20 Gauge Slug Gun Opinions Please. Updated.

[h20hunter]

So, I'm getting closer to NOT hunting deer in WA. I have family in Illinois where deer are plentiful and property access is available. They offer a 3 day gun (shot or muzz) which fits well with traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. A combo buck and either sex antlerless tag cost $300. Not a bad deal. Starting to think about shopping for a rifled barrell slug gun in 20. Any suggestions? Also, what about a slug in 28? All shots are under a hundred yards so why go 12 and get the s**t kicked out of me?

[jackelope]

do you already own an 870 by any chance?

[h20hunter]

I've got an 870 pistol grip tactical. I suppose I could get a rifled barrell with scope but was planning on keeping that as a home defense gun. It is a 12 and I'm thinking 20 for slugs.

[jackelope]

Yeah...by the time you got all the stuff to make it a slug gun again, you'd have spent more money than it would take to buy another 870.

[lokidog]

Mossberg 500 makes a real nice and relatively inexpensive slug/shot combo.  My wife has one, I used it for my two deer last year.

Rifled slugs from a 12 work decently out to 80 or so yards depending on your sights.

[jackelope]

with a decent slug gun setup, I can shoot comfortably to 150 yards...
 

[Ratdog68]

Another thought... (a little history) many moons ago, I bought a Winchester 1200 Police 12ga.  It's got an 18" smooth bore barrel and flop down rifle sight (riot gun).  With that, I loaded up back to back saboted solid slugs and (off hand/standing) put both slugs into a yellow pages phone book at 100yds.  Ain't nuttin' wrong with that accuracy in my book.  Later, I put pistol grips fore/aft on it since I was using it as my building entry gun while I was in law enforcement.  A couple of weeks ago... decided I wanted to go back to a full stock and ordered up a Knoxx SpecOps stock for it... it's got built in recoil reduction workings... and their claim is a significant reduction in recoil.  I haven't shot it since installation... but, I was more interested in the adjustability of the length of pull (AR15 carbine) styled feature.  My point?  "Off the rack" 12ga, even without a rifled barrel will get the job done inside of 100yds (with a basic "front/rear" sighting system). 

[satchel3006]

remington has this one in a 20 gauge
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-express-slug.aspx
you can also get a combo the combo comes with a 26" vent rib barrel and a 20" rifled barrel with sights
http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-express-combos.aspx

[BigGoonTuna]

you can pick up an H&R ultra slug gun for pretty cheap.

[Bob33]

All shots are under a hundred yards so why go 12 and get the s**t kicked out of me?

You may want to get a 12 gauge because you cannot hunt elk in Washington with a 20 gauge.  More and more areas are going "firearm restricted" which means you cannot hunt with a centerfire.  When one of your elk hunting areas goes "firearm restricted", you may regret not buying a 12.

That is exactly what happened to me.  I hunt deer in the San Juan Islands.  They banned centerfires in about 2007.  I bought a 20 gauge slug gun.  The next year the area I hunt elk in banned centerfires, so I had to go buy a second slug gun.

You can always put mild loads in the 12.

[bobcat]

That's a law that needs to be changed. There's no way a 20 gauge slug gun isn't adequate for elk.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it legal to hunt elk with a 38 Special handgun, as long as the barrel is at least 4 inches long?

[satchel3006]

as i read it you can hunt elk with a 25 auto as long as the barrels at least 4" alot of washington game law are stupid

[bobcat]

OK, right, so why is that ok but a 20 gauge slug is not  

[carpsniperg2]

satchel3006 is right

[satchel3006]

because this is washington and the WDFW hates making sense

[BigGoonTuna]

banning centerfire rifles but slug guns are OK is about as intelligent as making it legal to hunt big game with a .25 auto.  high velocity bullets tend to blow up on impact with tree branches, brush etc, but slugs will usually go right through.

[Bob33]

banning centerfire rifles but slug guns are OK is about as intelligent as making it legal to hunt big game with a .25 auto.  high velocity bullets tend to blow up on impact with tree branches, brush etc, but slugs will usually go right through.

There are some studies that suggest slugs can be more dangerous.

Be that as it may, the state has more and more areas that do not allow centerfire rifles to be used, and for elk the minimum gauge is 12.  Choose wisely.

[Bofire]

 :)You guys are trying to apply logic and sense to our game laws, can't be done!!
Carl

[lokidog]

:)You guys are trying to apply logic and sense to our game laws, can't be done!!
Carl

I can't hunt rabbits in my yard with a .22 but I can use a .454 casull revolver.   

[bobcat]

:)You guys are trying to apply logic and sense to our game laws, can't be done!!
Carl

I can't hunt rabbits in my yard with a .22 but I can use a .454 casull revolver.   

That's funny, just made me laugh.      

[h20hunter]

So I have listened and read up on lots of different guns. I think an Ultra Slug hunter in .20 by H&R is the way to go for me. Now, can anybody suggest a company that makes a camo pattered synthetic stock? I think the standard wood is fine, don't like the Deluxe look, and think changing out the stock and adding a basic 1x4 scope would make a great slug gun.

[Bob33]

I just camo'd an 870 shotgun by myself.  It was really quite easy. Mask off the action with some blue tape.  Buy three or four cans of camo spray paint (yes, it says "Camouflage" right on the cans) at the local Ace hardware.  Go cut some ferns, leaves, grass, or other materials. Lay them on the gun.  Lightly spray the gun with the various colors.  If you don't like the pattern, do it again.

[CP]

That looks great.  I’ve got an old Ithaca 37 that I’d like to do up like that.

[satchel3006]

your best bet is to pick up a sythetic stock for it and paint it

[Bob33]

I camo'd one wood stock, and one synthetic.  They both turned out great.  Naturally, if you can afford to buy new ones go for it, but doing it yourself is easy and kind of fun.  I know that I have one of a kind guns now.

If you do paint it yourself, go slowly and spray lightly.  You'll get the hang of it quickly.

[h20hunter]

So, I have decided that I needed and H&R Ultra Slug Hunter in 20 gauge. Put my deposit down yesterday and will post pics when I have it. My plan is to ship the stock out to a company that does some pretty slick paintwork (camo with airbrushed detail) and put a matching camo scope on it. More updates and a few pics to follow when it comes in.

[ICEMAN]

Cool, can't wait!