not get a Marlin 336 since I don't like stocking calibers that are fairly expensive to shoot in the off season, and I nearly always squirrel hunt so a shotgun would be a better choice for a dual hunting gun. I think I'm just going to use my 18" 870, and just use rifled slugs for deer hunting. In my area, there are very few open fields so any shot will be under 100 yards. I just have a couple questions for you slug hunters: 1. Should I consider any reduced recoil slugs for hunting? I have some Speer Lawman slugs that are RR, and I can easily get 2" groups at 25 yards. I just don't know if they would have enough energy at further distances 2. I know many recommend Brenneke slugs. Are they really that much better than normal Foster slugs, and which actual Brenneke slug do you recommend? Brenneke USA's website shows several different slugs. If there is any other advice/tips you can offer, I would really appreciate it. I seldom shoot slugs, so I just want some input before I start spending any extra money. |
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The great thing about an 870 is that you can add extra barrels for a pretty low price. Shop around and find a rifled barrel, then try some sabots. And if it doesn't have one already, put a Sims recoil pad on it. You can buy it as a drop in replacement. I've never tried the reduced recoil. Outdoor Life or American Rifleman had a write up on them a while back, seems like they shot ok...don't remember much else. |
I don't want to buy a rifled barrel since it will swirl bird & buckshot. It limits me to just sabots out in the field, and I would just carry a rifle if thats the case. I want to carry a shotgun because if I haven't seen anything all day, I'm going to hunt squirrels so it won't be a wasted day. Thats why I'm limiting it to rifled slugs only. I'll see if I can find the article on RR slugs though. 
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Energy with a 12 Gauge slug isnt really a concern. I've killed several Michigan whitetails with 2 3/4" rifled slugs. always got complete penetration. My longest shot was 120-yards and the slug still went clean though an 8-pt buck on a broadside shot. Where reduced recoil slugs suffer is trajectory. The standard 1-oz slug at 1600FPS drops 12" at 100-Yards. The remington low recoil at 1200FPS or the fed low recoil at 1300FPS are going to require even more hold over if you try a long shot. As for specific ammo recommendations. If you have adjustable sights then pick whatever groups the best out of your gun and adjust the sights to shoot to point of aim for that load. If you have fixed sights then pick whatever load prints closest to point of aim for your gun. I'm currently using Brenekke Heavy Field Short Magnum rounds because they operate reliably in my M1Super 90 and print 1" high and perfectly centered at 25-Yards. In past years i have used Winchester Super-X shells in the red plastic hulls. I've also experimented with #1 and 00 buckshot in the past and was unhappy with the performance. Buckshot just didnt anchor the deer like a slug through the shoulders or neck does. Good luck.  |
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And that is how you go from this... http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p80/Shadow_Grey/Deer/MVC-285F.jpg http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p80/Shadow_Grey/Deer/MVC-286F.jpg to this... http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p80/Shadow_Grey/Deer/MVC-288F.jpg about 125 yard shot with this... http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p80/Shadow_Grey/guns/IMG_0018.jpg |
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