best shotgun for deer hunting, found great spot but shotgun only

[Curly]

http://www.benelliusa.com/shotguns/benelli_slug_guns.php

[ing]

I think Remington has an 11-87 with a slug barell on it.  I'd take that over an 870.

[Mookie]

I think I would look at this Savage:

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/models/

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/220F

yeah, that one!  for some reason my link didn't work 

On some websites you have to right click and save link location to get the correct link, otherwise it will just read as the homepage. Savage's new website is somewhat hard to navigate now.

I would give another  to the NEF/H&R. If you get the combo package with a rifle barrel you can put any shotgun or rifle barrel on you want for future use. Plus they are nice guns with the right butt pad.

[littlebuf]

sounds like a good excuse to buy a bow

[BLKBEARKLR]

if you had a 870 remington i'd throw a hastings slug barrel on it with the cantilever scope mount and a good 1-4x or 2-6x shotgun scope that will handle the recoil of the slug gun and roll with it. you can probably also use a muzzleloader or archery tackle there too if it's a firearms restricted area.

That is all I use in NY when I am back home hunting, many many many deer have fallen to that combo, three brothers, myself, two uncles, 3 nephews all use it

[adam.WI]

I have an 11-87 light contour with a fully riffled slug barrel and a bushnell 1.5-5 scope. Amazing combo. With the old winchester supreme 3" slugs I could hold a 3" group at 150, with the Partition Golds 2 3/4" it's about 4".  I wish they would go back to those old ones.

[Bob33]

I have two 870's with slug barrels.  The 20 gauge has a cantilevered 20" barrel.  It is the perfect deer gun.  I also have a 12 gauge 870.  I replaced the Remington barrel with a barrel from Badger Mountain in Wisconsin.  They offer a great aftermarket barrel.

Both have Nikon shotgun scopes that were $129/each when I bought them.  No problems.

Remember - if you ever plan to hunt elk with the gun you will need a 12 gauge.  That was my mistake.  I bought the 20 for deer, then found an area for elk that was firearm restricted so I had to buy the 12.

Realistically, if you can get 3" groups at 100 yards you are doing well.  Slug barrels can be extremely finicky.  Some of the sabots are slightly undersized, or a barrel may be slightly oversized, so the sabots do not engage the rifling and the slug may not spin properly.  (Can you say "knuckleball"?)

[Elk-aholic]

I would scrap the shotgun idea and buy a Thompson Center pistol in .308 and put a nice scope on it. Savage also makes a very accurate bolt action pistol called the STRIKER. I own a striker in 22-250 with a Burris scope on top and I have shot deer with it beyond 200yrds with no issues at all. If you buy one of these pistols you get to utilize the range of a .308 or basically whatever other rifle cartridge you want but you are still legal in the woods. Just something to think about I guess. Back in Winnebago county WI its all shotgun/pistol I had to make the same decision you are about to make, I went the pistol route because of the rifle cartridges they shoot. Handgun hunting is additive once you start its much more of a sport if you're into that sort of thing.

[bobcat]

Elkaholic,

I don't believe that type of handgun is legal in firearm restriction areas. The regulations say "revolver-type handguns" are legal. Look on page 67 in the 2009 Big Game pamphlet.

[Elk-aholic]

Yeah I have no idea about WA state handgun hunting laws I was just assuming that like most other states if its a handgun/shotgun county you can hunt with it. I've never hunted here in WA with my Savage 22-250 because you can't use a 22cal for hunting deer anyway. So I apologize if I confused anyone. So if it's a Revolver only type handgun can you still get a BFR in 45/70 444 Marlin or 450 Marlin? Those would be a good choice for Deer and Elk. I'm just trying to give you some other ideas to think about. I don't have a regulations pamphlet on me right now (I'm at work) but I will take a look when I get home.

[Bob33]

I don't have a regulations pamphlet on me right now (I'm at work) but I will take a look when I get home.

The firearm restriction areas listed on this page
have been established by the Washington Fish and
Wildlife Commission. Centerfire and rimfire rifles
are not legal for hunting in these areas.
In firearm restriction areas, hunters may hunt only
during the season allowed by their tag.
Archery tag holders may hunt during
archery seasons with archery equipment.
Muzzleloader tag holders may hunt during
muzzleloader seasons with muzzleloader
equipment except in the GMU 652
restriction area outlined for King County.
Modern firearm tag holders may hunt
during modern firearm seasons with bows
and arrows, crossbows, muzzleloaders,
or revolver-type handguns meeting
equipment restrictions, or legal shotguns
firing slugs or buckshot.

[ribka]

What Jackalope said: "If you had a 870 remington i'd throw a hastings slug barrel on it with the cantilever scope mount and a good 1-4x or 2-6x shotgun scope that will handle the recoil of the slug gun and roll with it. you can probably also use a muzzleloader or archery tackle there too if it's a firearms restricted area."

Hunted 12 years in Iowa, PA and MD. Shotgun only. 870 rifled slug barrel and sabot slugs. Good to 100 yds
Very proven firearm.

[CP]

So if it's a Revolver only type handgun can you still get a BFR in 45/70 444 Marlin or 450 Marlin?

Those would meet the letter of law, maybe not the intent.  But that is a lot of firepower for deer; a .357 is plenty of gun for deer.

A longer range option would be a scoped muzzle loader.  With the right load and range work they are effective out to 250y or so.

[lokidog]

Mossberg 500, cantilevered scope rifled barrel, set comes with a smooth barrel as well.

[h2ofowlr]

Standard shotgun works just fine.  If your shooting a 3" Remington Slug it drops about 14" at 100 yards.  Make sure the deer is standing still or you will shoot behind it.  I have shot many deer with my shotgun and it dumps them hard.  If your up close hit them in the head with 00 buck shot.  I usually shoot my deer when I am out duck hunt as I push the river bottoms.  Since we have to use steel shot. I shoot the Dead Coyote in the 00 buck or the Hevi Shot slugs.  Just use I/C or Modified. If you try full choke you may be missing the end of your barrel.
If you think your going to have to take a long shot, then you probably need to get a rifled barrel with a scop or iron sites.  If you use a sabot round your good up to a 150 yards.