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Slug guns

Bighoun52

Bighoun52

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I’m guessing some of you guys have some experience with slug guns. My dads heading to Illinios late next week for their gun season. He has a savage 20 gauge that he wants to take and I can not get it to shoot well at 100 yards. Spraying every where. Is 100 yards a difficult shot for a slug gun? What expectations should I have for it. Shoots well at 50-75 yards then goes to hell!
 
P8riot

P8riot

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Carbon, In
It also may depend on the shell you're using. If they are a low recoil = lower fps it could be dropping to speeds that are causing destabilizing effects between 75 and 100 yards. This effect may be dramatized by a smooth bore. It is 1 oz of lead in a round nose not spinning. Sub sonic is 1100 fps. Some slugs only go 1300ish fps. Drag on that canon ball coming out is high. I wouldn't think it would be unreasonable to assume it is dropping below subsonic at that distance. There are effects on a round when it drops below that barrier. When you shoot a deer at distance with a 1oz slug, there is an audible thud when the slug hits!

I know savage does make dedicated slug guns that can not use certain shells.

Definitely need more info, but the reason they require ahotguns is because they don't go as far as rifles. Translation - limited accurate range.

Some counties in PA required shotguns years ago. I have taken 3 with a shotgun and my dad has taken countless. Mine was 75 yards at most with the other 2 closer to 30. That was in Western PA where a 100 yard shot where we hunted would be through trees. Shotguns are great brush guns, but crap at long range. IL requiring them is crazy with most of the farm land requiring distance shots. It would be almost as bad as watching a buck walking at 100 yards with your bow knowing with a rifle, he would be toast!
 
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Fletch

Fletch

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As said already... Need more info... If it's a Savage 220 20 gauge, it is capable of 3 shots in the same hole at 100 yds... Shooting Remington Accu-Tips... Currently in Illinois and have my CVA MR and my Remington 870 slug gun with rifled barrel which clover leafs 3 shots at 100 yds...
 
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Fletch

Fletch

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Oh... Food for thought... Illinois just legalized straight wall cartridges starting next year... Drawback is must be a single shot... Don't ask me why... And a week before this was passed I bought a bolt action 450 Bushmaster... I called DNR and they said either leave the clip out or pin the clip... I got and extra clip and will pin it...
 
Hedgelj

Hedgelj

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Mohicanish
Fletch said:
Oh... Food for thought... Illinois just legalized straight wall cartridges starting next year... Drawback is must be a single shot... Don't ask me why... And a week before this was passed I bought a bolt action 450 Bushmaster... I called DNR and they said either leave the clip out or pin the clip... I got and extra clip and will pin it...
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it's a magazine unless you're running a garand or sks
 
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Jackalope

Jackalope

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Nothing to add over what's been said. Just wanted to wager they're Hornady slugs. I have tried numerous Hornady loads such as their 12ga slugs, 30-30 & 45-70 lever revolution rounds, and their 223 rounds and never liked the way they patterned. They were always flighty.
 
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"J"

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
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Fletch said:
As said already... Need more info... If it's a Savage 220 20 gauge, it is capable of 3 shots in the same hole at 100 yds... Shooting Remington Accu-Tips... Currently in Illinois and have my CVA MR and my Remington 870 slug gun with rifled barrel which clover leafs 3 shots at 100 yds...
Click to expand...
Accutips is what shot the best outta my savage 220. Held 1” groups out too 100 yards. I’d tried numerous just too mess around. Nothing pattered as well as the accutips.
 
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Fletch

Fletch

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J said:
Accutips is what shot the best outta my savage 220. Held 1” groups out too 100 yards. I’d tried numerous just too mess around. Nothing pattered as well as the accutips.
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J.... Accu-Tips seem to be the go to slug for many slug guns, esp. the Savage 220... They perform very well out of my 870... BIG PROBLEM THOUGH... IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND THEM IN 3 INCH... Friend of mine stocked up on several cases before the shortage...
 
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"J"

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
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Fletch said:
J.... Accu-Tips seem to be the go to slug for many slug guns, esp. the Savage 220... They perform very well out of my 870... BIG PROBLEM THOUGH... IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND THEM IN 3 INCH... Friend of mine stocked up on several cases before the shortage...
Click to expand...
I always shot the 2 3/4” they were cheaper and killed them dead.
 
jagermeister

jagermeister

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Savage 220 owner here. The gun shoots Accutips very, very well. But I personally hate the terminal performance of the Accutips. Minimal expansion, unimpressive knock-down force, and the bullet/jacket tends to fragment… almost every single time. That green tip will be all over the place if you hit bone. My personal favorite from the 220 is a Federal Trophy Copper in 3”. Ballistic performance is good, expansion and knock-down power is great, and they almost never fragment. It’s a great round for Ohio deer, 150 yards and in.
 
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mike hunt

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My kid and I are slug gun hunting at Ravena tomorrow, we're using a Savage 220 and a benelli SBE 1 with a ER Shaw slug barrel.Made the switch to straight wall a few years ago, Remington Model seven in 450 Marlin
 
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Bigcountry40

Bigcountry40

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mike hunt said:
My kid and I are slug gun hunting at Ravena tomorrow, we're using a Savage 220 and a benelli SBE 1 with a ER Shaw slug barrel.Made the switch to straight wall a few years ago, Remington Model seven in 450 Marlin
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I’m curious to hear how that is, do a write up if u could
 
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Bighoun52

Bighoun52

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It is the 220. We have tried a couple different types of slugs. Not pumpkin balls. Mostly Winchester super x 2 3/4. They have been the ones that hit on paper. It’s a vortex scope. Can’t remember which one off hand.
 
Bigcountry40

Bigcountry40

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Bighoun52 said:
It is the 220. We have tried a couple different types of slugs. Not pumpkin balls. Mostly Winchester super x 2 3/4. They have been the ones that hit on paper. It’s a vortex scope. Can’t remember which one off hand.
Click to expand...
sabot slugs are hard to come by, I like 3” Winchester super x,
 
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