[cptmclark]

I appreciate the notes about experience with slugs. I have found very little real test information on shotgun slugs. I suspect that the substantial recoil prevents many from wanting to do it, and lately the "gun writers" only do infomercials, but I'm disappointed that I have to do the testing myself, at two bucks a pop. I hope some of you will help with some test info if you have it, or put me onto a real source of objective test data for these big slow projectiles.

Here's my two cents worth from my testing. In the Mossberg built Rem 870 barrel I used for a few seasons the best accuracy I found for that old 870 was with Federal Barnes Expander 1 oz. That accuracy was sub inch at 50 and about 2 1/2 at 100. Not impressed with the terminal ballistics, but they do OK. 50 yard sprint with lung shots is normal. I wanted the 3/4 oz load to be best, but it didn't like any of the faster slugs. Win was worst and Federal Barnes 3/4 oz was best of the faster ones, but none as good as the 1 oz Barnes. This year there are new slugs to go broke testing.

Now that gun wears an old 20" smoothbore deer barrel, and I've been amazed by the Federal Truball. Seriously folks, 1/1/2" groups consistently at 50 yards, and about 5 or so inches at 100. Set 2 inches high at 50 it's right on at 100. (This is using a Pro-point mini red dot sight on a saddle mount). Energy is pitiful beyond 50 though, and if you look at Federal's website you'll see it's much worse even than their regular Foster slug. I don't know why. That gun will keep the short barrel for defense and very short range hunting.

Now I have this nice new 870 synthetic with cantilevered rifled bbl. It's shot OK but I'm having serious accuracy problems. I changed the scope, checked mount security, and tried several loads. Sent it back to Reminton and they returned it with a new barrel. No better. Goups are stringing with the Federal 1oz Barnes, which I consider the control load. 50 yard accuracy is about 1 3/4" and at 100 it's a 5 1/4" vertical string with the Barnes and a nice round 4 3/4" with the new Hornady SST. More recoil and flash with the Hornady, in case that's interesting to anybody. These are repeated 5 shot groups. One more thing I'll try is changing to another brand of scope, although I doubt that the Bushnell Legend shotgun scopes are the source of the problem. I put a Leupold shotgun (parallax set at 75 yards) scope on it and will give it one more try. HELP!

By far the best bag accuracy I can get with the 870s is with my hand between the bag and forearm. It costs me maybe 1/2 moa in holding ability, but groups better that the vilolent bounce from the gun on the bag. Also, it groups to offhand point of aim, while off the bag is much different.

That's about all I have to offer. I'd be grateful to read any test experience or insights you guy have to share. Twist rates, best accuracy loads for certain guns, terminal ballistics results, most accurate gun, and the like.