Barrel Length

[#1buck]

Recently I have had ten acres of woods open up that I a am able to hunt deer on. It is fairly thick with a few open spots I can set up a stand in. The longest shot will be out to twenty five or thirty yards. I usually hunt deer with a Ruger Mini- 30. I have an 870 Xpress with a Fixed Cylinder Choke 18.5" barrel a 3" chamber and a six shot magazine that I purchased mainly for home defense. I am kicking around the idea of using it for deer hunting with the short distances I will encounter in these woods. My "new toy" loving brain says get a longer barrel but in reality the 18.5" barrel should work fine. I just wanted to hear some opinions of what others have to say about the situation.

[Scorpion8]

Head to the range with that set-up and the slugs you intend to use. Set a target at 25-35 yards (your expected shooting distance) and see for yourself how accurate that set-up will be. If it works for you, and is pie-plate minute-of-deer accurate, then go for it. Just make sure you use the right slugs for that barrel, if it's rifled or smoothbore.

[#1buck]

smoothbore

[Scorpion8]

smoothbore

Then you want Foster-style slugs, or Brenneke. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_slug

[Germansheperd]

Buy a rifled slug barrel and shoot sabot slugs. Buds gun shop has it part #F242545 with rifle sights for $159 why mess around?