midwesthunter
Well-known member
Back when I hunted with one for deer, I used a rem 870 with a hastings riffled barrel and lightfield sabots. If starting from scratch a savage bolt action would be my choice.
Illinois Shotgun for deer
- Thread starter Ben_BlueOx
- Start date
Bowhuntrben
Well-known member
I’ve hunted with a Remington 1100 12 gauge with rifled barrel my whole life. It was my dad’s before he gave it to me. I’m hat has been an awesome gun and has killed a lot of deer.
After giving me that one my dad bought a Benelli Super Black Eagle 12 gauge with rifled barrel. That one is sweet too. I bought a Super Black Eagle for myself too, but it is only my bird gun since I have the 1100.
In your shoes I’d look for a 12 gauge and have a bird barrel and rifled barrel.
I think both of ours are topped with a 2-8 scope or somewhere in that range. Mine is Leupold vx3. Love the setup.
I have shot Remington copper solids for many years with success.
In my younger days we did some deer drives but for many years now just sit and wait. These setups worked good in all situations for us.
Lots of good options out there. This is what we like.
After giving me that one my dad bought a Benelli Super Black Eagle 12 gauge with rifled barrel. That one is sweet too. I bought a Super Black Eagle for myself too, but it is only my bird gun since I have the 1100.
In your shoes I’d look for a 12 gauge and have a bird barrel and rifled barrel.
I think both of ours are topped with a 2-8 scope or somewhere in that range. Mine is Leupold vx3. Love the setup.
I have shot Remington copper solids for many years with success.
In my younger days we did some deer drives but for many years now just sit and wait. These setups worked good in all situations for us.
Lots of good options out there. This is what we like.
RaiderRich
Well-known member
Ben, Welcome to the world of hunting! I think you will find it fun, exciting, rewarding and yes occasionally frustrating. I won't give recommendations (actually I probably will) but instead tell you what shotguns I have used to kill deer in my 38 years of deer hunting. Now the first two are not available but the brands are available. My first deer killed when I was 16 (minimum big game age at the time in NY) was with a Savage 1928D pump 12 gauge. I was given that gun by my grandfather who had also killed deer with it. I also used a 16 gauge Ithaca pump shotgun. Before NY allowed rifle use I used a Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge and a Remington 870 also in 12 gauge.
In reading through the recommendations there are some good ones. The Savage bolt action guns are great "dedicated" deer shotguns. If you want to also pursue turkeys and other small game in general Mossberg and Remington (other manufactures too I'm sure) market a combo shotgun that will include a slug barrel (rifled or not) and a general purpose shot barrel (some that use choke tubes which is a nice feature). For me as I got older my eyesight got to where open sights were not as good an option as a scope so I invested in a barrel that could accommodate a scope or red dot sight.
If recoil is an issue with you a 20 gauge will be your best bet unless you can find a used 16 gauge that would work but realistically in today's gun shops you are looking at either 20 or 12 gauge shotguns. If recoil is not an issue go 12 gauge. As far as action goes, you want to just choose what you feel good holding and cycling. For me a pump was always best but a semi-auto or bolt action is just as good.
I haven't really looked at shotguns in a long time but if I still lived in NY and NY only allowed shotgun hunting, I would invest in an Ithaca DeerSlayer II or III (https://ithacagun.com/) in 12 gauge. That is just me though, you will need to evaluate the advise you get and make a decision that works best for you. If you can, rent or borrow arms to test at your local gun/trap/skeet club. Always wear hearing and eye protection. Best of luck in your search and future hunts!
In reading through the recommendations there are some good ones. The Savage bolt action guns are great "dedicated" deer shotguns. If you want to also pursue turkeys and other small game in general Mossberg and Remington (other manufactures too I'm sure) market a combo shotgun that will include a slug barrel (rifled or not) and a general purpose shot barrel (some that use choke tubes which is a nice feature). For me as I got older my eyesight got to where open sights were not as good an option as a scope so I invested in a barrel that could accommodate a scope or red dot sight.
If recoil is an issue with you a 20 gauge will be your best bet unless you can find a used 16 gauge that would work but realistically in today's gun shops you are looking at either 20 or 12 gauge shotguns. If recoil is not an issue go 12 gauge. As far as action goes, you want to just choose what you feel good holding and cycling. For me a pump was always best but a semi-auto or bolt action is just as good.
I haven't really looked at shotguns in a long time but if I still lived in NY and NY only allowed shotgun hunting, I would invest in an Ithaca DeerSlayer II or III (https://ithacagun.com/) in 12 gauge. That is just me though, you will need to evaluate the advise you get and make a decision that works best for you. If you can, rent or borrow arms to test at your local gun/trap/skeet club. Always wear hearing and eye protection. Best of luck in your search and future hunts!
targetpanic
Well-known member
If you want a dedicated slug gun...Savage 220 shooting Remington Accu-tips. If you want a do it all shotgun Rem 870 20ga with a bird barrel and a Cantilever rifled slug barrel
Plenty of good suggestions and info here. I will add is once you pick some thing you will likely need to try several brands of slugs to find an accurate set up. Whatever works is good. I will say Hornady slugs would be my last choice because of terminal performance.
For what it's worth my kids all started with 20 ga. Mossberg 500 Bantam combos and hunted everything with them. The cantilever slug barrel has proven to hold Zero well between barrel swaps on both set ups and is a tack driver.
For what it's worth my kids all started with 20 ga. Mossberg 500 Bantam combos and hunted everything with them. The cantilever slug barrel has proven to hold Zero well between barrel swaps on both set ups and is a tack driver.
thusby
Well-known member
My advice is that 20 gauge is plenty of gun.
MO Betta
Well-known member
Lots of great advice here, I'll second (or 13th?) that getting a shotgun with a smooth bore and a rifled barrel would be a wise decision to expand your game and sporting opportunities.
Lots of folks will recommend a particular shotgun, I'm a Rem 870 fan but the others mentioned are all good shotguns. Head to some gun shops or go shoot with some other people so you can get a feel for them, see what you like and don't like.
Lots of folks will recommend a particular shotgun, I'm a Rem 870 fan but the others mentioned are all good shotguns. Head to some gun shops or go shoot with some other people so you can get a feel for them, see what you like and don't like.
Lrhxr9
Active member
we purchased a browning gold SL off gunbroker a few years back. Wife wanted something lighter. It had a rifled cantilever barrel on it. Bought a correct SL vent rib barrel for it on midwest gunworks. Point im trying to make is there are some really nice used shotguns out there as well. But be careful as browning guns are chamber length specific for replacement barrels. I/e its really hard to find a 3.5” rifled cantilever.
Lrhxr9
Active member
And i used remington accutips in my gold 3” they shot ok but lost all credibility with me when i shot my illinois buck 4 times. All in the chest. He took every shot like a champ. The deer lived for approximately 45 I know there will be naysayers and doubters. But i was not impressed. I will not shoot those again.
I grew up in southwest Illinois. I've taken deer there with a Remington 870- smooth and rifled barrels- Mossberg 500, Remington 1100 & 1187, muzzleloaders, and archery gear.
My favorite I've used is the Remington 1100 with rifled barrel, cantilever scope mount with a 1-4x, and a solid copper saboted slug. You can pick up a used one from a reputable gun shop with a smooth bore field barrel for not too much money. The aftermarket slug barrel is under $200, and your optics should be as well. I strongly prefer these to the 870s and the Mossberg 500s due to general level of finish, tolerance, and just all around prettiness.
If you're only going to hunt from a stand, and need the distance, get a good muzzleloader and put a 3-9x on it.
My favorite I've used is the Remington 1100 with rifled barrel, cantilever scope mount with a 1-4x, and a solid copper saboted slug. You can pick up a used one from a reputable gun shop with a smooth bore field barrel for not too much money. The aftermarket slug barrel is under $200, and your optics should be as well. I strongly prefer these to the 870s and the Mossberg 500s due to general level of finish, tolerance, and just all around prettiness.
If you're only going to hunt from a stand, and need the distance, get a good muzzleloader and put a 3-9x on it.
elkhnter
Well-known member
Best slug gun I ever had was a Rem 1100 with a rifled cantilever slug barrel. Recoil was mild and it was deadly out to 150 yards. Loaned it to my son and haven’t seen it since. Guess it’s his best slug gun ever.
