I hunt in Japan and at this point only have a shotgun license. I am looking at getting another slug gun, but prices here are stupid high, so I'm opting for a used gun.
I have narrowed it down to two, a Remington 870 with a cantilever hastings barrel, and a Mossberg 695. I plan to use sabots, so my question is which one would be more accurate? I know about pinning the barrel on the 870, and the old beer can trick, but I am not sure it would matter much with the cantilever.
They both are in the, hold your breath, $800 range, but that is cheap here. What would you go with?
I've used a 695 for the past decade or so and have been happy with it, but the hastings barrel has a good reputation too. So I guess it just depends what you like, but for a dedicated slug gun the mossberg gets the nod from me.
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Posts: 7786 | Location: Between 2 rivers, Middle USA | Registered: 19 August 2000
Remington just introduced a dedicated slug, the 870 super slug, it comes with a heavy fluted barrel already pinned and has drilled and tapped receiver for bases. Its about the same money and might be worth a look.
I have a remington cantilever barrel for my 11-87. It shoots 1 1/2 inches at 100 yards with a 3x9x40 scope mounted using the now discontinued remington 1 3/8 copper solid sabots. Only have 9 of them left! The point being the remingtons can shoot well without too much modification and still allow the use of a upland barrel. The on I use is a sporting clays model.
Posts: 5727 | Location: Ohio | Registered: 02 April 2003
I have a long and successful history with the M870. However, one freezing day I failed to get the shell completely in the magazine and it locked under the loading gate. It took an hour plus to clear that jam with a pocket knife. It was my fault but I've steered clear of solid gate shotguns since. My dedicated slug gun is a Mossberg with Hastings slug barrel
Posts: 2627 | Location: Where the pine trees touch the sky | Registered: 06 December 2006
If your realy serious about a dedicated slug gun to shoot sabots then you need a good solid rifled barrel BOLT action shotgun thats more like a rifle. With that as the benchmark, this leaves very few offerings. In 5th place is the Mossberg 695 (no longer in production / maybe able to find a good 2nd hand). 4th place is the Marlin 512 Slugmaster (also no longer in production / maybe able to find a good 2nd hand). 3rd place is the Savage 210F Slug Warrior (in production / Not overly expensive new). 2nd place is the Browning A-Bolt Rifled Shotgun (no longer in production / most expensive of the large factory slug guns / chance on a 2nd hand very low). 1st place goes to Tar Hunt Rifled Barrel Shotguns (in production / most expensive of all slug guns / 2nd hands are extremly rare but can be had at times).
Given that the list of available Bolt Action Rifled barrel Shotguns is limited to say the least, the Savage 210F is really your best bet. The good part as I mentioned above is even new they are not realy that costly, parts are easy to obtain and its a 3" chamber. Will mount a scope easily, even a bipod if you want. Now as to why a bolt action shotgun. Simply if you realy want to get the best out of a shotgun shooting solid saboted rounds, then what your realy after is a large bore rifle. If your after a large bore rifle, its a given that bolt action's far surpass any other type of action for acuraccy. Ergo, a bolt action shotgun is far better for the type of round you wish to shoot, more so in a cold climate. Cantilever type slug guns are known to have issues in colder climates.
I own a Savage 210F, brought new over here in Australia I paid $1100AU ($634.00US). I'm very pleased with how it performs and it shoots 1" groups out of the box @ 100m. I brought mine to do a project gun with, but even so, standard its a damn fine bolt action rifled shotgun.
Browning marketed a slug gun version of their BPS shotgun Which you may be familiar with it, because it's actually made by Miroku.
Personally I have a non-cantilever hastings scope mount barrel on 3" Remington 870 "express" and I mounted an Aimpoint 2000 on it. (the entire shotgun is essentially a period piece to express the state of the air in 12ga rifled shotguns circa 1985.
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Posts: 4601 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: 21 March 2005
I have used several rifled slug barrels by both Mossberg and Hastings. The mossbergs are good, but the Hastings are noticeably better. If you really want top accuracy from the 870 consider epoxying the barrel to the receiver. Brownells accra-glass works well for this and can be undone by applying heat from a hair dryer or similar appliance.
velocity is like a new car, always losing value. BC is like diamonds, holding value forever.
I just read Gibs reply to the slug gun post. I owned two Browning A-Bolt slug guns and both shot around 1 1/2" at 100 yds. (not meters). I've never owned the Savage 210 but have heard others say they got 1" at 100 yds. with it. P.S. I tried every slug available.
velocity is like a new car, always losing value. BC is like diamonds, holding value forever.
I bought a 210F but have not shot it yet. I ordered a McMillan for it and numerous aftermarket triggers are available. The goal is to produce a product as similar to the TarHunt but at a fraction of the price. I know it's not the same thing but I can't justify spending the money on a TarHunt. I would rather build another centerfire. TarHunt does offer modifications to the 870 for a reasonable fee.
Originally posted by 7mmfreak: I bought a 210F but have not shot it yet. I ordered a McMillan for it and numerous aftermarket triggers are available.
I still use the factory stock, the good part about that is, its a hollow butt. To help reduce recoil I put some N°4 Shot and a 50/50 mix of epoxy and acertone. This was done to get the resin to flow into every nook an crany. It did take 4-5 days to cure, no harm done to the factory stock. I dont know if the same can be done to a McMillan stock. As to the trigger, I fiddled with mine, now I only have to breath on it an it lets off. I have tested it for impact (AD) and its fine. It be about 1¼ pounds if that.
quote:
Originally posted by 7mmfreak:The goal is to produce a product as similar to the TarHunt but at a fraction of the price. I know it's not the same thing but I can't justify spending the money on a TarHunt.
I can understand that, your quite correct, Tar Hunts are bloody expencive. Its a smarter option if your on a tight budget. You have a fine donor/base unit, it can only go up in performance.
Posts: 110 | Location: Australia | Registered: 29 November 2008
Originally posted by Hokkaido: I know about pinning the barrel on the 870, and the old beer can trick, but I am not sure it would matter much with the cantilever.
What are the beer can trick, barrel pinning and cantilever?
You might want to look at the Mossberg 835 to.I got one a few years ago and put a Bushnell Red Dot scope on it.I've yet to try a brand/slug it didn't shoot extremely well with.Good luck!
Posts: 369 | Location: Adirondacks | Registered: 08 February 2009
but that is cheap here. What would you go with?
The point being the remingtons can shoot well without too much modification and still allow the use of a upland barrel. The on I use is a sporting clays model.
