Disappointed in Hornady SST 20 gauge slugs

[digger658]

Bought a H&R ultra slug gun in 20 gauge to hunt Ft. Knox a week from saturday. Went to the range today to sight it in with the Hornady SST slug and man was I disappointed. These thing flew all over the place. No pattern what so ever.

Scope and mounts were good and tight and rest was solid. This gun flat doesn't like them. Switch to the cheap Winchester rifled slugs and at least got a 9" group out of them at 100yards. Don't like it but maybe that's the best this gun will shoot.

I don't know. Any suggestions.

 

[JEB]

im guessing your h&r has a fully rifled barrel, right? you will definatly want to stick to sabot type slugs. now that you have shot rifled slugs, you will need to give the bore a really good scrubbing to get all the lead out, then try some different sabot slugs. i just went through this whole ordeal myself. you might try these: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/15...ition-12-gauge-2-3-4-1-oz-sabot-slug-box-of-5 they landed 3 shots in just over an inch at 100 yards. havent used them in the field yet but they shoot good so we'll see.

 

[NOLAEMT]

I believe the sst slugs are a sabot design?

 

[Southpaw 02]

Mine dosen't like the SST's either. I have gotten the best results from mine with Remington Copper Solids. A nice 1.5" group at 100 yards.

 

[Krispy]

SST's didn't group well in my Mossy 20 either..after testing many loads i discovered that the sabot separation for sst's was eratic leading to large groups.....remington accu-tips and winchester partitions would always separate around 10-20 yards downrange in a straight line....
sst's would separate around 30 yards downrange and 5 yards left..i have some old sst's that group very well, but i read on a forum somewhere that hornady had changed the sabot design in the past few years...i brought some of the new ones and can't seem to get to group.

 

[Craigman]

mine LOVES SST's. NEF Handi Rifle 12ga 2 3/4" 300gn A whole box almost all touching at 100yds. It hated the Barnes by Fedreal even though those were the ones I wanted it to like. Nothing wrong with the SST's IMO. Every rifle likes what it likes.

 

[redneck2]

I used to work in a gun shop. A vast majority of the gun hunters here use slugs (no rifles). SST's are erratic to say the least. It's very common to see results like yours. I tried SST's in my 870. Awful. Common complaint.

I ended up using Remington Copper Solids. They'll put three in a tennis ball at 125 yards out of my 870.

First ones I would try would be Federal, then Winchester, then Remington. If it were a Remington gun, I'd try Remington first. You can throw Brenneke's anywhere in that mix.

I've had a LOT of experience with slugs. I strongly suspect it isn't the gun. Slug guns seem to be more picky than center fire rifles when it comes to ammo. They like what they like.

HTH.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Digger try the Remington Copper Solid or the Lightfield Hybred EXP. Mine really likes the Lightfield's, a coworker has the same gun that really like the Rem. Copper solid.

For the record I never liked the SST's anyway, the copper solids are excellent slugs and the Lightfield's are all i have ever shot in my 20 gauge H&R ush.

 

[Hunterdad]

I bet you get great results with Remington Buckhammers. They hit your shoulder hard, but they have shot exceptionally well out of everything I've tried them with.

 

[rule303]

+1 on the Buckhammers, I haven't seen a gun that wouldn't shoot them yet. I tried all kinds of expensive sabot slugs, including the SST in my Mossberg 930. Didn't seem to matter what brand they were, I would always get a flyer or two out of every five shot group, because the sabots were discarding at totally different distances. What good is a 3" 100 yd group when your first or third shot could be off by a foot? Brennekes and Buckhammers have been very consistent for me, and inexpensive too, compared to the SST's and Barnes expanders.

 

[digger658]

Well the BuckHammers were a whole heck of a lot better. Got 4" groups at 100yds. I'm pleased and feel better about hunting Ft. Knox next weekend. I really appreciate all the help and hope I can report back on a nice trophy.