slug gun help

[Hunting Daddy]

Picked up my 1st slug gun. It is a Ithaca model 37 with a rifled 20" barrel. I have no idea of the twist of the barrel.
Not much expirence with slugs....so I need a little help. Most of my shots will be from 40-80 yards with max at 130 yards.
Any suggestions on:
Scope?
Slugs?

Thanks for help
HD

 

[ADR]

I'm sure there's a lot of opinions but I like a BDC reticle on a slug gun. For your yardage maybe dead on at fifty yards. As far as slugs, slug guns usually like one type of ammo or another. It's often not cheap figuring which one that is. Personally I like the remington accutips but it's all in what your gun likes. Buy several types and make sure you've got a lead sled. Shooting 20-30 slugs in an afternoon hurts.

 

[infoman jr.]

You need a saboted slug. Copper solids are good performers.

 

[Hunting Daddy]

I will definitely use my leadsled. Can I use a regular Nikon Prostaff or do I need a slug scope. I will get both recomedations for the slugs.

I have several boxes of rifled slugs. Can I use these to get the scope on paper.

Thanks
HD

 

[JimFromTN]

You can use your prostaff. The only thing a slug gun scope buys you is a little more eye relief and usually the parallax is set to 75 yds. The parallax does not really buy you anything as far as I can tell. I have been using rifle scope on a slug gun for years.

Sight your scope in at 2 1/2 inches high at 50 yds and it should be pretty close at 100 and probably a couple inches low at 130.

As for slugs, try different brands like everyone says. I would suggest trying different weights and speeds. My 870 with hastings slug barrel likes them heavy and slow. It likes the lightfield hybrids and the hastings slugs which are now the Rottweil Laser Plus Sabot Slugs. I would stick with 2 3/4 inch slugs. 3 inch slugs don't really get you anything except a bruised shoulder as far as I can tell.

 

[JRE]

For a scope I would recommend a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40, which Euro Optics has on sale for $329. It has a constant 4-inch eye relief regardless of magnification setting. I have one on my slug gun and I really like it. Personally I would never use a lead sled for a few different reasons, especially not on a hard kicking slug gun. For slugs, you may have to try several to see what your gun likes.

 

[Roost 1]

Do not use rifled slugs in a rifled barrel, they are for a smooth barrel. You need sabot slugs...... The new federal all copper slugs work very well for me.

 

[Hunting Daddy]

Appreciate all the help. Look forward to hunting with a shotgun this season.
HD

 

[Mr.Bro]

Some good info here.

One more helpful hint.

When you find that load that groups good and performs well on the game intended. Buy all of it you can afford.Cause next year they will quit making it.

 

[JimFromTN]

I ended up buying 2 cases of hastings laser saboted slugs off of an auction after hastings went out of business. Its the only time I ever thought that I wasn't paying too much for a slug. I think I paid $50 a case.

If you go out to slugsRus, they have the setup to roll your own.