Ammo Recommendation for new 870?

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Murby

New member
Hi all,
Just joined. looks busy around here.

I just bought my first slug gun.. Its a remington 870 Express model 25090 (or sometimes just called a 5090). It has a 23" rifled barrel.
http://www.remington.com/en/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-express-slug.aspx

As I understand, some shotguns like certain kinds of ammo better than others.

Can anyone tell me if there is a recommended ammo that shoots well through a stock rifled 870 like I have?
 
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Dreaming100Straight

New member
I have only fired a few slugs and don't know a lot about them, but this is my understanding.

A rifled barrel such as yours is for shooting non rifled slugs. You can shoot shot through it but the patterns will have a hole in the middle (like a doughnut).

"Rifled slugs" are for shooting through smooth bore shotgun barrels; not rifled barrels such as you have.

As far as I know there are no chap promotional slugs that are likely to cause shells to jam in the chamber as many new 870s will with WalMart promos.

You may want to read this http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot46.htm
 
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jaguarxk120

New member
You have to start shooting groups with different brands of slugs. For some unknown reason shotguns with the rifled barrels "Like" some brands over others.
Many guns today are like that 22 rim fires are just like that they favor some brands over others.

Good luck in finding a load that works for you.
 
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lefteye

New member
My 870 with a rifled barrel and I both like the same slugs - Remington 2 3/4" sabot copper slugs. One slug is a hollow point, the other is basically the same with a synthetic (plastic?) point. I can't tolerate the recoil of 3" 12 gauge slugs. I have taken deer beyond 100 yards with copper solids. My 870 has a cantilever scope mount and a Leupold 1 X 4 shotgun scope. My barrel is about 3 1/2" shorter than the current model.
 
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M

Murby

New member
UPDATE:

So I bought my 870 Express and slapped a Nikon 3-9 x40mm SlugHunter scope (Nikon 6791) onto the cantilever rail using a set of weaver steel GrandSlam rings.

Loaded up some 3" Winchcester Partition Gold sabot slugs and set the target at 20 yards.

First shot was 5" left and 5" low.. Put the gun in a vice, lined up with the target and adjusted scope to the point of impact.

Moved the target to 40 yards and put the second round right through the center.. The third round went right though the hole of the second round but off just under a 1/4 inch..

Next I have to move the target out to 50 yards and double check but it looks like its lined up pretty good and flying the Partition Golds pretty straight.

Tried posting pic but it will only display a link..

IMG_1403copy_zps0f2fc7bc.jpg
 
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shortwave

New member
If ya don't mind the recoil of the 3"ers, sounds like you found a good slug to shoot.

FWIW. I've shot plenty of 3" but have never killed more deer with them then the softer recoiling 2 3/4".

Welcome to TFL.
 
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B

Bake

New member
Murby,

Now the next step is to copy the "Lot Number" off the box the shells came in, and go back to the store where you got them, and buy a case. They are "Gold"...:):D
 
M

Murby

New member
My buddy mentioned the lot number thing too.. Seriously? Is it that sensitive that one box of shells will fly differently than the next? Does anyone know why? So lets say two lots do fly differently, how much difference is there going to be?

The recoil of the 3 inch slugs doesn't bother me much as I am a big guy.. Furthermore, since Michigan gun season is usually cold, a winter coat takes a lot of the punch out of it. In addition to that, one of the things I most like about the Nikon slughunter is that it has a whopping 5 inches of eye relief. You don't find that kind of distance in many scopes and folks who wear glasses will really appreciate the extra inch it gives to offset the inch you lose. I love Nikon.. I only wish Canon made scopes too for you can't go wrong with the glass either company makes.
 
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Bake

New member
Mur,

My thinking is, now that you have a "Good" load, and I don't see a price drop coming anytime soon.

As a Non-hunter, I assume you will go to the range about a week before "Opening Day" and check your "Zero". Let say, you shoot a 3 shot group that makes a 3 leaf clover, 1" high at your average hunting range. Sounds to me, you're "Good To Go".

On "Opening Day", you're out in the woods in your hide. You load your shotgun with the 2 remaining rounds from the box you took to the range, and top off the mag with a round from the extra box (same lot number)in your pack.

You pass on the first couple of deer, and on the 3rd you decide to shoot him. You know your ammo, is good, you know your scope, is good, you know you can hit the deer.

Next year its the samething, good ammo (Same Lot Number), rechecked zero, another deer in the freezer. But if you have to find new ammo, you will have to start allover again.

Most ammo is pretty good, but there are differences, 1 Lot may shoot lower, or higher, or left, or right. All good groups, just the POA, & POI may change.
And like I said, "The price of good ammo is not going down!".

"Good Luck", & I hope you fill your tag
 
M

Murby

New member
I don't think I'm going to go buy out all the boxes of that lot number this year.. I bought two boxes (10 rounds total), used 5 of them, and have 5 left for hunting.. (Only need one shot per kill so I have plenty).

My reasoning is this..
I saw a video on youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz5VUlQri4Q concerning the winchester partition gold slugs not expanding like they're supposed to.
I'm going to use them this year but if I don't see big honkin holes in the animal, I'm going to switch and try Hornady SST slugs with the poly tip.

We'll see how it goes.. won't know for sure until I actually shoot a deer with it. Perhaps that gel in the youtube vid is too soft or something.
 
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SteelChickenShooter

New member
In my case the Remington Buck Hammer is what I load in my 870. However, when testing ammo, it was obvious I could dial in any one of three or more different brands. So I chose to shoot several test rounds to see where the holes were. Then I created an artificial zero where all brands would be extremely close, but none were dead on center. That way I could use any one of the brands I have on hand and any one of them would be good enough even though one in particular was not dead on center. The Buck Hammers were the closest and tightest. Winchesters, Lightfields, Federals, and even a couple more are all well within the vital zone even though they do not hit the same. There is an average equal error about a little high, a bit low, somewhat left or right, but any box I grab will work. Not the same in my highly accurate pin-point long distance Savage bolt gun. Hornady SST only is what I use in that setup and those rounds are dialed in to be exact on center.
 
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SteelChickenShooter

New member
I did not mention Brenneke by name, but I agree they do work very well.
Would not hesitate to use them. In a different application for a single shot short barrel smooth bore, I like the Brenneke heavy short magnums. I recall 60 or 66 yards was about tops for those but boy, if you have a limited range due to brush density,foilage, or pines they pack a pretty stout wallop. They smack the cardboard target and displace much earth in the berm more than some others. If you ever had the buck of a lifetime suddenly appear, that round would be one that I would want to have loaded.
 
M

Murby

New member
Hey SteelChickenShooter,

How far off was the difference between brands of slugs? I mean, are we talking an inch at 100 yards or 6 or 8 inches at 50 yards or something?
From you comments, you make it sound as though the margin is not all that bad.
 
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SteelChickenShooter

New member
In this case, this particular shotgun is my 12ga, 50 yard gun, iron sights, no scope. I carry different guns that fit different places where I hunt. Each slug brand put a pair of twin holes amounting to about a couple inches off center in different directions. Since I regard the deer vital zone to be about an 8 inch circle, I patterned the hole pairs and set the sights to be in the middle. I decided (in this case for this gun) I want good enough accuracy so I could use any off the shelf brand of ammo. I did this because on one hunt ( dumb me), I forgot to bring ammo and had to scramble to the nearest town to buy the only brand the hardware store had. I saved that hunt by having a gun that was not perfect for a single load, but good enough across the range of what I normally find available.
 
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