I am looking at setting up a dedicated slug gun and I have several questions.

1) If I use a Remington 11-87, which barrel is showing to be better; Remington fully rifled or Hastings fully rifled?

2) What brand of sabot slugs are showing the best accuracy? Any preference for 2 3/4" - 3" - or 3 1/2"? I know, let the gun decide, but I am looking for a good starting point.

3) What reasonable accuracy should I expect at 50 and 100 yards?

I have looked at the Tar Hunt site. These sound great but too much money for a gun that I'm not even sure when I will use it. I have some buds who are looking at some 'slug only' states for trophy bucks and I wanted to get one ready. If I lived and hunted in such a state, I would get the Tar Hunt gun.

The last time that I used slugs, I had to use a smooth bore and was using Rottweill-Breneke lead slugs. Alot has changed since then!

I appreciate your in-put.

Cheers,

Sam
eclemmons@hotmail.com

Big Sam:

I used a Hastings 24" cantilevered barrel (Leupold Gold Ring 1x4) on my Rem.1100 some years ago. I also had an 11-87 at about the same time and can't remember if I ever also fitted it but perhaps my experience with the 1100 might be of some rough value to you, (to give you an idea) In any event, Rem rifled slug barrels were too short in my view and the Hastings barrel was absolutely superb! As near as I recall, I was getting groups of 2" regularly at 50 yards. Sometimes the groups opened up at 75 yards to perhaps 3"- 4". But not always. I never tried it at 100 yards.

I used 2 3/4" sabots (Rem. as a rule. To be honest, i never experimented much with other brands after seeing how well the Rem. loads did for me but I suppose if you have the time and inclination, you could fool around.You mentioned a great name in slugs and I'm sure they are turning out some great loads yet) The 3" shells don't seem worth the extra (and noticeable) recoil even if the auto cuts down on recoil and accuracy is maybe impaired in my view. You're hunting deer, I assume, in Eastern woods or in woods anyway. I never had a deer tagged from a 2 3/4" shell, go very far. (With a Rem. 870 pump, I found the 3" sabots to be brutal and definitely affecting accuracy)

1. I would check the twist rate of the rifling in the barrels. Sabots are better with a 1-27". Twists may have changed since i did my testing. This is what i have from 1999. Hastings paradox 1-34". Marlin 512 slugmaster 1-28". Mossberg 500 cantilfever 1-36". Remingotn fully rifled 1-35". Remington rifled screw in choke 1-24 <not a good choice. Remember Mossberg and BRI invented the sabot. 2.I have heard the rem ammo works best in rem bbl. Dont know? 3. Accuracy at 100yds, 5 shot group should average 4" with a scope mounded cantilever fully rifled barrel. The best gun i believe was the mossberg 695 (discontinued) bolt action.