Best Slugs for a Tracker II in 12 GA.

[GrassLakeRon]

Hi All,

     What slugs seem to do the best in the Tracker II 12 GA?  Also,  How bad are Foster Style Slugs out of that gun?  Thanks.

Ron

[RugerNo3]

Foster slugs will lead up a rifled barrel. The sabots are expensive and there is no guarantee which will work best. Buy several brands and shoot for group. Keep the shots close and anything will be minute of whitetail. No cheap solution.

[PA-Joe]

Try the Hornady SST sabots!

[MSP Ret]

Actually RegerNo3 there is a cheap solution, get a Tracker 1 barrel from the factory and shoot the "cheap" foster slugs, under $2.00 a box of 5 on sale just about anywhere for the Remington Sluggers and Federal Classics. I prefer the Brenneke's myself. They are good for about 3" groups at 75 yards or so and accurate enough for deer out to 100 yards. Or just get a set of iron sights, a red dot, or a scope put (D&T barrel) on a used (cheap) smoothbore modified 12 or 20 gauge barrel (easier to get the 20 D&T'ed), shoot Foster style slugs out of it and have a sweet deer slayer that is cheap to shoot and deadly on deer and hogs also....<><....        

I have a 16 gauge full choke NEF that is deadly accurate with slugs... they work well also....       

[Cookiemann]

Actually, I called the factory today and was told there are NO MORE Tracker I barrels.  I was gonna have on fitted in 12ga.  Looks like I start from scratch and make my own.  I should have gotten one when I got my 20ga.  Oh well.

cookiemann

[MSP Ret]

Rich, are they out of both the 12 and 20 gauge Tracker I barrels from that stash they found in the warehouse? I am sure glad I bought my 20 gauge Tracker I barrel when they had them, it matches my 12 gauge Tracker I just great....<><....

[Cookiemann]

Yes, Andy.  She said they had none left.  I should have gotten a 12 when I got my 20.   I was planning on building a 12ga camp gun so it looks like that will see double duty as a slugger.   

[MSP Ret]

OK Rich, just a heads up for you, I have had some of my best luck accuracy wise with smoothbores using foster style slugs with barrels tighter than cylinder bore. Improved cylinder or even Modified chokes have all worked exceptionally well, of course we all know each gun is different in it's likes and dislikes of ammo, and this holds true for smoothbore shotguns with foster style slugs. So far my full choke 16 gauge H&R barrel has proven to be unbelieveably accurate with the old paper cased Remington slugs but I am now out of the paper cased 16 gauge slugs . I should have saved a couple of the few I had for hunting instead of shooting them at the range. I am going to try the plastic case Remington 16's to see if I get as good accuracy. My 16 gauge barrel only has a bead front sight but at 70 yards both myself and my buddy were hitting everything we aimed at in a big sand pit in Maine, the first shot with a slug went right in the center of a 3" black "X" ring of a paper target set at 70 yards we had been using to set up new scope on a rifle. We then proceeded to hit every rock, old oil can, and shatter each piece of slate we shot at with the handful of slugs we had. We each shot it great and it shot the slugs great with the full choke barrel. So perhaps if you get a modified or full choke barrel for your camp gun shoot slugs from it before you cut the end off it. If you still want to cut the choke off it yoiu can then shoot it again with sligs and ppost the difference in results here (please). Good Luck....<><....

[offhand35]

GlassLakeRon,
I spent considerable time a few years ago trying out various sabot slugs in my Tracker II. I found the BRI type slug available from Winchester and from Federal gave me the best accuracy along with the most tolerable recoil at 100yds and under. Even so, I had my barrel ported at Magnaport to keep the fore end from jumping out of my hand, and added a mercury recoil reducer for better balance and recoil management.
I settled on the Federal  Power Shok Sabot Slug, cat. # F127SS in  2 3/4". This has the BRI style  slug, and  PLENTY of knockdown power.  I bought 2 cases on an auction 3 yrs ago. This was a whole lot of "overkill"  , since after the initial period of getting acquainted with the gun, I now only shoot 5 or 6 rounds a year in addition to the 1  that I need each year to bring home my deer.
I thought the 500 shells that I bought to go with this Tracker II might outlast my using the gun, and so it may be!!!
Here is the link for that slug, take a look:


http://www.federalcartridge.com/ballistics/Ammo_Search.aspx?act=choose&firearm=5&s1=1

[GrassLakeRon]

Thanks for the info.  I went down to the range and tried the Hornady 300 gr SST.  They did ok.  The best seemed to be the old remington slugger.  Yes it leaded the barrel, but I shot 3 inch groups at 50 yards, with 5 boxes of slugs.  I will try the federals next.

Ron

[MSP Ret]

You should be able to do a LOT better than 3" at 50 yards with a Tracker II. You can do that or better with a smoothbore Tracker I. I suggest you try some different slugs. I know I suggested a Tracker I in the first place since it is so much cheaper to shoot but I also have a Tracker II and although I don't shoot it any more I know it is capable of much better than that at 50 yards, heck it should do that at 100 yards. Good Luck....<><....

[GrassLakeRon]

I use open sights.  That mite be part of my problem.

Ron

[RugerNo3]

There's also a gentleman that has a very good background in slugs that's been producing good hard cast slugs in Fla.
If you're looking for some specialized slugs, you might give him a try. He uses the 20ga Handi for testing.
He was with S&W firearms and Winchester Powder Div, Olin Ind., for 30plus years.
You might check with James Gates at Dixie Slugs dot com. I've posted with him on several sites and he knows internal ballistics as well as external ballistics. You'll have in effect a 12 or 20 ga rifle with various power levels available.

[MSP Ret]

I have shot some Dixie slugs and always keep a box available in case I have to shoot something LARGE or defend myself from a charging Rhino. They are a great quality product and the pepole at that small but honest and reliable company are among the best I have ever dealt with. I will be buying more and am looking forward to getting some of their "Tri-Ball" loads....<><....

[offhand35]

With the Federal F127SS 2 3/4"  sabot slugs, I REGULARLY get 1"- 1 1/2" groups, 2 or 3 out of 3 touching, and 2-4" groups at 100yds.
This is with the stock open sights. I really seem to do well with the square top front sight in a square notch, as opposed to that little bitty brass or white bead on a post sitting in a U-shaped or V-shaped notch in the rear sight. I had to file the front sight a little to raise point of impact without extending the rear sight way up. I did not do that until I was absolutely sure that I was very happy with that particular slug, and that I could get a large enough supply that I would not have to worry about finding any as time went by.

I'm glad that you will at least try the Federal sabot slugs. At the time, I think they were among the least expensive of the sabot slugs available....That may still be. Check out prices at www.Cheaperthandirt.com and at www.WholesaleHunter.com

[R J Talley]

Has anyone slugged one of their rifled barrels? If so, I'd love to know what you got. I'm working on a project that would basicly turn an NEF Ultra Slug gun into a BP rifled 12 bore. Knowing the bore dimentions before hand would help me to decide if this were a doable project.