Recomendations Please - Deer Slug Shotgun for Women w/ Scope?

[swest]

Hi,
My wife has been using a 30 year old hand me down 12 gauge for deer season for years in Massachusetts. She would like to upgrade to a newer slug gun but were not sure what to look at for her. She is ~5'7" with a medium build. A couple of questions/considerations we'd love your opinion on.
1) 12 or 20 gauge - does it matter for deer in Mass?
2) She wants a shotgun that we can put a low powered scope on
3) Any brand should we steer towards and away from?
4) Any specific models you'd recommend?
5) It should be on the lighter side with a shorter stock

Were looking in the $500-1k price range for Gun and Scope.
Thanks so much for your help!

 

[HorizontalHunter]

1) 12 or 20 gauge - does it matter for deer in Mass?

A 20 gauge will do the job.

2) She wants a shotgun that we can put a low powered scope on
3) Any brand should we steer towards and away from?
4) Any specific models you'd recommend?
5) It should be on the lighter side with a shorter stock

A cantilevered rifled barrel would be the obvious choice but it will add a lot of weight. The other option is to use a smooth bore then drill and tap the receiver for the for the scope mount. This will be much lighter but you will lose the ability to do a switch over to a birding barrel so you will lose some functionality.

My wife is about 5'3" and we went with a youth model 870 and it works well for her. It is a good fir for her small frame. She doesn't hunt deer and uses it for birds and clays.

Fit is very important.

Bob

 

[swest]

Thanks for the insight on gauge. I think we'd like to go with a rifled barrel.

 

[J.M.]

I used to hunt in New York with a crew that included several wives who liked to deer hunt. This area was shotgun slug only at the time. All the women shot Remington 1100 20 ga shotguns with smoothbore barrels and low power scopes. They flat out got the job done and were a pleasure to shoot, very low recoil. You should be able to find a used 1100 or 11-87 and scope for well under $1000.

 

[Mark from MA]

Ive only used 20 gauge for years. Works great.

Go with a cantilever barrel if you can

 

[Boghog1]

I know you are looking to spend way more but I really like my 20ga New England Firearms rifled slug barrel for deer hunting compared to my 870 with scope it is substantially less weight.

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Shotguns/ultraSlug.asp

 

[Hkuenzel]

My wife uses the Savage 220 slug gun with a Redfield 2-7 power scope the package was under $850. The gun shoots like a rifle out to 100yds reviews say you can reach out to 200 yds but where we hunt 100 yds is plenty. Make sure you get the picatiny rail scope base other wise most scopes wont fit with the 2 pc bases.

 

[Nordland173]

my wife uses a Mossberg 500 combo in 20 gauge, the scope attaches to the rifled barrel and the slug barrel easily changes out from slug to shot, shes hunted with it for a few years and has had no complaints, turkey and deer......Ive even taken it out for a few deer hunts and cannot say a negitive thing really and the cost is between 300 - 550 from what ive seen but we got ours a few years ago and cannot imagine it going up that much. for that price with the durability and reliability ive seen with it I would look into the mossberg combo's IMHO. best of luck to you and the wifey.

 

[W.E.C]

consider this one, slugs accurate to to m.o. deer at 200 yds.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/savage_slug_gun.htm

 

[Nicole]

20 will do the job just dandy.

I use an 870 youth model 20 gauge (but haven't gone the optics route) that is handy when she's all bundled up for deer hunting. I like Savage guns and I'd definitely look at the 220 Youth if I was in the market for a dedicated slug gun. Ithaca is more spendy, but they make nice slug guns and have put a ton of time into coming up with a Ladies Stock - it really is very nice...not as important for deer hunting as wing shooting, but one to consider.

 

[Cerfur]

my wife uses a Mossberg 500 combo in 20 gauge, the scope attaches to the rifled barrel and the slug barrel easily changes out from slug to shot, shes hunted with it for a few years and has had no complaints, turkey and deer......Ive even taken it out for a few deer hunts and cannot say a negitive thing really and the cost is between 300 - 550 from what ive seen but we got ours a few years ago and cannot imagine it going up that much. for that price with the durability and reliability ive seen with it I would look into the mossberg combo's IMHO. best of luck to you and the wifey.

This +1000

Go to dicks get the field/deer combo.. on sale its 300 bucks then take the pos scope off it comes with and pick out a decent scope I can drop a sabot into the ten ring at well over 150 yards! Its not pritty or fancy but it has a cantiliver scope mount and it always goes boom when you pull the trigger!

 

[zerodown]

My wife uses the Savage 220 slug gun with a Redfield 2-7 power scope the package was under $850. The gun shoots like a rifle out to 100yds reviews say you can reach out to 200 yds but where we hunt 100 yds is plenty. Make sure you get the picatiny rail scope base other wise most scopes wont fit with the 2 pc bases.

This +1. I'm actually using this as my primary slug gun now. It shoots like a rifle and is soft on the shoulder. I use a Nikon Slughunter 1.65x6 with BDC 200. Its a great setup.

 

[OPM]

As others already said 20 is the way to go in deer slug gun in NE. It sounds like you want to set her up with best currently available stuff.

1. Encore Pro Hunter
Fluted 28” Slug Barrel, great ergonomics and good hunting trigger. About $650, but some option could push the price a bit higher.

http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/firearmDetails.php?ID=4297

2. Nikon SlugHunter BDC 200
If you buy before 10/6 you can get $30 rebate. IMHO, it’s the best slug gun scope – period. And if you buy now you can get one for about $180.

http://www.nikonsportoptics.com/Pro...pes/8434/Slughunter-3-9x40-Matte-BDC-200.html

3. DNZ Game Reaper
I believe “low” should fit just right. Match the color to her Encore and you are gtg. You can get it for about $35.

http://www.dnzproducts.com/game-reaper-mounts/tcencore-omega-prohunter-triumph?sort=1a&page=1

Put this package together and she’ll have a fantastic deer gun. With right ammo 200 yard shot would be easy.

 

[swest]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[Katie-B]

I purchased a Mosberg 500 Trophy Slugster in 20 guage years ago.It's a sweet shooting to 100 + yards with Litefield sabot slug... the tang safety makes it's a good gun for left handed shooters.

 

[Ham Slam]

I have a break action 20 guage H&R Slug hunter, that is a great shooter. It was fairly inexpensive and shoots far better then the remington or mossberg that I used to have.

 

[dixidawg]

This +1. I'm actually using this as my primary slug gun now. It shoots like a rifle and is soft on the shoulder. I use a Nikon Slughunter 1.65x6 with BDC 200. Its a great setup.

This. Can't be beat.