Best slugs to use in a new 12 guage ithaca rifled barrel?

[PETE/NY]

I just bought a new rifled  12 guage 20 inch barrel for my old Ithaca and after e mails to Ithaca and being put on hold on the phone, I thought I would ask any members here what they think are the best type of slug and brand for this new barrel. Thanks in advance. Pete

[Daveinthebush]

Being an old NY deer hunter that has hunted with slugs since 68 I will try to help.

1.  All shotguns are different and have their own preference to slugs.  I am assuming that you have an open bore or improved cylinder.

2.  Any slug should be able to be fired in the barrel; but!  Start with the cheapest slugs first and buy 1 box of each.  Fosters - Remington, Winchester and Federal.  Stay away from 3" slugs. Shoot a group with each brand.

3.  You just might get away with a reg. foster that works.  The point of impact for each may be different.  You should be able to get at least 2" groups at 75 yards.  Some guns will obviously be better, some should be manhole covers.

4.  If the fosters don't work then you have some work to do.  Lightfields have been earning a reputation in NY with some guys.  Brenneke 2 3/4 are a pretty good slug too.  You have to start shooting other brands until you find the best for the gun.

5.  I have never tried the Remington copper slugs or sabots because I have never had an open choke or Imp. gun to try them in.  My slug guns were always full choke. NEVER shoot a saboted slug in anything other than Imp. cyl. or open choke.  I would also avoid any slug designed for a rifled barrel unless anything else doesn't work.

6. 75 yards is a good sight in range for most NY hunting.  My slug gun was pretty good so I shot 2" high at 75 and could hit and have hit to 120.

Good luck!

[PETE/NY]

Dave- thanks for the help.Sorry I didnt mention in the original post it is a RIFLED barrel. Pete

[BH]

Pete,

I've found that "most" sabot slugs shoot well through "most" rifled barrels.  My current favorite is Winchesters Partition Golds.  They run out about 1900fps which makes for a fairly good 125 yard gun if they group well for you.  Don't know what brand of barrel you bought but Hastings recommends NOT using the Remington Copper Solids in their barrels.  Not sure why but I would stay away from them myself.

I can not get consistant results from any of the Foster slugs through my rifled barrels even though some perform quite well with smooth bore barrels on the same guns.  But if $ are a major concern for you, you may want to try some to see if they work through your gun as I have heard of some people having good results.

Bob

[Daveinthebush]

Pete:  You did say rifled in the subject of the post. I missed it.

Fosters may not work for you then.  But you still have to do the same research with the slugs.  Different brands and such.  I have never tried the Remington Coppers either.  I read a few stories on them and the results were good though.  As the last poster said, start cheap and work from there. Slugs are not cheap, although last time back in NY I bought 5 boxes at Dicks of 3" Brenneke for $1.37 a box. :roll:

[mparks]

To realize the full potential of a rifled barrel your probably going to have to pony up for sabots(Rem Copper solid, Win parti gold, Fed Barnes Expander) or stablized slugs(Lightfield Hybred, Rem Buckhammer).

My Marlin 512 has a 1 in 28" rifling twist and likes the sabots best.  My Browning A-bolt has a 1 in 35" twist and likes the stablized slugs better.

I have been able to get away with using cheap Winchester Super-X rifled slugs to sight in with but accuracy with the high dollar slugs designed for rifled barrels is improved enough in my guns to make it worth the $$$.

I do my sighting-in work at 50 yards to avoid wind problems that all slugs suffer from at 100.  I must be the only one to notice this because I read all over the net about how some $40 single shot can shoot sub MOA @100 with Remington Sluggers:)

[Muddyboots]

I use to live in upstate NY and grew up shooting slugs off bench and really grew to enjoy having the snot kicked out of me during this time. I now reload my own slugs from www.shotgunslugs.com and get easy 1" groups at 50 yards and 2" at 100 yds. They are an interesting slug such the sabot stays with slug to target. Both the slug and sabot engraves the barrel rifling so it is extremely stable. They are real easy to reload so don't get too over excited over difficulty. All you need is a powder scale, variable speed drill, roll crimper (comes with components) and you are in business. Accuracy is best in industry from my opinion. Am shooting Remington 870 with Hastings cantilever barrel and so is my son and both shoot same with slugs. If you have a friend who reloads you can reload up all you need for season in less than an hour and get the best shooting slug out there. They are called Hammerhead Slugs. Email me if you have questions on specifics of reloading them if you go this route. They are really fool proof.  I have shot just about every slug out there and none come close to consistency you get with these. Ever notice how one box of factory slugs moves point of impact? You don't get this with reloading your own. I buy them in bulk and save and shoot more often. If you give them a try, post up results.
Muddyboots

[DEPUTY]

the ithaca's are built around the lightfield slugs and they recommend them!

[Muddyboots]

Deputy,
The reason Lightfields are recommended for Ithica's is they are true to bore where most slugs are not which gives best accuracy. Any slug that is true to bore will shoot exceptionally well. Hammerheads are also true to bore and provide similar results but I've shot them both out of several different slug guns and the Hammerheads keep coming out on top. In fact, the Hammerheads were definitely better down range over the Lightfields. The sabot for the Hammerhead is designed to alleviate air pressure over the slug which provides higher velocity down range and better accuracy. They just came out with new Hammerhead slug which is non-lead and penetrates better. I guess if you were hunting freight trains, they would come in handy...... The regular Hammerheads shot through deer even end to end so it was enough for me. If you like to shoot slug guns you ought to try these out. I think you will be as impressed as I am.
Muddyboots

[DEPUTY]

ok i give who makes them  and were can i get them

[PETE/NY]

Thanks guys as you have given me some more insight to this slug stuff.I shot 3 different brands today and the best were the Lightfields by far. They grouped consistentlyat 1.5 inch at 50 yds and seeing the area I hunt its so thick anything over 50 yds is non-existant. But I am also interested in the Hammerheads but can find no one or anyplace that sells them.I do not have any friends who reload shotgun shells so that is out also.If anyone would like to sell a few boxes I would really like to try them if they work as good as you say. Thanks again. Pete

[Muddyboots]

Pete/Deputy,
here is the website to get them. www.shotgunslugs.com. I would be curious to see your results as well.
Thanks,
Muddyboots

[PETE/NY]

MUDDYBOOTS- thanks for the website.I e mailed them today asking them how do I go about gettting some shipped to me as I cannot purchase them online on their website. I will probably call them on Monday and order some. Hope they perform as good as you say they do . Will let you know. Pete