Remington 870 or Winchester 97 for deer?

[heronblu]

I have an opportunity to harvest a deer on private property in the islands and am required to use a shotgun with slugs. I have a Remington 870 express with a 28in smooth bore barrel with removable choke. I also recently acquired a Winchester Model 97 with a 30in fixed MOD choke barrel. Which of these guns would be best suited for shooting slugs at deer and what type of slugs have you found to be most reliable/accurate? I am not interested in purchasing new barrels or modifying either gun at this time. Thanks!

[steeleywhopper]

smooth bore you need rifled slugs NOT sabot slugs. i would buy premium rifled slugs and shoot some to see how well your gun likes them.

[Widgeondeke]

Exactly, just like a rifle. Some ammo shoots better than others in a particular gun.
Even with a rifled barrel I had better groupings with rifled copper slugs than sabot slugs.
Biggest suggestion I have is to mount a scope if possible.  If on ly using the front bead, your range and accuracy will be limited.
Also, are you sure that buckshot isn't an option?

[CP]

Either gun should work, and like mentioned above use rifled slugs.   You probably don’t want anything tighter than a Mod choke with slugs.  Shooting off the bead – with a little practice you should be OK out to 75 yards.

Another option is buckshot but slugs will get the job done.

[huntingfool7]

Buckshot is a poor choice compared to slugs.  It'll limit your effective range, likely in half.  2-3/4'' rifled slugs are all you'll ever need on the islands.  They don't flatten out like the 3'' slugs and recoil less.  It's a double ++ in my opinion.

Winchester rifled slugs are slightly larger diameter than Federal or Remington.  Your gun will likely have a preference.
Between the two shotguns you have, pick whichever one that hits closer to where you're looking.  Adding sights helps and it's easy to do.  There are scope mounting brackets for the 870 that use the retaining pins already on the gun.  A scope and a leather cheek piece is a well outfitted deer getter!

[heronblu]

Thanks everyone, I'm picking up some rifled slugs today and we'll see how they pattern.