New slug selection???

[J.A.Say.Tree]

Wondering if anyone has done any range work with the new Winchester (or any others for that matter) sabot slugs. I have a Browning BPS Rifled Deer Hunter and have been very pleased with using the old Winchester Supremes. Problem is, I can't seem to find the ones I've used for years anymore. They've been replaced with all kinds of new stuff:

XP3 sabot (Supremem Elite) $26/box of 5

Rackmaster rifled slug (Winchester Supreme) $17/box of 5

Platinum Tip (Winchester Supreme) Sabot $21/box of 5

Supreme partician gold sabot $25/box of 5

With these prices, you can see why I'm seeing if anyone has been to the target range to try 'em out!

Any input would be better than nothing to start with!!

JA!

[Whoaru99]

Some input is fine, but different guns like different slugs.

If you don't need the ultimate in velocity, I'd give the Hastings Laser Accurate slugs a try. Supposed to be pretty accurate and won't break the bank near as much as the others.

[Code-Man]

I had real nice groupings with Remington Buckhammers

[96trigger]

I've shot partition golds for years now, never paid more than $15 a box, I know the prices may have went up a little bit, but thats a lot. If the price is that high, I'm going to give the Hornaday SSTs a shot.

[picksbigwagon]

Where did you find those prices? I usually pay $18 a box for the partition gold (ouch) and am looking at sighting in some Hornday's SST this fall....

[smg04]

i've had very good results with the remington copper solids, probably shot 10-15 deer with them and only had to trail 1 of them farther than 50 yards, and that one was gut shot 12.99 per box, although i couldnt even make a guess as to how many deer my dad has shot over the years and all he shoots is th 1.99 per box rem sluggers

[Powerstroke]

The price of metals has gone up considerably this year. As people start to get ready for their different seasons you will start hearing more about the high price of ammo.

[Whoaru99]

Good old $1.99 punkin' balls can do a respectable job if one finds a load that the gun likes.

Seems we all want to use the biggest and the best when often it's not really necessary.

[DooWap]

Oh the Sluggers, my bow and arrow is more accurate and have a better range than those

[Mike #1]

I have the same gun and the partition golds have worked best for me, make sure your using sabots only and not the cheap slugs, you will ruin the barrel with the cheap ones, and like Whouru99 said don't worry about velocity, my Browning shoots more accurate with the 2 3/4 than the 3 inch mags. Each and every gun is different, also, I don't know where your shopping but I just paid $14 for a box of 5 and it is the same as last year.

[TrophyEyes]

Hornady SST's are the way to go. They are very accurate. I also recovered my bullet last year from a 220lbs buck and the bullet went through both front shoulders and dropped him on the spot. The bullet was perfectly intact and was a specimen for the perfect mushroom.

[Hines R]

They proved it in a study years ago that a 2 3/4 inch shell is more accurate shooting a slug than a 3 inch magnum. I always shot 2 3/4 inch sabots.

A couple of years ago we switched over to the higher velocity winchester sabots and had problems with grouping. Wound up switching back after a year.

I'm glad the section I hunt switched over to rifle if that is what they are charging for the good slugs now.

Ryan

[TrophyEyes]

Rifle ammo is no better in price. $39 a box for the Winchester Ballistic Silver Tip

[J.A.Say.Tree]

Thanks Mike#1 for a reply that does me some good! I will start with the partitian golds (and look for a better $$$-the price I saw quoted came from my small gunsmith's shop). I too have found the 2 3/4"ers much more accurate than the 3"ers in the old supremes.

JA!

[J.A.Say.Tree]

I'm sorry.... there are a few other replies that are helpful. I will give those Hornaday SST sabots a go too... I've found quite a bit of good talk on the web concerning these slugs. Just gotta see what the 'ol Browning Death Stick likes!

JA!

[96trigger]

Hines R, do you remember who did the study? My dad is convinced that he has to use 3in slugs and we constantly tell him that he doesn't have to. Even after he has seen 150+ yard shots with partition golds in 2 3/4 in.

[Dave S]

I just transferred a scope from one slug gun to my Winchester Super-X2. With nothing more than eyeing it up, it took only 5 Brenneke golds to put one through the bullseye. I have shot the Brenneke Golds for several years with excellent results (3" Mag). By the time I was done, I had 4 shots within the 3" bullseye at 50 yards.

Keep in mind that most any gun, including slug guns, is far more accurate than we're capable of shooting.

[snowman678]

I've always been a Federal guy, as I've got family working there and they've always worked well for me. That said, 2 years ago I decided to try some of the other brands just to compare. I found that the Winchester Partition golds grouped the best from my gun, but my dad, who has the same gun had better groups out of the Federal Barnes Expander. I switched to the Partition Gold's, but wasn't very fond of the recoil, so last year I tried the Hornady SST's. I found that they produced an identical group to the Winchester's, but with significantly less recoil. As for hunting, the deer didn't seem to like any of them

[JDM]

Different slugs shoot differently from different guns. I am a major fan of the new high velocity slugs and have taken deer with the Hornady SST's and the Winch Partition Golds. I am going to try the XP3 this year as well. I have also shot other brands that did not shoot that well in my gun. However, I just purchased a new slug barrel from Badger Barrel that is designed to shoot new generation sabots. It has a much tighter twist rate than a traditional rifled slug barrel designed to sabots in the 1200 to 1300 FPS range. The box had a sticker on it with ammo recommendations based upon bench rest testing. My two favorite slugs were not on there. I called him and I have to say, he gave me quite an education in a 20 minute conversation and verified a few things I had always suspected. When sighting in PG's and SST's, I can get a nice three shot group and then one will shoot left or right as much as a foot. I always just figured it was me. This expert informed me that it is actually the ammo and it is an inherant problem due to design. He said that Winchester and Federal have been spending quite a bit of money to fix the issue and the research is based upon goverment military ammo. He encouraged testing of different slugs until you find what the gun likes. The Federal Barnes Expanders(1900 FPS), Winchester Platinum tips (1700 - 1900 FPS), and Lightfield Hybred Elite (1750 FPS) were the three high speed sabots on his list. He said that others have reported good success with SST's and PG's, but they also have just as many complaints. Auto vs Bolt vs Pump can also really influence your results. So can barrel length. I am not trying to confuse anyone with this post, but I can tell you that my conversation with him (and he has not affilliation to any ammo company)was one of the most educational I have ever had on this subject. I can't wait to shoot the new barrel. I am also leaning towards trying the new Nikon scope designed for new generation sabots with an elevation reticle. If anyone has any feed back on that scope, I would appreciate hearing about it.

[koonie]

The sluggers seemed to work on the 37 deer I've shot with them.

[96trigger]

I was at a SEMN chain sporting goods store tonight. The Partition gold 2 3/4 were 16, the 3" were 18, the SST's were $12. I never bought any yet, I have a while before 3B, but I plan on sending some SST's through the 1300 barrel. I also picked up a hastings slug barrel for the Beretta, I'd like to shoot some with that also. Last year I patterned federals, 2 kinds of remingtions, and 2 kinds of Winchesters. The golds shot the best out of the 1300 pump. I'll do the same this fall with the beretta. If the place you looked at is that high on prices, look someplace else. The place I was at tonight is generally one of the higher priced stores in Rochester for shells.