Author Topic: Ultra Slug Hunter, or Ultra Slug Hunter Deluxe? (Read 2196 times)

PASlugger · « **on:** February 21, 2004, 12:44:06 PM »

I have been doing a lot of research lately for the purchase of my first dedicated slug gun. It wasn't long before all arrows pointed at the H & R Ultra Slug guns.

If you were making the purchase, and could afford either model (SB1-920 or SB1-928) which would you buy? They appear to be the same gun except for the stock. Are there any other differences?

And yes, based on the model numbers, I'm planning on a 20 gauge.

Any information the forum can provide to help me make a decision would be helpful. I can't find either of these guns in SE PA. One shop swore they had it, but when I got there it was the NEF Tamer II.

I look forward to heading to the range with one of these soon.

rmtaylor · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2004, 01:42:27 PM »

I have the Ultra Slug Hunter in 12 gauge and I really like the laminated stack over the plain wood. You are also correct that the only difference is the wood. The laminate looks like it will last a lifetime and I also think that it will not show the little nicks and scratches that you get over years of use.

By the way I have shot 100 yard groups with the holes touching using Lightfield 2 3/4 sabots several times.

Richard

jeff223 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2004, 01:50:04 PM »

here is my 20ga ultraslug.this gun has a rifle frame and the ultraslug barrel.nef fitted it on the frome for me.these ultraslugs are good shooters and i think the green laminated stocks look great.i have a rifle with the same stock and i love it.the laminated wood weights a little more but not much.i think you will love it

MTNMAN · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2004, 02:12:17 PM »

Either way its a good choice...I own 2 Ultra20's, the first came with the camo laminate stock and no checkering but wears a H&R medallion, the second had the checkering and no medallion... Both great shooters and I've owned dedicated slug guns costing 10 times as much... a very accurate weapon if you do your part....MTNMAN :grin:

Busta · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2004, 03:04:44 PM »

I have the NEF Ultra Slug Hunter LE (Limited Edition)! Mine has a flat black receiver, Camo laminated stock with NEF Medallion (no checkering), sling swivel studs. The following is an initial report of my experience. (saved from the H&R Talk Forum)

Ultra Slug Hunter LE

The NEF 20ga Ultra Slug Hunter Limited Edition is just like the H&R 20ga Ultra Slug Hunter Deluxe but without the checkering and sling. The place I bought it from threw in a $20.00 sling and swivels, just like the deluxe has. It has a gold NEF medallion in the camo laminate stock and has a flat NEF receiver. The place I bought it from belongs to a special buyers group and I think they get pretty good prices pooling their resources. It was $202.00 full retail, the deluxe was $235.00 if they could find one. It is a NEF model SB1-S92 instead of H&R model SB1-920, but functionally and dimensionally identical. Nothing special versus the deluxe, just a different way to market the Ultra Slug Hunter Model.

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Shot the 20ga Ultra Slug Hunter LE today for the first time. The trigger is pretty good but could use a little work. I only shot 3 shot groups at 50 yds today and am satisfied with the initial results. I will go to 100yds next time out, I was only trying to see what would shoot good, but everything shot good! I didn't have the time to let the barrel cool during the 3 shot groups, only a little between groups. I shot 6 different brands of slugs 1 Foster style (please don't try to tell me you can't shoot rifled slugs in a rifled barrel, I have been doing it for 15 years) and 5 sabot style, and all of them stayed in a group.

First I shot the Remington 2/3" Foster style slugs to get myself on paper. I previously bore sighted the gun with the naked eye and it was pretty close. First shot about 2-1/2" high and 2" left. Made the scope corrections and proceeded to shoot a 1" 3 shot group, about 1/2" left of center and still high where I left it. Then I went inside and cleaned the lead out of the barrel, yes, it was a bear but I knew what I was in for and have done it numerous times.

After a good cleaning I proceeded out to shoot the five types of sabot slugs I found. The first one I selected was the 2-3/4" Lightfield 7/8oz (385gr), it shot a 1-1/4" group with two touching.

Next up was the 3" Barnes 3/4oz, it shot at 1-3/8" with two touching. I think the barrel was pretty warm by this point.

Next was the 2-3/4" Winchester Partition Gold 260gr. This being a lighter bullet shot a little higher and grouped the worst of all at 1-5/8". This is a 1900 fps slug, so I was pleased with it.

Next up was the 2-3/4" Winchester Platinum Tip 260gr. This group was a horizontal string at 1-1/8" with two touching.

Last up was the 2-3/4" Remington New Copper Solid 5/8oz. This shot just under 1" and was the best group of the day.

Next time out I will shoot at 100yds to see what the trajectory will be like. If a guy is only going to be taking 50-75 yd shots, the Foster slugs would be very inexpensive to shoot, if you dont mind de-leading the barrel!

So overall I am very pleased with the way the gun is shooting everything I feed it. The gun locks-up well and ejected all empties without flaw. The recoil was very very tame compared to my 12ga autoloader, that thing is brutal. I just can't get over how mild the felt recoil is! The only bad thing about the day was I could not eliminate any of the slugs, so the 100 yard shooting is going to be just as expensive. If I would have taken the time to let the barrel cool down between all the shots, I am sure the groups would have been a little better.

I shot the other two slugs of each type into a large sand bag that I use to recover bullets and was not very impressed with the way I found the Barnes all copper, Remington Copper Solid, and Winchester Platinum Tip. All three types (six bullets) did not expand in the sand, instead they all curled in toward the hollow point and did not open up at all. The Winchester Partition Gold opened up and sheared of at the partition with no expansion past the partition. The Lightfield being a lead bullet opened up very nicely and one stayed intact and the other fragmented in three large pieces. I am not sure what to think of the Copper and Platinum slugs, i sure hope they open up correctly on game animals. That was $50.00 worth of slugs, averaging $2.00 a pop. ?OUCH!

This gun is a keeper! As are all my H&R/NEF guns.

You just gotta love 'em! ?

Since all of these slugs shot well IMO, what do you guys think are the better performers on deer. I have used some of the 12ga saboted bullets in the past and I was not very pleased with their performance on game although they were very good on paper.

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Slugs for Ultra 20

My 20ga likes them all! I have shot the Remington Ultra CoreLokt, Remington Copper Solids, Federal Barnes Expanders, Winchester Partition Golds, Winchester Platinum Tips and Lightfields. All of these have been under 2" at 100 yds. ?I even shot some 15 year old Remington Sluggers into about 1-1/4" at 50 yds, never tried them at 100 yds. The only downfall to the Sluggers is all the leading, but not too bad if you have a good bore brush and some lead removing bore cleaner. The Rottweil Brenneke Slugs are a little harder lead and therefore leave behind less lead in the barrel.

The only way to know for sure what your gun likes is to try 'em all, I know it's expensive but then you will know. I would not trade my Ultra for a 1500.00 Tar Hunt custom gun, I just can't imagine anything out there that will shoot everything as well as my Ultra.

I shot a nice 8 point in November with the Remington Ultra CoreLokt. He dropped like a rock when that 260 grain slug hit him high in the shoulder and he stayed put. I found the slug under the hide on the far side, perfectly mushroomed.

I have had many of the slug guns out there, Remingtons, Brownings, Ithacas, Mossbergs, you name it, I have tried it. My 20ga NEF Ultra Slug Hunter Limited Edition rules along with my Stainless Steel 50 caliber Huntsman, I couldn't be happier.

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2004, 03:05:33 PM »

I would also opt for the camo laminate stock/forearm with the cut checkering. It just looks cool...

Which one would you choose?

These pics should make the choice easy...

When you do finally find and purchase that slugger make sure you buy a few different brands of sabot slugs. Not every slugger will shoot the same brand of sabots with the same accuracy. Some people swear by the Winchester BRI sabots while other use the Partition Golds with great success. Some may use Lightfields, Brennekes, Remington, Hornady etc...Just to name a few. Try them out and have fun...

PASlugger · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2004, 03:21:44 PM »

Thanks for the comments guys. Anyone out there have both the 12 ga. and 20 ga. Ultra Slugs?

How do their groups compare at 100 yards? Beyond? I do hunt in areas offering longer shots.

I'm not afriad of the recoil with the 12 ga. (sight in my brothers 12 ga. ithica deerslayer every year). I just think the 20 ga. is plenty, will be easier to shoot at the range, and will likely be a little more accurate.

What is the max yardage (assuming work is done at the range to know limits) you guys would consider shooting the 20 ga. vs. the 12 ga.

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2004, 03:52:31 PM »

I don't see a reason why the 12 would shoot better than the 20 or vice versa as these guns will shoot better than most people have the ability to. I am not sure about max accurate yardage as that will vary with the shooter and the sabot used. I was able to get 3" groups at 100 yards using a cruddy rest. In the future I will utilize sand bags and keep my contact points down to my shoulder on the stock and my finger on the trigger.

The 12 will have more energy down range but the 20 will do well at ranges of 125 yards and probably beyond on deer sized game. I have never shot a 20GA so I cannot speak from personal experience. Maybe MTNMAN can provide some info and range data from his Ultra Sluggers.

Primer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2004, 04:12:19 PM »

PASlugger

,

I also opted for the Ultra Slug Hunter LE with the camo laminate. Feel like I got more for my money and IMO, a classier looking gun. The camo laminate,I feel, is something that sets it apart from the other guns.

I chose the 12 ga and have had great success with both the Lightfields and my current favorite; Win Partition Gold in 2 3/4" offering 1,900 fps.

Range you ask? My buck at 147 yds (ranged, 15 pt using 3x9x40 Bushnell )& hunting bud got one at 162 yds (ranged, 11 pt using 3x9x40 leupold and using 2/3/4" Win Plat Tips).

They can obviously shoot very well! They were sighted approx 2/3/4" high at 100 yds. The 20 ga should do as well range wise but the energy should be different with the lighter grain wt slug. (Partition Gold 12ga uses 385 gr , don't know what the 20 ga uses though). Our groups were 2-3" at 100 yds.

Good luck!

PASlugger · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2004, 08:21:16 PM »

Well guys, I picked up my Ultra Slug Hunter last week. Opted for the NEF Limited Edition model with camo laminate. Looks great. Waiting on a scope, going to mount up the Bushnell 3-9x40 Trophy this week in Matte Black with Circle-X.

Man, I'm chomping at the bit to shoot this one in!

PASlugger

p.s. The Pardner 10 ga. (black) is coming in within the next few days too. I should be ready for 'em turkey by May!

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2004, 03:13:29 AM »

Good for you...Once that scope is mounted up you can start trying out different brands of slugs that will work in that gun...I would start with the Winchester Partition Gold, Lightfields, and any other one that you think may work. Find out which one patterns the best in your slugger and go with it...

Good luck...