Browning BPS Hunter Shotgun - Slugs for Deer?

[MidTennFisher]

I posted this in the firearms forum too.

I have a 12 gauge Browning BPS Hunter, 28" barrel with a 3" receiver. It's worked great for small game, waterfowl, even got my first turkey with it. It has a smooth bore barrel and I know that a rifled barrel would be much better for slug shooting but it's also a costly upgrade. I'd like to know if anyone has experience shooting rifled slugs out of this gun or a similar gun and how do you feel about the possible accuracy for deer at no more than 50 yards. Thanks!

 

[Hunter 257W]

I experimented a little with a Mossberg 500 smoothbore riot gun and a 2x Leupold scope years ago. I only used standard Foster style slugs. Results were sure not spectacular - except for the recoil using 3" shells - THAT was spectacular to my shoulder. :) Accuracy was adequate though to hit a deer at 50 yards. I never hunted with it because about that same time AEDC was allowing muzzle loaders for their deer hunts and I bought a New England Firearms 50 cal ML rather than using the shotgun.

If you want to use the BPS and restrict it's use only to thick areas where shots won't be longer than 50 yards, I see no reason why it wouldn't work. I do have a BPS and they are good shotguns without a doubt.

 

[poorhunter]

Try using the Federal TruBall slugs. They IMO will give you the best results. Also, there's no need to use the 3" she'll, the 2 3/4 is plenty to kill deer.

 

[tnshooter]

Years ago I shot berenke slugs out of my bps. You could try a box and 2 3/4 will be plenty.

 

[Trnr]

I would do it. I grew up hunting with an Ithaca Deer Slayer. It's got a 2 3/4 chamber and it's my go to gun for the thick stuff. I shoot Winchester Super X rifled slugs out of it (its a smooth bore too). Another good thing is you can get slugs cheaper than rifle ammo.

 

[scn]

IMO, you will not be impressed with the accuracy if you are talking about shooting slugs out of a regular beaded shotgun barrel. Beads are just not a good sighting system for long range slug shooting. If you invest in some after market add on sights, your accuracy will go up. Using a slug barrel with rifle sights, even if the barrel isn't rifled, will help some more. And, as you are aware, the fully rifled slug barrel will give the greatest accuracy. A side saddle mount with a scope or a slug barrel with a cantilever mount and scope are likely the optimum sighting system.

With the proper sighting system, the foster slugs in a smooth bore can give sufficient deer hunting accuracy out to the 75-100 yard range. And, their terminal performance is awesome.

Most studies I have read on slug shooting have shown greater accuracy from 2 3/4" slugs over the 3", and the recoil is much more manageable. Be aware that rifled slugs,even the 2 3/4" shells, in a regular shotgun, will produce elephant gun type recoil. They are deadly, but no fun to shoot.

If you try to use your regular shotgun barrel, choose a very open choke such as cylinder or improved cylinder. Don't use a full choke or some of the after market ported chokes.

 

[Trnr]

+1 for what scn was saying...I've got a fiber optic front sight with a peep sight in the rear. I wouldn't hesitate out to the 75-100 yd range. Not sure I'd go much further with a smooth bore and open sights. I'm sure there are some that do, but my eyes aren't that good haha. And definitely be ready for some recoil. Normally, I shoot a box (25 slugs) and I'm done with that gun for the day.

 

[iowavf]

Years ago I shot berenke slugs out of my bps. You could try a box and 2 3/4 will be plenty.

This is what I shoot in my old mossberg 500 which has an 18 1/2" smooth bore deer barrel. Very accurate at 100 yards which was usually my longest shots when I use to hunt with the slug gun. I shot both the 3" and 2 3/4" mags. There's a brand with Brenneke's name called Knock Out, but they just don't seem to pack the punch like the original Brenneke mags with the white shell body.

 

[MidTennFisher]

Is the recoil worse than a 3" turkey load? Boy those have quite a bit of kick as compared to what I was shooting for ducks and rabbits! You know how it goes though, in the field I won't feel or hear the shot. However, when I'm sighting the gun in, each shot is going to feel like Mike Tyson punched me in the shoulder. Thanks a lot for the advice. I don't have a long range rifle yet but in the meantime I would like to be able to use that gun to kill deer and it sounds like it will do just fine at shorter ranges.

 

[Headhunter]

Or get a savage 220f 20 ga. They are unbelievable. Will shoot one hole groups at 100 yards and inside of a tennis ball at 200 yards. I have killed out to 170+ yards with mine. Get a 20 ga, there is no advantage in a 12. I have been told they will kill to 200 yards, but on paper the energy starts dropping significantly at 180 yards. I have killed many deer with mine and most have never taken a step and at best just a couple. Several kills have been from 100 to 150 yards.

 

[Mike Belt]

A long time back I carried my 12 gauge, smooth bore, and open sights deer hunting one time. I took a shot at a deer 126 yards away and killed it. Bullet performance was great. I had a lot of open space between that deer's back and the end of my shotgun when I fired. I'd never do that again and wouldn't recommend anyone else do it either but as far as knock down power, a slug is more than efficient. Range is another question. Shoot at the range to see what your gun will do.

 

[Novocaine]

some crossbows will be more accurate than a smooth bore shotgun. I would get a designated slug gun just in case the buck of my dreams walked out at 100 yds from me.

 

[Roost 1]

Or get a savage 220f 20 ga. They are unbelievable. Will shoot one hole groups at 100 yards and inside of a tennis ball at 200 yards. I have killed out to 170+ yards with mine. Get a 20 ga, there is no advantage in a 12. I have been told they will kill to 200 yards, but on paper the energy starts dropping significantly at 180 yards. I have killed many deer with mine and most have never taken a step and at best just a couple. Several kills have been from 100 to 150 yards.

Spot on!!!!

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

IMO, you will not be impressed with the accuracy if you are talking about shooting slugs out of a regular beaded shotgun barrel. Beads are just not a good sighting system for long range slug shooting. If you invest in some after market add on sights, your accuracy will go up. Using a slug barrel with rifle sights, even if the barrel isn't rifled, will help some more. And, as you are aware, the fully rifled slug barrel will give the greatest accuracy. A side saddle mount with a scope or a slug barrel with a cantilever mount and scope are likely the optimum sighting system.

With the proper sighting system, the foster slugs in a smooth bore can give sufficient deer hunting accuracy out to the 75-100 yard range. And, their terminal performance is awesome.

Most studies I have read on slug shooting have shown greater accuracy from 2 3/4" slugs over the 3", and the recoil is much more manageable. Be aware that rifled slugs,even the 2 3/4" shells, in a regular shotgun, will produce elephant gun type recoil. They are deadly, but no fun to shoot.

If you try to use your regular shotgun barrel, choose a very open choke such as cylinder or improved cylinder. Don't use a full choke or some of the after market ported chokes.

This is very good advice. While bead sites can produce good accuracy with slugs... You have to be able to produce a consistent and repeatable cheek weld.Its doable But It requires alot of practice to be able to do it on demand. LE officers train quite a bit on it and civilians spend alot of time in shotgun classes perfecting it. When you graduate to rifle sites on a shotgun you see how much you were restricted by the bead sights.