Hi all, I'm new to the site and thought I would run something by you guys to weigh in on. I purchased an 870 supermag about a year or so ago when I decided to start hunting again. I wanted something that could cover all shell sizes for all game. So far Ive only done a bit of dove hunting with it and put about 4/5 boxes thru it. It's functioned fine so far and I've heard really good reviews on it, which is what made my decision to buy it. Another reason is that after years of hunting with a rifle in my late teens and early twenties I want to try hunting deer with a "slug gun" since I no longer had a rifle at the time (I now have my grandfathers old springfield 3006). I am planning on getting the cantilever rifled slug barrel and scope to go with the 870 and a good turkey choke. With this set up, my thinking is I will have one firearm that can hunt everything.
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I'm interested in your opinions, suggestions, etc. such as a good turkey choke, or sabot for deer, or just in general about my thinking so far.
Thanks
870 super mag question
870 super mag question
Last edited by blackcats on Mon Dec 04, 2017 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 870 super mag question
(rifled) slug barrels and birdshot rarely go well together.
The rifled twist barrel imparts spin on whatever shell you put through it. Meaning, if you shoot a birdshot through it, to expect very wide patterns with lots of large gaps.
Also, depending on the distance that you hunt/shoot slugs from your shotgun, the smoothbore barrel you currently have may do fine with regular (foster) style slugs.
The rifled twist barrel imparts spin on whatever shell you put through it. Meaning, if you shoot a birdshot through it, to expect very wide patterns with lots of large gaps.
Also, depending on the distance that you hunt/shoot slugs from your shotgun, the smoothbore barrel you currently have may do fine with regular (foster) style slugs.
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Re: 870 super mag question
Spin-stabilized slugs (often referred to as "sabot slugs", but not all slugs that use sabots require rifled barrels) are real nice for hunting. The improved ballistics and generally better muzzle velocity give you a flatter trajectory and greater precision, so you can reach out to longer ranges effectively. I definitely approve of the cantilever-mounted scope too; having the scope mounted directly to the barrel lets you hold zero from shot-to-shot and during disassembly, while still letting you take advantage of the 870's quick-change barrel feature.
One thing to keep in mind though, is that a rifled cantilever barrel & a good scope are not going to be cheap. And then, there's the ammo; spin-stabilized slugs are also pretty spendy. $2 - $4 a shell is typical, which is up there with a lot of .50 BMG. You may not shoot a lot of rounds while hunting, but before you go hunting, you have to find a load that your gun likes, get your scope dialed in, and then practice with that setup enough to be able to hit things. It'll add up.
Before sinking hundreds into that, you may want to consider getting a less-expensive smoothbore barrel with rifle sights and Rem Chokes. This setup would let you get out and hunt pretty effectively with self-stabilizing slugs like Fosters or Brennekes, for a much lower initial investment. It won't be as much of a tack-driver at long range, but it'll do the job in most situations, and it'll let you decide if slug hunting is fun enough to be worth the cost of a rifled barrel & scope. Plus, with just a choke change, this barrel would also work really well for turkey hunting or other "bulls-eye" shotgunning applications, so it would still be of use to you if you did decide to go for a fancier slug-hunting setup in the future.
One thing to keep in mind though, is that a rifled cantilever barrel & a good scope are not going to be cheap. And then, there's the ammo; spin-stabilized slugs are also pretty spendy. $2 - $4 a shell is typical, which is up there with a lot of .50 BMG. You may not shoot a lot of rounds while hunting, but before you go hunting, you have to find a load that your gun likes, get your scope dialed in, and then practice with that setup enough to be able to hit things. It'll add up.
Before sinking hundreds into that, you may want to consider getting a less-expensive smoothbore barrel with rifle sights and Rem Chokes. This setup would let you get out and hunt pretty effectively with self-stabilizing slugs like Fosters or Brennekes, for a much lower initial investment. It won't be as much of a tack-driver at long range, but it'll do the job in most situations, and it'll let you decide if slug hunting is fun enough to be worth the cost of a rifled barrel & scope. Plus, with just a choke change, this barrel would also work really well for turkey hunting or other "bulls-eye" shotgunning applications, so it would still be of use to you if you did decide to go for a fancier slug-hunting setup in the future.