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What are you shooting??


boo711

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What is everyone shooting for 12 ga Sabots?  Just bought a cantilevered rifled barrel for my Browning BPS. Going to need to start grabbing some slugs. Wanted to see what others were shooting. Thanks in advance!!

Edited by boo711
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One thing I learned about slug guns is that no two are alike.  Even if you have two of the exact same models, one will shoot differently than the other.  That is what has always been frustrating about sabot slugs in rifled barrel shotguns.  That said, I always recommend trying 2-4 different brands to see what shoots best in your particular slugger.  I used to shoot Remington Copper Solids until they changed that slug ever so slightly.  Suddenly I struggled to hold a 2 and 1/2" group at 75 yards.  That's not an acceptable group to me, so I wound up switching to Hornady SSTs out of my Remington Special Purpose 870 in 12 gauge.  I purchased something like 12 boxes of the same lot of ammo as well, enough for a lifetime here in NJ since I maybe take 2 shots per year and one of those to confirm sight in hasn't changed.    

"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Anonymous 

 

https://www.troutscapes.com

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Not sure of this counts toward your 12 gauge thread but I shoot Winchester XP copper sabot slugs for my 20 gauge Savage 220 and it's a decent tackdriver at 100 yd. I also have Hornady SSTs but I haven't switched over sighted in for them but I've heard good reviews. Remington accutips are supposed to be pretty good, but in my opinion not worth the price because I'm not doing competitive target shooting. I'm looking to hit a 3-in target on a deer.

Palma non sine pulvere 

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I have an Ithaca Deerslayer 2 that I haven't shot since going to rifle here in 4H. But for years the Remington Copper Sabots were by far the best slugs I ever put through that barrel. And towards the end the Accu Tips shot nicely as well. Tried many other brands over the years. But that slug gun only liked the Remingtons.

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I'm not too familiar with sabots, I still shoot rifled slugs mainly because of cost. $5 rather than $20+ for 5 rounds.

I did however get a smoking deal on 10 boxes of Remington accutips a few years back. I set up an 870 cantilever for longer distance shooting with these sabots, but i have yet to shoot it. 

I've always heard good things about the Hornady SST, but i've heard mixed reviews on the Rem copper solids. Mostly negative. 

Edit: I should add, the bad reviews on copper solids i've heard always had to do with expansion, not accuracy.

Edited by Hank
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On 2/15/2023 at 9:40 PM, Surmn8er said:

My 870 won’t shoot the SST’s for crap. It loved the Federal Barnes Expanders but they’re not available anymore. Luckily I still have 5 or 6 boxes of them.

This is why I always say no two slug guns are alike, even between makes and models. My 870 loves 12 gauge SSTs. I have shot black bear and deer with it and it has killed to 128 yards on a bear. I couldn’t get decent groups from Remington Accutips 

"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Anonymous 

 

https://www.troutscapes.com

https://nativefishcoalition.org/national-board

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2-3/4” SST’s group as good or better than any other slugs that I have tried in my Marlin 512.  Long range accuracy is my primary concern, when I hunt with that gun, and they have that covered.  
 

The two things that I don’t like about the SST sabots, compared to full-diameter foster slugs, are: 1) cost, 2) They don’t make a great blood trail, on broadside center-lung shots.  

I’m guessing that the SST bullet was mainly designed for the higher velocity of rifles, which a shotgun just can’t deliver.  They’d surely expand more, if they were moving faster. The downside would be significantly more meat loss, if bones are struck.  
 

If I have a good rest, I’ll go for the shoulder blade every time, with the 12 ga SST.  I didn’t have a good rest for last year’s shotgun season deer, so I went center-lung and dealt with the crappy blood trail.  
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That one left less than 20 drops of blood total, on a 50 yard trail on the snow, and none for the last 15 yards.  The exit hole, from the 60 yard center-lung broadside shot, was almost the same diameter as the entry hole.  

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Thanks for the info. I’ve always used Federal Power Shok, 1 oz slugs in my smoothbore. My Ithaca and Browning have never liked anything else. Both shot the Winchester Super X (I think that’s what they were) pretty decent but I won’t even load a Remington slugger in a gun. Grabbed a few boxes of Federal sabots this weekend. Need to get a scope so I can get that mounted after I decide if I’m going to leave the camo on the barrel or have it removed and reblued. Guess I’ll be starting a scope topic. Lol. 

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