New (to me) Slug Gun

[85MikeTPI]

Picked up a Savage 212 bolt slug gun at LGS. Also 8 different brands/types of factory slugs to try and test what it likes best (if any). I've read that you should clean the rifled barrel every 3 or 4 shots if not shooting sabots, so I'll add that to the testing

Cleaned it up, added a sling and a Vortex Diamondback I had on the shelf, and tossed the weaver rings and Bushnell..

 

[traveller]

Ouch.

 

[Bountied]

I don't clean mine that much and I only used a bore snake, not a lot of scrubbing, but I only use sabot slugs.

 

[hobiecat590]

I can't put any gun away until it has been cleaned after even a single shot but that is a personal preference. :-)

Try different sabots and rifled slugs (yep), to see what works best out of your particular gun. Way back in the day when folks retired their bird barrels for shorter smooth bore "deer" barrels with irons, then a few years later, rifled deer barrels, sabots were the cat's meow. My retired Win 1300 w/ a rifled deer barrel shot 1/2 moa better w/ rifled slugs than any of 5 2000 premium vintage sabots that I tested. I don't know why the slugs worked better in a rifled barrel designed for sabots but this is why we test. My SB2 rifled barrel prefers sabots but has also been retired now that SWCs are now legal. YMMV

 

[Sampson]

Congrats!! Savage makes great bolt action slug guns. Recoil of the 12g is the only drawback for many folks.

 

[temccoy]

I would recommend you pay attention to the eye relief on the scope, and make sure it is not too close, or you may find yourself with a bad headache. 12 gauge slugs kick as hard any rifle I have ever fired, especially the high velocity sabots, so grip it tight, and make sure your eye is not snugged up on that scope.

Have fun with that thing

 

[km04]

Congrats on the new shotgun. It's a looker!

 

[delaware_export]

Sabots are great as are proper full diameter Slugs.

before moving, I liked both Remington copper solid sabots and full diameter brenneke gold.

I believe both are discontinued. Brenneke still makes a full diameter slug for rifled barrels, with a different name. Man! those full diameter slugs hit hard. Check their web site.

edit: it sure if the reincarnated Remington is still making those accutip rounds, but that may be the next generation of the copper solids.. iirc.

with either, you should be able to shoot over 100y accurately with no problems.

good hunting!

 

[traveller]

If I may ask. What made you decide on a dedicated slug gun rather than a straight wall cartridge rifle ?

I have a 12G A-bolt with a 2x7 high eye relief scope that is similar to this. I bought it because at the time MD didn't have the rifle option in my zone. Given the option, I would go with a rifle.

Btw. my 'ouch' comment may have been a bit obscure. If you shoot your way through those boxes of ammo you may not sleep well due to an aching shoulder ;-)

 

[Biggfoot44]

My bolt action Slug Gun has sufficient accuracy, that distance is not a limiting factor in many typical hunting environments .

I like making big holes .

 

[TwinTurbskis]

Feel free to blast me if this is incorrect information, but I have the 220 and my understanding was that you don't want to shoot rifled slugs through a rifled barrel (which these have). I thought sabots were the only thing you should shoot through these.

Congrats on the pickup OP!

 

[Biggfoot44]

Want to ?
Should ?

( Nothwithstanding certian R-P Copper Solids ) You * can * shoot Foster's from Rifled , and Sabots from smooth . They'll be safe , and you won't damage the gun . And for that matter there are a few hybrid designs that are intended to go both ways .

That said ;

Fosters from rifled bbl will have to deal with lead removal . And have minimal if any accuracy improvement over a smooth bore.

Sabotage from smooth bores default expectation is no more accuracy than Foster's would have had .

That further said - Depending on the design of the saboted actual projectile , maybe it has improved terminal performance, even if accuracy isn't improved ( Not that a full diameter Foster or Brenneke really needs improvement. )

The Original BRI ( now mfg by W-W ) , the OG of Sabots , has a " badminton shape " projectile , .50 in 12ga , .45 in 20ga . The aerodynamic shape will maintain stability far farther than a Foster , even from smooth . The higher SD with fairly hard alloy , will give deep penetration on larger game , even from smooth.

Notwithstanding everything in this post so far : It is " recommended " and probably wise to use the type associated with the gun ( bbl ) . Or at least , those intended to go both ways , ie Brenneke K.O. line , or Federal's Tru Ball line .

 

[85MikeTPI]

If I may ask. What made you decide on a dedicated slug gun rather than a straight wall cartridge rifle ?

I have a 12G A-bolt with a 2x7 high eye relief scope that is similar to this. I bought it because at the time MD didn't have the rifle option in my zone. Given the option, I would go with a rifle.

Btw. my 'ouch' comment may have been a bit obscure. If you shoot your way through those boxes of ammo you may not sleep well due to an aching shoulder ;-)

I frequent PA/MD/DE from living in the corner of MD so I wanted to keep my options open as laws and locations change..

I often test hundreds of reloads using an old springfield pump with zero recoil mitigation, so I'm pretty use to shoulder protection..

 

[K31]

TWO ROUND DETACHABLE MAGAZINE! NOBODY NEEDS TWO ROUNDS!

 

[85MikeTPI]

TWO ROUND DETACHABLE MAGAZINE! NOBODY NEEDS TWO ROUNDS!

Right... As my friend put it, this would probably be one of the last guns confiscated before they moved onto muzzleloaders..

 

[K31]

Right... As my friend put it, this would probably be one of the last guns confiscated before they moved onto muzzleloaders..

Your friend is making the assumption that the left picks what features makes one gun more icky than another based on some rationale criteria.

 

[outrider58]

Take care when loading the mags that the top round's rim doesn't get behind the one below(it's actually easier to do than you'd think).

I only shoot Accu-Tips in my 220. No need to shoot anything else. I've put a half a case of them through my gun and haven't cleaned the barrel yet.

 

[Biggfoot44]

My 512 shoots cloverleafs with BRI . no need to try to improve .

 

[85MikeTPI]

I cast my own Wad-sized and full-bore "Badminton" type slugs. I recently ordered the ruskie "Zeverboy" segmented full-bore slug mold also that I will be loading. I expect the wad-sized to act much the same as sabot, and I'm powder-coating the full-bore slugs to help prevent leading.

 

[hobiecat590]

Take care when loading the mags that the top round's rim doesn't get behind the one below(it's actually easier to do than you'd think).

I only shoot Accu-Tips in my 220. No need to shoot anything else. I've put a half a case of them through my gun and haven't cleaned the barrel yet.

I used the 3" Rem Copper ATs out of the SBII before it was retired. When you do get around to cleaning it, I'd suggest a solvent that will break down the plastic sabot residue that can foul the rifling like lead does if using slugs. Acetone works in a pinch but is nasty to work with. Same applies for MLs using sabots.