rifled barrel

[bucketmouth64]

My son is thinking about using shotgun for deer hunting. I was wondering if a rifled barrel is necessary for 12 gauge? If I remember correctly, when I was much younger I went deer hunting with slugs without a rifled barrel. I think I used brenakke's.

[jay83196]

You get more accuracy and I think more velocity at longer distance with rifled barrel but with good rifled slugs you can still get out there a ways 75-100 yds without. Practice...practice....practice.

[goblueM]

My son is thinking about using shotgun for deer hunting. I was wondering if a rifled barrel is necessary for 12 gauge? If I remember correctly, when I was much younger I went deer hunting with slugs without a rifled barrel. I think I used brenakke's.

my benelli smoothbore shoots brenneke slugs pretty decent out to about 75 yards

[mntatonka]

a rifled barrel is absolutely NOT necessary. You can, with practice, consistently hit a vital area on a deer with a rifled slug at 150 yards. However, I'd consider 50 yards about the max for a novice with a rifled slug, and that's probably pushing it.

[Steve Foss]

I've shot deer with smoothbore shotguns and slugs. Now I shoot a rifled barrel shotgun with scope, and while I took deer the older way, I'm a lot more confident in the accuracy of my shooting with the rifled barrel. A LOT!

[lakeshoremunster]

either one will kill a deer and either one will wound/miss a deer.

slugs are cheaper than sabots, I would consider the enviroment your hunting in and base your choice on that.

[96trigger]

It is not necessary to get a rifled slug barrel, but Steve Foss hit the nail on the head. I hunted with smooth bore barrels for many years, I switched to rifled slug barrels 10 years ago. I would never go back. The groupings are tighter and the slugs drop a lot less at greater distances. A good sabot will drop about 6 inches at 150 yards, where, you would still be aiming at the deer when firing. A foster slug out of smooth bore will drop a lot more and you probably won't even be able to put the sights on the deer when compensating for drop at that distance. A young hunter needs all the help they can get. Having the equipment that hits where you aim really helps and also helps build confidence. I would also consider a rifled barrel a must for someone hunting field edges that may be taking shots farther than 50 yards. A smooth bore would be fine for shots in the woods within 50 yards.

My son is only 4, but when he does start deer hunting, I will definitely pony up the extra cash for a rifled slug barrel. To me, getting him the best equipment I can afford, to help him be more successful will only increase his enjoyment of deer hunting. I would much rather get him a cheaper gun with a rifled barrel than an expensive gun with a smooth bore.

[hoppe56307]

It is not necessary to get a rifled slug barrel, but Steve Foss hit the nail on the head. I hunted with smooth bore barrels for many years, I switched to rifled slug barrels 10 years ago. I would never go back. The groupings are tighter and the slugs drop a lot less at greater distances. A good sabot will drop about 6 inches at 150 yards, where, you would still be aiming at the deer when firing. A foster slug out of smooth bore will drop a lot more and you probably won't even be able to put the sights on the deer when compensating for drop at that distance. A young hunter needs all the help they can get. Having the equipment that hits where you aim really helps and also helps build confidence. I would also consider a rifled barrel a must for someone hunting field edges that may be taking shots farther than 50 yards. A smooth bore would be fine for shots in the woods within 50 yards.

My son is only 4, but when he does start deer hunting, I will definitely pony up the extra cash for a rifled slug barrel. To me, getting him the best equipment I can afford, to help him be more successful will only increase his enjoyment of deer hunting. I would much rather get him a cheaper gun with a rifled barrel than an expensive gun with a smooth bore.

I agree 100%. I had used a smooth bore up until 2 years ago. And I would never shoot over 50yds because of the accuracy. Now with a rifled bore and sabot slug, I am confident out to 125.

[jay83196]

Anybody want to buy savage camo 220 slug gun only shot twice...I nice gun I just want to get a 212 instead.

[96trigger]

If my son wasn't only 4 years old, that would be very tempting. You might want to move that to the classifieds. It will probably get deleted on this thread.

[jay83196]

Yeah my daughters only 3 or I would keep for her, I would rather her use a 243 or something with less kick just threw it out there never sold gun before probably not worth it for what I payed for it.

[96trigger]

The bolt action really intrigues me. I would actually love to have one, they used to be so big and blocky, now they are almost rifle like. I don't think you would have too much trouble selling it. Should be a tack driver and it is the right time of year. Go on some of the bigger gun auction web sites and see what they are bringing used to see if you still want to sell it.

[MrCrappie]

+1 for rifled barrel.

[RumRiverRat]

Rifled barrel with Federal Barnes XPander slugs=dead deer out to 150 yards or more.

[Steve Foss]

Rifled barrel with Federal Barnes XPander slugs=dead deer out to 150 yards or more.

Exactly what I shoot. I use the 2 3/4 in 3/4 oz loads. Great round!

Right off the box . . .

Sight in at 150 yards

Velocity at 200 yards: 1340

Energy in foot-pounds at 200 yards: 1315

Height of slug trajectory in inches at 200 yards: -7.2

Since my shooting is in fairly heavy woods, I have it sighted in at 100 yards.

[96trigger]

You know, just thinking about this, I have never heard anyone who has switched from a smoothbore to a rifled say that they wanted to go back to a smoothy. That might tell you something right there.

for the record, I shoot a hornady SST's or winchester partition golds, 2 3/4 inch out of a Beretta al390 or a winchester 1300. The beretta has a cantilever mount with a leopold scope. Very deadly, put cross hairs on deer, pull trigger, dead deer.

[harvey lee]

I have used both and would never go back to a smoothbore shotgun again.

Yes, I did shoot deer with it but my rifled barrel shotgun does so much better.

Go to a gun rnage and shoot both and you will see a difference.

[harvey lee]

a rifled barrel is absolutely NOT necessary. You can, with practice, consistently hit a vital area on a deer with a rifled slug at 150 yards. However, I'd consider 50 yards about the max for a novice with a rifled slug, and that's probably pushing it.

Trouble with that is this, many will take the longer shot and they will more than likely wound the deer with a poorly placed shot.