20 ga. Smooth-Bore Shotgun Deer Hunting Advice Requested

Hello-

I'm going deer hunting for the first time this year!

I have a Winchester Model 140 20 ga. semi-automatic shotgun with a smooth bore.

It has a 'Winchoke' variable choke barrel. Basically, I can change the choke level of the barren by threading different inserts into the end of the barrel. I have Full, Modified, and Improved Cylinder inserts.

Since this is my first time deer hunting, I need a recommendation on which type of ammunition to use. I assume a slug is best for the 20 ga. but that is just a guess.

Should I use a slug or buck-shot? Which brand of slug/shot is recommended? What choke-level should I use if I use a slug (or buck-shot for that matter)?

I have plenty of experience shooting a clay pigeons (about 1,500 rounds) but I've never had to kill an animal as big as a deer so any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

'Clocker' wrote # I'm going deer hunting for the first time this year! # I have a Winchester Model 140 20 ga. semi-automatic shotgun with a # smooth bore. # It has a 'Winchoke' variable choke barrel.

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Use your IC choke tube, and use slugs, not buckshot, if slugs are permitted in your hunting area. Also, if you have no 'rifle' type sights on your smoothbore, understand that your shots may strike high, even at fairly short range. In any case, before you hunt, you should try a few rounds on a paper target at 25 yards and 50 yards to get an idea of exactly where your shots are striking relative to your point of aim.

A 20 ga slug is excellent deer medicine, if you point it right. My dad hunted with a 20 ga for many many years and never lost a well hit animal. With slugs and no rifle sights, you probably should limit your shots to 50 yards or less.

Good luck.

If your hunting a tree stand and your expecting to get deer within 20 yards then using buffered buckshot #4's will do the trick using your full choke. Improved cylinder will proably result in the best accuracy for a smoothbore shotgun but it will be mariginal at best. Seriously, I'd dump the 20 ga shotgun for either a rifle of rifled barrel shotgun depending on your state laws.

# Hello- # # I'm going deer hunting for the first time this year! # # I have a Winchester Model 140 20 ga. semi-automatic shotgun with a # smooth bore. # # It has a 'Winchoke' variable choke barrel. Basically, I can change # the choke level of the barren by threading different inserts into the # end of the barrel. I have Full, Modified, and Improved Cylinder # inserts. # # Since this is my first time deer hunting, I need a recommendation on # which type of ammunition to use. I assume a slug is best for the 20 # ga. but that is just a guess. # # Should I use a slug or buck-shot? Which brand of slug/shot is # recommended? What choke-level should I use if I use a slug (or # buck-shot for that matter)? # # I have plenty of experience shooting a clay pigeons (about 1,500 # rounds) but I've never had to kill an animal as big as a deer so any # help would be appreciated! # # Thanks, # Clocker #

Check your local hunting regs, some states forbid buckshot. A 20 ga. slug will do the job if you can get proper placement, my nephew got his first deer with one. I've never used buckshot, I'll defer to those who have. I have read it's a 25-30 yard load at best. With proper loads, you can get out to at least 75-80 yards with confidence with slugs in a smoothbore.

Finding a good slug load is like looking for a good .22 LR brand. Just buy a bunch of different brands and see how they shoot. You are going to need either a scope mount or rifle-type sights. The scope should be low power, something like a 1.5x-5x variable or a fixed power in that range, preferably at the lower end. There's rifle sights you can attach to the barrel rib(if there's one) with no gunsmithing, see www.brownells.com.

I use a slug barrel, if you can get one, it'll simplify life for you. Keep a cleaning rod handy, Foster slugs can leave big streaks of lead in the bore and choke, they'll need to be cleaned out to keep accuracy. Start with your IC choke tube first, then see how things print with the Mod. choke. It should be safe to use the Full tube, but you probably won't get best accuracy with it. Each gun is different, though.

Practice is a must, I shoot at least 100 slug loads before hunting with them.

Good luck!

A 20gauge slug will do a fine job on a deer.

Dennis.

<<Hello-

I'm going deer hunting for the first time this year!

I have a Winchester Model 140 20 ga. semi-automatic shotgun with a smooth bore.

It has a 'Winchoke' variable choke barrel. Basically, I can change the choke level of the barren by threading different inserts into the end of the barrel. I have Full, Modified, and Improved Cylinder inserts.

Since this is my first time deer hunting, I need a recommendation on which type of ammunition to use. I assume a slug is best for the 20 ga. but that is just a guess.

Should I use a slug or buck-shot? Which brand of slug/shot is recommended? What choke-level should I use if I use a slug (or buck-shot for that matter)?

I have plenty of experience shooting a clay pigeons (about 1,500 rounds) but I've never had to kill an animal as big as a deer so any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Have you considered getting a Shaw or Hastings rifled barrel for slugs? They have an excellent reputation when used with sabot rounds. Another option would be a rifled choke for your current barrel. Both will provide superior results over putting rifled slug down your smoothbore.

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I own one of these model 140's. The manual explicitly states that you cannot use slugs in the variable choke models. Buckshot only. You will need to get a slug barrel to shoot slugs

I shot my first deer and many a deer. with a mossberg 20 guage bolt action. Find out what slugs shoot best. I use brenneke slugs