mossberg 500 slugster for jersey whitetail

[PonyKiller]

Hi folks I'm new to your forums, been visiting for some time.

Picked up a mossberg 500 combo recenty, going to use it for whitetail this fall. Residing in southern jersey, your limited to shotgun or muzzleloader.

i'll be using the 24 inch slugster barrel and 2.5 power scope that came with it. I have some federal fusion sabot slugs to sight it in and probaby stick with them to hunt with if the accuracy is reasonable.

Was curious as to your results with this pairing, and how the terminal effects were. most of the deer down here are in the lil over a hundered pound range.

Thanks.

 

[T Bran]

The best method ive found is to buy a variety of slugs and sabots from different manufacturers and see what your barrel really likes the best. As to the effectiveness of slugs on deer they work well but shot placement as with all things matters more than the shape of the projectile so no worries. Take it out and shoot it my Mossie likes cheap Winchester one ounce rifled slugs better than any of the premium sabots ive tried your results may vary.
Have fun.
T

 

[rule303]

My Mossberg shoots really well with Remington Buckhammers, and Brenneke K.O.'s. Both of those rounds are much cheaper than the premium sabots, and offer similar ballistics out to 150yds with more energy, since they are full bore. Recoil is a bit stiff though.

 

[*NOVA*]

Remington Acutip slugs worked best with my Mossberg rifled 24" barrel. I think I have the same scope as you - it came with the barrel when I bought it from Walmart. I think that setup is good to 150 yards.

 

[BigDZaleski]

i just got the cantilever for my mossberg. been testing ammo for it. so far it seems to like rem copper solids best. got 2" groups @ 50yd with SSTs. still waiting to test federal tipped expanders, had issues with the barska scope that came with it. gonna swap my good simmons 50mm onto it & head back to the range.
donno what range you're hunting at but I've found inside of 75yds dont waste money on sabots. rifled HPs work just fine and save you $$$.
if you're hunting beyond that I've been told Lightfields hybrids are excellent out to 125yds. I had poor luck with SSTs last year, still got 3 deer in the freezer with em, but Im certain the receiver/barrel fit was most of the problem (scope was mounted to receiver).
The research Ive done has found that mossberg slug barrels have a tendency to like slower sabots, 1500fps or so. but everything Ive read says try em all & see which your barrel likes.
sure would like to know how things turn out for you.

 

[d2wing]

My 500 likes those slugs better than the faster ones and so do I. Group better and less recoil. But that doesn't mean they are the best for your gun. Keep the barrel clean.

 

[22lr]

My 500 with a 24" slug barrel liked the Remington Accutips really well. I purchased 10 rounds, sighted the scope with 3 rounds, took 2 deer with one round a piece, and still have 5 rounds siting on my shelf 3 years later. First deer I took was a hundred yard shot in the spine, dead before it hit the ground. Second deer was a 75 yard shot, it moved about 2 feet from impact. Definitely a solid hitting slug, but dang did it kick like a mule. I don't like shooting a lot of slugs (I have rifles if I only want a single hole in the paper), but I was comfortable out to 150 yards with that combo all day long.

Shotgun hunting is fun, get a good hit and the deer just collapse. My second deer was hit in the heart, I never found an identifiable piece of it.

 

[*NOVA*]

Spec Ops recoil suppression stock - it really works! Reduces the kick quite a bit. Only thing I have to remember is to extend the stock out all the way - got a crescent moon once at the range because the stock was pushed all the way in.

 

[PonyKiller]

Thanks for the input guys. in the next week or so i'm going to widen the variety a bit. still have to pick a sling up for it. I have yet to test the slug barrel out. it's like the weather is conspiring against me. snow in october,in jersey is just plain wierd.

I've got a pretty strong shoulder and am generally not a flincher, but i'll keep the testing in small doses. this will be the first time with a slug gun.

 

[PonyKiller]

took it out last week for some testing. it seemed to do well with the federal fusions. At 25yds they were within an inch. At fifty they were about two inches. I seemed to like the hornaday's better. I was getting them with the holes touching and overlapping.
i've got to head back out. in a week or so for some fine tuning. the front scope mount came loose on me and they started to go any which way they wanted. The remingtons were bout the same as the federals but with more recoil.

for now looks like the hornaday's were the winners.

 

[Onmilo]

My 500 cantilevered slug gun likes Winchester Platinum Tip sabots and I installed a Limbsaver recoil pad.

 

[PonyKiller]

finished sighting it in on saturday. finished off at about an inch high at fifty, and 3/4" patern. was out hunting with it today. all does no bucks so no joy for me as far as firing goes. can't beat a near 60 degree day in december thought!

 

[BigDZaleski]

did some digging. this is just FYI.
Rem Copper solids and Fed 1oz barnes are basically identical. same diameter slug, same ballistics, similar powder. just in case anybody needs one and can only find the other, get the same length as you're using and you should be close enough for government work.

also, did get the Fed tipped expanders thru the gun. only had 4 but they shot very well. 2" group @ 50yds in 5-15mph wind. different recoil than coppersolid and lightfield. not snappy, just a firm push. if recoil is an issue.
I'd probably switch over to these except I like the idea of a big fat 1oz solid copper slug better. especially after recently almost swallowing a piece of jacketing from a SST in last years meat. trimmed it well, sliced it into thin slices before frying and still nearly got my guts ripped up. no more jacketed slugs for me.