One yr later - 3 1/2 20ga

[Silvertp]

Ive read all the past posts starting in 2007 and notice nothing newer than 10 months on the 3 1/2 inch Hastings 20 ga slug.

Was thinking about getting an Encore slug bbl rechambered to 3 1/2 inch but wanted to hear if anyone has used / gained experience with this round. 

Also, if you have a bbl chambered for the 3 1/2 have you tried any 3" slugs through it, if so how accurate were they???

Surely someone out there has tried this round in the white-tailed deer woods.

Thanks
Silvertp

[rickt300]

There is an article in Fur-Fish-Game on this load. It says it gets 2000 fps with a 410 grain slug. This gives 3,643 foot pounds of energy. At 200 yards you have 1.227 foot pounds of energy. In the December 09 issue.

[jjas]

There is an article in Fur-Fish-Game on this load. It says it gets 2000 fps with a 410 grain slug. This gives 3,643 foot pounds of energy. At 200 yards you have 1.227 foot pounds of energy. In the December 09 issue.

The problem I see with this load is 1) You have to buy a special gun to utilize it. 2)  Loads like the Remington Core lokt in 12 gauge will give you 530 ft lbs of energy MORE @ 200 yards while generating 600 ft lbs of energy LESS to have to deal with @ the muzzle.  The Hastings load has a terrible ballistic coefficient.  In other words, it kicks like a mule @ ignition and sheds energy like crazy.

Now, Hastings is trying to change the bullet in the slug to give it better ballistics but the cost per bullet for Hastings is reportedly $2.00 per.  That's THEIR cost.  I'd hate to guess what a loaded shell will cost the end user. 

[Silvertp]

As I see it folks with a handi or encore would just have to be rechambered to the 3 1/2".  Then if it turns out that the Hastings ammo doesn't shoot from your gun you will be stuck shooting other brands after having incurred the cost of a chamber job. 

If the hastings load do shoot you got a killing machine on your hands!

Im not sensitive to heavy recoil, actually kind of enjoy it (especially when I hit what I am shooting at).  But the cost of the ammo hurt from my teeth to my toes.

Silvertp

[jjas]

As I see it folks with a handi or encore would just have to be rechambered to the 3 1/2".  Then if it turns out that the Hastings ammo doesn't shoot from your gun you will be stuck shooting other brands after having incurred the cost of a chamber job.  

If the hastings load do shoot you got a killing machine on your hands!

Im not sensitive to heavy recoil, actually kind of enjoy it (especially when I hit what I am shooting at).  But the cost of the ammo hurt from my teeth to my toes.

Silvertp

Maybe I'm missing something here.....If the Hastings ammo doesn't shoot well from your 3.5" what will you shoot other than standard 2 3/4" or 3" loads.  There are no other 3.5" 20 gauge loads on the market.

And while you may not mind heavy recoil, most people I know would rather shoot a load that generates less recoil @ the muzzle and gives more downrange energy than vice versa.  But to each their own.

As far as a "killing machine" goes....this has been out for almost 3 years and I've yet to see any other loads and only rechambered H&R slug guns made to shoot it.  IMHO, if it were going to fly, I would imagine it already would have sprouted wings.

[J. Plate]

Unless someone else is taking on the manufacture of this slug, I'd forget about it....   Read below.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,192188.0.html

[Silvertp]

J.Plate...thanks for the link.  Sure makes a decision re: rechamber an easy one.  I was wondering if something was wrong as I had emailed them and never gotten a reply.

Silvertp

[J. Plate]

Not a problem, and I can't take all the credit as the information is second hand to me.   Just wanted to link up the two threads and save you some time/aggravation/money.   

 

[mannyrock]

 Why go to all of this effort to strech your 20 gauge into being a 12 gauge?  If you really need all of that extra power, then get a 12 gauge.

Mannyrock