Whats your best group with smoothbore shotgun slug

[Phantom]

I read some guys claiming to achieve 2-3 inch groups even at 100 yards. Is this true or just smoke and mirrors when using Bernanke Ko slugs? The farthest I have tested firing slugs is 75 yards, where I consistently achieve groups of 5 to 6 inches using 3-inch 12-gauge Remington and Winchester slugs. I have tested with both iron sights and red dot sights. However, I believe that using a scope would tighten those groups even further. 

[Bucksnbows]

4 hours ago, Phantom said:

I read some guys claiming to achieve 2-3 inch groups even at 100 yards. Is this true or just smoke and mirrors when using Bernanke Ko slugs? The farthest I have tested firing slugs is 75 yards, where I consistently achieve groups of 5 to 6 inches using 3-inch 12-gauge Remington and Winchester slugs. I have tested with both iron sights and red dot sights. However, I believe that using a scope would tighten those groups even further. 

I have only ever sighted in my late father’s 870 smooth bore slug barrel with ramp sights at 75 yards using foster type “rifled” slugs and routinely get 3” groups of three slugs at that distance. And that’s open sights. But I have my own 870 with a cantilevered rifled barrel and scope, so I shoot Hornady SST sabots in that 12 gauge. 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Bucksnbows

[Bucksnbows]

I should add I’m shooting 2 3/4” Remington rifled slugs in the smoothbore barrel. Dad’s 870 is not a magnum receiver. 

[Fab]

Funny i shot my 11/87.   Rifled tube.  10 shots.  50 yards. With a scope.   I shake a lot  I was using rem 2 3/4 in fosters.   I had all 10 in a 4 in square    I wood feel fine shooting 85 or 90 yds 

[Land1]

3in group 2 3/4 done it at 75 yards ive seen no need to shoot 3in slugs over kill  ive always thought

[Bucksnbows]

36 minutes ago, Land1 said:

3in group 2 3/4 done it at 75 yards ive seen no need to shoot 3in slugs over kill  ive always thought

Or shoot the Hornady SST. Only made in 2 3/4” and there is no faster slug made, even in 3” mag. 

[mowin]

Never hunted in shotgun only zones, so never owned a slug gun. I've shot a few yrs ago, but don't remember what they were or what ammo was used. 

[phade]

I’ve only ever owned 12g in smoothbore. I mostly shot Activ, then went to Lightfield, then to Truball. Most of my group shooting was at 50-75 yards. I recall 4-5” groups with all of them. Lightfields got down to 4” consistently.

At 100 yards most of my groups were 6” the few times I did it. Everything fell apart at 125. I am glad those days are gone. I’d rather shoot $5 rounds and stack the holes on top of one another with my 20g Ultra Slug. I mean, I might break out the 12g for brush busting but that’s probably only ever happening on a drive, which doesn’t happen much at all these days.

Edited October 31, 2023 by phade

[Bucksnbows]

32 minutes ago, phade said:

I’ve only ever owned 12g in smoothbore. I mostly shot Activ, then went to Lightfield, then to Truball. Most of my group shooting was at 50-75 yards. I recall 4-5” groups with all of them. Lightfields got down to 4” consistently.

At 100 yards most of my groups were 6” the few times I did it. Everything fell apart at 125. I am glad those days are gone. I’d rather shoot $5 rounds and stack the holes on top of one another with my 20g Ultra Slug. I mean, I might break out the 12g for brush busting but that’s probably only ever happening on a drive, which doesn’t happen much at all these days.

You mean you don’t enjoy the teeth rattling good times of the 12 gauge slug gun??

If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought a 20 gauge over my 12. But it shoots well with the Hornady SSTs and it took my longest kill, a NJ black bear at a measured 128 yards. 

[grampy]

My old 12g Ithaca model 37 smoothbore will group a Remington 2 3/4 slugger 4-5 inches at 75 yards. Rested of course. 

My 12g Ithaca Deerslayer 2 with the rifled barrel, will group a 2 3/4 Remington Copper Solid Sabot at 2.5 to 3 inches at 150 yards. Rested of course.

I tend to practice shooting, as I will hunt. Freehand. So those groups opened up a little bit then.

I don't miss the shoulder thumping shotguns. Killed a pile of deer with them though. But haven't hunted with one since rifle became legal. 

[cas]

My grandfather's old Browning A5 (3-9x40 scope)  with the right slugs and shot very slowly, would do 3 inch 100 yard groups  often enough to claim it would  do 3" groups. lol

Of course most smooth bore guns I've owned didn't shoot that well.  A couple rifled ones did. 

Triggers always suck on shotguns, at least in terms of trying to shoot groups. But I tell people if you're truly trying to shoot smaller groups (even though it's unrealistic in hunting situations), shooting them extremely slow shot to shot is one of the biggest helps you can give them.  Thin wall, thick wall, smooth or rifled, the barrels all heat up very fast and start to walk. Shoot them slow,  extremely slow, make a muzzle loader seem fast slow, the longer between shots the better slow...  

 

[G-man]

My  bps with brenneke rotwiel slugs can keep a 5  in  group at  100 yards.

[lucky118]

I missed a giant 8 point about 15 yrs ago with an 12 gauge 870 rifled slug barrel with opens sights. Put it in my closet  and picked up a rifle. Haven't  missed since lol

[Phantom]

10 hours ago, grampy said:

My old 12g Ithaca model 37 smoothbore will group a Remington 2 3/4 slugger 4-5 inches at 75 yards. Rested of course. 

My 12g Ithaca Deerslayer 2 with the rifled barrel, will group a 2 3/4 Remington Copper Solid Sabot at 2.5 to 3 inches at 150 yards. Rested of course.

I tend to practice shooting, as I will hunt. Freehand. So those groups opened up a little bit then.

I don't miss the shoulder thumping shotguns. Killed a pile of deer with them though. But haven't hunted with one since rifle became legal. 

With the shotgun  I practice off shooting  sticks and free hand  the way I hunt with it . I have not tried bench resting a shotgun in years . since i have no scope on any shotgun . At 50 yards shooting like that I stack them holes touch just about  like a 1.5 2 inch group I can do when  try 75 it opens up to 5 inchs. I think thats my eyes going bad not the slugs though. Yea i have gotten banged up shooting 12G shotguns in warm weather with just a t-shirt on when it's cold though you know with  all the clothing jackets  on   doesn't bother me.  I got one of those chest recoil pads but 9 out of 10 times I forget to bring it with me. 

 

[Larry]

The slugs I that shot the best from my Mossberg was made by Dan Arm's they would shoot 3shots touching. Also Active slugs shot the same oh that was at 50yds