18 December 2004, 04:34
MarkHere is the best way I have found to get an accurate slug gun-
1) Rather than buy a new barrel, purchase a dedicated gun, I have a mossberg 695 bolt gun, my brother used to and got a Savage last year. Marlin also makes one for about what a Hastings barrel costs but I do not like it nearly as much as the Mossberg. However, the stock is stiffer and it may be a better platform accuracy-wise.
2) Spend even more money finding out what shoots best in your gun. Plan on this costing at least $50 though you may get lucky. the Tar hunt website has a lot of information on sighting in. One major issue is to take your time, it has been my experience that if you shoot several times in a row the barrel heats up and will soften all of the plastic components and the accuracy will go to pieces, I try not to shoot more than twice and then let the gun cool for a few minutes, leave the bolt open and stand it upright to help it cool faster.
Here is my brothers Savage after I added a muzzle brake and a new recoil pad (pachmayr 990)
Regarding what to shoot, well good luck! I have resorted to loading my own the last several years. For next year I hope to have a mould modified to my own design. Right now, after several years of casting my own I used the dangerous game slugs from Ballistic Products. They are 1 1/16 oz but I modify them and remove about 3/16 oz of weight. I use unique powder and they chrono at 1660 fps. They seem to group around 5 inches at 180 yards, not the best but good enough for my uses. They also start dropping like stones around that distance too. I wish I could tell you different but it would be somewhat untruthfull then.
Mark