I have a Ithaca Featherweight 20 gauge that my wife is going to use this season to deer hunt with. It is a smooth bore barrel. I know that I should use rifled slugs in it. I have tried Winchester and Federal slugs and both seem to (walk). By that I mean if I shoot in the same place on a target at 50 yards one shot will be 6" high and another will totally miss the target and some times it will be dead on. Does anyone have any idea what I should be trying cause what I am doing is not working. We are shooting from a table with a rest so the gun is not moving. Thanks Ryan.
When I shot smoothbore and rifled (Foster type) slugs, I always tried to find the slug that was slightly larger than the choke I was using to reduce the "slop" coming out of the barrel. We went so far as to cut open the shells and put the calipers to the different brands of slugs and chokes to try to determine what we thought would work the best. Of course, our conclusions would have to be verified on the range. I realize that buying several more brands/varieties of slugs, and shooting them from a rest, is not that appealing, but that is what I would do in lieu of cutting open a bunch of slugs. Remington, Rottweil among others are ones to try to see if they are a better fit for the Ithaca/choke you are using because if I remember correctly, those brands of rifled slugs always worked best for me. Eventually you will find a slug that works and this will be the last time you conduct this experiment. Hope this helps.
teeroy
Life Member
what choke is the barrel? sounds like its full, or modified. if the choke is too restrictive, it won't throw a slug worth a crap. you need improved cylinder choke, most likely. i assume the gun doesn't have interchangable chokes, so if you can't find a brand it will shoot, the gun just won't work out for slugs
Thanks guys, The gun does not have interchangeable choke tubes it is fixed. I was thinking that a Brenneke Rottweiler or a Remington super slugger like you guys said would work too. This is what seems strange to me. I used this gun last year instead of my 870 just to try it out. I ended up killing 3 deer with this gun and I was using the Winchester's. I don't get why its walking this year? It has no rifiling or choke to speak of.
turtlshell
PMA Member
The Brenneke's will solve your problem. Don't settle for the el-cheap-0's though (the KO's), they're not worth the savings in my opinion.
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
My guess as to why it worked for you last fall? You threw the gun up to your shoulder instinctively and shot it like a shotgun you are used to hunting birds with. At the range, you are trying to "aim" with a bead or two on the barrel, not the best sighting tools to work with. Maybe add in a little flinch at the range and it doesn't group worth a hoot.
I suggest trying different slugs as the cheapest solution, then maybe see if you can get some sort of Red dot type optic on it.
I suggest trying different slugs as the cheapest solution, then maybe see if you can get some sort of Red dot type optic on it.
G
GunnerJon
Guest
What kind of sights are you using? Single bead?
A good set of after-market clamp-on rifle sights may fix your problem.
I have a little smoothbore 20 that is very accurate with Winchester slugs. I shot one deer with the fixed-choke bird barrel many a year ago and never hunted deer with that barrel again. The next season I had a smoothbore, rifle-sighted barrel on and it made a huge difference in accuracy and confidence.
A good set of after-market clamp-on rifle sights may fix your problem.
I have a little smoothbore 20 that is very accurate with Winchester slugs. I shot one deer with the fixed-choke bird barrel many a year ago and never hunted deer with that barrel again. The next season I had a smoothbore, rifle-sighted barrel on and it made a huge difference in accuracy and confidence.
T
Tom
Guest
just a thought.... try cleaning the barrel. I had a smooth bore once and after 10 or 15 rounds it would go wild. I'd clean it and it'd be good for 15 more rounds.