Author Topic: Tar-Hunt 870 DSG (Read 3472 times)

Sod Farmer · « **on:** December 07, 2007, 12:27:22 PM »

I ordered a Tar-Hunt 870 DSG from Randy Fritz today. I was almost ready to buy one of the Browning Gold Rifled Deer guns, but the Tar-Hunt was actually cheaper! Does anyone have one of these?

- - - - how accurate are they? They've got to be at least as accurate as any other "off the shelf" slug gun out there with the possible exceptions of the USH and the Savage 210.
Opinions???

Sod Farmer

MSP Ret · « **Reply #1 on:** December 15, 2007, 03:50:51 AM »

Do you mind me asking what the MSRP of that Tar-Hunt is? Also why did you decide on that instead of an USH? I will admit I am not familiar with the Tar-Hunt guns except for what I have read, and that has all been good, however I am interested in why you chose it over the MUCH less expensive but just about as accurate USH...Thanks for you thoughts....<><....

Busta · « **Reply #2 on:** December 15, 2007, 07:11:17 PM »

http://www.tarhunt.com/tarhunt/ecatalog/index.cfm?pageid=342&id=1&cfid=15151770&cftoken=41012450

MSP Ret · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2007, 02:24:29 PM »

Thanks Busta....<><....

Sod Farmer · « **Reply #4 on:** December 16, 2007, 06:34:16 PM »

MSP -
From what I know, the USH is probably more accurate than the Tar-hunt DSG. The reason for picking the Tar-hunt over the USH is because of the need for quick follow-up shots we frequently see while hunting in the thick brush along the Missourri river. We use deer drives and the shots are almost always at a very fast moving target going through the trees and brush.
Sod

mspaci · « **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2007, 05:06:37 AM »

For drives in brush use a semi or pump. I have the ultra 20 & can reload so fast a few guys thought I had changed guns to a pump. I keep the slugs on the stock & follow ups are actually as quick or quicker than the bolt. The Tar hunt only gives I think one in the clip anyway. My ultra was $189. Mike

Sod Farmer · « **Reply #6 on:** December 17, 2007, 05:34:30 AM »

MSPACI -
The Tar-hunt 870 DSG is a Remington 870 pump with a non-removable rifled Shaw barrel. See the link in one of the previous posts. The idea of this combination is to retain the pump action for multiple shots while gaining significant accuracy with the permanantly attached shaw barrel.
Sod

mspaci · « **Reply #7 on:** December 17, 2007, 04:06:39 PM »

sorry, I thought you were looking at the bolt, my bad, Mike

teddy12b · « **Reply #8 on:** December 17, 2007, 05:47:48 PM »

Let us know how accurate your new gun is. A couple years ago I got a 210F and had a limbsaver grind to fit put on it. My idea was to get "rifle like" accuracy since Indiana was a shotgun only state. Since then they allowed rifles in straight walled pistol cartridges, so I might have jumped the gun on what I got setup.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #9 on:** December 19, 2007, 01:35:35 AM »

"because of the need for quick follow-up shots we frequently see while hunting in the thick brush along the Missourri river. We use deer drives and the shots are almost always at a very fast moving target going through the trees and brush."

this sounds as if you could have done fine with either a smoothbore slug barrel on an 870 or similar gun (I have that same sutup) or if you wanted to you could have even gone to a rifled barrel and the extremely expensive sabots for the possible increase in accuracy. For the situation you describe either would have been fine. My smoothbores with rifle sights shoot 4" to 5" groups at about 75 yards with inexpensive foster style slugs....<><....

Sod Farmer · « **Reply #10 on:** December 19, 2007, 03:40:37 PM »

MSP-
I once owned a new Remington 870 with the Remington cantilever barrel. I tried every type of slug I could find and the best I could do was about 14" groups at 100 yds. My gun dealer also tried to see if he could do any better and could not. So after about $200 worth of slugs, I traded it back to him. I know of smooth bores that can do better than that. Apparently, you're one of the fortunate ones who has a good shooting smooth bore. I already know that someone is going to read this and say that it was the scope or that I can't shoot. It was neither. I'm not saying that all Remingtons are like that, but mine was. After being burnt on the new factory Remington, I wasn't going to try another one.

While most of the shots I am likely to take, are close quarters and moving fast, I also sit on stand where longer shots and accuracy becomes very important. My expectation is that the Tar-hunt 870 DSG will give me that accuracy along with the ability to get a quick second shot in the brush. If it does both I will be more than happy. If not well - - - #@*&$!

Sod Farmer · « **Reply #11 on:** December 20, 2007, 03:54:18 PM »

Teddy -
Received the new gun yesterday and shot it this morning. Conditions were perfect - - - - no wind. This gun shot just under 3 inch groups at 100 yds. with the Lightfield Hybrid 2.75" slugs. Randy Fritz at Tar-Hunt told me to try the Lightfield slugs first in this gun, and he was right. I also tried the Winchester Supreme Partition Gold slugs. They did not group nearly as well.

In talking with Randy, I learned something that I think is very important about different types of slugs. He claims that any copper jacketed or copper washed slug will have 10 - 15 % fliers. This is caused by the sabot not being able to consistently grasp the bullet (slippery), resulting in some of the slugs not spinning as fast as the others. His Lightfield slugs are soft lead with some "ears" molded into them that fit into matching indentations in the sabots, thus assuring consistent spin from the rifling. For this reason, I think that slugs like the Lightfields, Hastings or the Remington Buckhammer would all be good bets for accuracy in many of the rifled slug guns.

deerhunter10 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2007, 08:16:55 PM »

I too have spoke with Randy from Tar-hunt alot, over the past year. Very knowledgeable person. He does all of the R&D for Lightfield, builds his owns guns, and does all the conversions on the 870's. His information was pretty accurate from my experience and money spent, barrel slop, fliers from copper slugs, and the wind drastically effecting the accuracy of slugs. However to choke out $1000 when it's all said and done for a DSG, or $3000 for the Tar-hunt bolt, was a bit steep. So I found this article on this forum from gunhuntermag.com, about this small NY based gunsmith called Da-Mar, that pins barrels. Spoke with Dennis the owners son, he said he would pin my barrel, lengthen the forcing cone, do a trigger job, drill and tap a permanent Da-Mar mount, recrown my barrel order a new scope, and sight the gun in. And guaranteed my gun would be back in my hands 3 days after he received it, and I live in California. He did everything he said, and it was very inexpensive and unbelievably accurate. Tar hunt and the DSG I'm sure are good products, but what this small town gun smith can do for the price is amazing! Just thought I'd throw this info out there, for anyone looking for a great alternative to the good, but slightly pricy Tar-Hunt.

358Thumper · « **Reply #13 on:** December 21, 2007, 03:53:24 AM »

Quote from: Sod Farmer on December 20, 2007, 03:54:18 PM

Teddy -
Received the new gun yesterday and shot it this morning. Conditions were perfect - - - - no wind. This gun shot just under 3 inch groups at 100 yds. with the Lightfield Hybrid 2.75" slugs. Randy Fritz at Tar-Hunt told me to try the Lightfield slugs first in this gun, and he was right. I also tried the Winchester Supreme Partition Gold slugs. They did not group nearly as well.

In talking with Randy, I learned something that I think is very important about different types of slugs. He claims that any copper jacketed or copper washed slug will have 10 - 15 % fliers. This is caused by the sabot not being able to consistently grasp the bullet (slippery), resulting in some of the slugs not spinning as fast as the others. His Lightfield slugs are soft lead with some "ears" molded into them that fit into matching indentations in the sabots, thus assuring consistent spin from the rifling. For this reason, I think that slugs like the Lightfields, Hastings or the Remington Buckhammer would all be good bets for accuracy in many of the rifled slug guns.

You are absolutely right about this.....the Lightfields, Hastings, and Buckhammers seem to shoot best out of my slug guns and I had to find that out the hard way. Spending hundreds of $$$$ and beat up shoulders trying every sabot available only to find that the preminum stuff just won't shoot as good as these 3. The best part is that they don't cost as much as the others either.

j two dogs · « **Reply #14 on:** December 22, 2007, 09:33:07 AM »

Try the winchester bri 3 inch sabots. They are all lead allbeit a funky looking hour glass but the suckers sure are accurate in my marlin slugmaster, I have shot a 3 shot 1.5 inch ragged hole with them at 100 yds.

Sod Farmer · « **Reply #15 on:** December 23, 2007, 07:41:58 AM »

j two dogs -
I have a buddy who has a hastings barrel with the 1 in 34 twist rate and he also has very good results with the winchester bri slugs. I believe that these slug are a little slower than some of the newer high velocity slugs which makes them ideal for the slower twist rate. You're getting great groups - - - I wouldn't change a thing and hold on to your gun forever.

WNY_Whitetailer · « **Reply #16 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:55:05 PM »

Sod Farmer...3" groups out of a slug gun at 100 yards...I'd say that it pretty good...Congrats on the new gun. I shoot Lightfield Hybreds out of my H&R USH...Love'em.

usmc2111 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 02, 2008, 06:13:01 AM »

I would agree with the Win sabots. I get 1-2 groups out of my 870 with them also.

Birddog1 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 05, 2008, 07:54:25 AM »

Quote from: deerhunter10 on December 20, 2007, 08:16:55 PM

I too have spoke with Randy from Tar-hunt alot, over the past year. Very knowledgeable person. He does all of the R&D for Lightfield, builds his owns guns, and does all the conversions on the 870's. His information was pretty accurate from my experience and money spent, barrel slop, fliers from copper slugs, and the wind drastically effecting the accuracy of slugs. However to choke out $1000 when it's all said and done for a DSG, or $3000 for the Tar-hunt bolt, was a bit steep. So I found this article on this forum from gunhuntermag.com, about this small NY based gunsmith called Da-Mar, that pins barrels. Spoke with Dennis the owners son, he said he would pin my barrel, lengthen the forcing cone, do a trigger job, drill and tap a permanent Da-Mar mount, recrown my barrel order a new scope, and sight the gun in. And guaranteed my gun would be back in my hands 3 days after he received it, and I live in California. He did everything he said, and it was very inexpensive and unbelievably accurate. Tar hunt and the DSG I'm sure are good products, but what this small town gun smith can do for the price is amazing! Just thought I'd throw this info out there, for anyone looking for a great alternative to the good, but slightly pricy Tar-Hunt.

I recently spoke with them too. I think I'm going to send my 870 to have the barrel pinned, have the cantilever removed then the receiver drilled and tapped with mounts installed and have the trigger worked. I think the total should be somewhere around $200-$250. My gun is great right now with the Lightfield Hybreds, I can only imagine what this might do.

Busta · « **Reply #19 on:** January 05, 2008, 11:39:17 AM »

Birddog1,

Why would you want to remove your cantilever mount? Why not just pin the barrel and leave the scope where it is. The 870's dont have to be pinned on the top, they can also be pinned on the side for the cantilevers. Check out this article by Dave Henderson, it might not cost as much as you think to tighten up your groups. Just another option.

http://www.gunhuntermag.com/features/070921slug.htm

deerhunter10 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 05, 2008, 10:11:57 PM »

Busta, that's where I sent my gun as I stated in one of my previous post, and they do great work! I took my cantilever off as well. I just didn't think it was very sturdy, at least the one on my 1100 barrel, but after talking to Remington, I guess they've beefed them up a bit, at least on their new 23 inch heavy slug barrels they said. Also I've had a few gunsmiths tell me that your scope takes quite a bit more abuse when it's hanging out on one of those cantilevers. Whether it's true or not I don't know, but I can see where that could be true. And if you do mount your scope to your receiver and pin the barrel and get trigger worked, why couldn't an 870 be as accurate as a Tar- Hunt 870 conversion? I'm thinking of doing it myself since the results of my 1100 were pretty good, I would think the pump results might be better.

nkhunter · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2008, 03:13:13 AM »

I have two factory guns that shoot under 3" at 100yds. My Savage 210 shoots 1.25" @ 100 with 3" partitian golds and my beretta pintail with rifled, scoped barrel shoots lightfields into a ragged 2" group all day long. Do you mean 3" group as in 1.5 moa?