What your shotgun likes...

[Dark&Good]

Hi,
I'd like to learn and I'd like to see clearly in this matter... so, I've read many times that one's shotgun "liked" or "didn't like" this or that type/brand of slugs, and I'm curious what are the factors that lead to such observations. I noticed, for example, that with Brenneke Heavy Field Short Magnums (12ga/2.75") I get more "spread" than with Brenneke Black Magic Magnums (12ga/3"), even though the former is supposed to have a more flat trajectory (according to the manufacturer's ballistics data). Can the small projectile length difference cause this? I would think that if recoil was a factor, the BMs would have the bigger spread... Looks like my shotgun and I can produce significantly tighter groups with the bigger slugs.
Did you notice such things about your gun? What does it like and what doesn't?

[bowfin]

I think the more correct term is "group", not spread.

As for which slug is most accurate out of your shotgun, that is usually only resolved by testing.

Is the barrel of your shotgun rifled, or is it a smoothbore?

Frankly, I haven't personally seen any smoothbore shotgun shoot a slug accurately enough at 100 yards for deer hunting, even with a scope mounted or using a rifled choke tube. Then again, there are a lot of loads I have never tried, and others might have done it.

[Dark&Good]

How about this? (75 yards, no scope, Brenneke Black Magic 3"/12ga, smoothbore, semi-auto shotgun, I/C screw-in tube)

[gunrun45]

Looks pretty good except for that one flier.
Brenneke makes some good stuff.

For long range use though, I tend to go with Hornady sabot rounds. From my 870 pump (now sold) I used to get around 2in groups (center to center) at 50 yards using ghost ring wilson combat sights. I could make 100 yard shots in the 9 ring on a B28 target all day long.

[bowfin]

I say it looks good enough to get a deer even with that flyer.

I think using a rifle for most of my hunting leads to unrealistic expectations when I start shooting slugs.

I have a Marlin Slugmaster bolt action that I hope to take deer hunting next fall. There is a lot of public land that prohibits the use of rifles or pistols, and since most people around here wouldn't be caught dead hunting deer with a shotgun, that would leave me all by myself come opening day of Firearm Season.