Best public ground deer gun

[AmericanBob]

You're already running a 20, so just step into a Savage 220. Best slug gun in the woods.

 

[Hookeye]

I'll take a rifled bbl pump gun.
Should a mover be flubbed, the faster 2nd shot might save the day.
Hey...........it could happen

I'm not trying to keep all my shots inside of one heart ventricle.
2" or a bit better at 100 yds is plenty good enough IMHO.

 

[Hookeye]

If I was chained to the concept of a slug gun.

Trimmed .35 Rem or .44 mag would be cooler IMHO.

If running a .44 mag, and wanting more recoil conscious folk to shoot it...........could use .44 Special.
Or just buy a .357 mag rifle.

 

[huntall50]

How successful have you been with your single 20ga? What is the distance of your avg. shot at deer? Do you miss? How quickly do you need a follow up shot? Lots of question. I use a single PCR(500 S&W) as does my 10 yr old(.44 mag) plenty of gun for any deer I have encountered in Indiana. If you like to tinker and like to shoot, I would recommend a muzzleloader. LOADS of fun!

 

[sheltowee]

I'm pretty selective about my shots. In the last 10 years I have shot 3 times at deer and dropped 3 deer. The farthest shot was 60 yards. If I don't have a good shot I let them walk. I used to use black powder but now I'm too lazy. I had a pump gun with rifled barrel before muzzle loader. Got rid of it when I saw how much more accurate my ml was. Then I got tired of messing with black powder and went to the 20 gauge. It has a rifled barrel and is pretty accurate. But it only has open sights. Thinking about getting it drilled and tapped for a scope. Or maybe upgrading to a lever action per or pump gun that I can put a scope on. My eyes aren't what they used to be. I don't hunt near as hard as I used to, so I'm leaning towards drilling and tapping the h and r 20 gauge. Don't wanna put in too much money in a hobby I'm starting to drift away from.

 

[singlesix]

Have you considered this type of mounts? Don't know what brand of shotgun, but they are available for most of the popular brands

Weaver No Gunsmith Saddle Mount Mossberg 500 Matte

 

[bobjones223]

I'm pretty selective about my shots. In the last 10 years I have shot 3 times at deer and dropped 3 deer. The farthest shot was 60 yards. If I don't have a good shot I let them walk. I used to use black powder but now I'm too lazy. I had a pump gun with rifled barrel before muzzle loader. Got rid of it when I saw how much more accurate my ml was. Then I got tired of messing with black powder and went to the 20 gauge. It has a rifled barrel and is pretty accurate. But it only has open sights. Thinking about getting it drilled and tapped for a scope. Or maybe upgrading to a lever action per or pump gun that I can put a scope on. My eyes aren't what they used to be. I don't hunt near as hard as I used to, so I'm leaning towards drilling and tapping the h and r 20 gauge. Don't wanna put in too much money in a hobby I'm starting to drift away from.

I have one of the H&R 20g UltraSlugs and that thing will drive tacks within it expected range. Three shot group can be completely covered with a quarter at 50 yards. No need for a follow up shot when 85% of my shots are within that range.

 

[sheltowee]

Mines the h&r tracker 2. Iron sights only. It is very accurate as well. Just can't scope it. Thinking about drilling and tapping for a scope or adding another gun to the stable. Maybe a cva hunter in 44 mag. That way the cva would have a scope and then the I would still have the h&r for the days I feel like open sights.

 

[chubbs]

I was a big fan of the H&R handi 44 mag until I got stuck in a bad rain storm with one. Got back to deer camp, unloaded and cleaned/oiled. Loaded it the next morning and it LOCKED shut. Ended up having to hammer the lever to get my empty out that night. Cleaned it again, had problems on and off with it from then on. Sold both of them I had after that. Can't trust the design for crap weather days.

 

[ws6duramax]

If I had to pick a gun for public ground , it would be a 450 bushmaster . I picked one up last year and it's awesome . My youngest boy killed a nice 8pt at about 110 yds . It took about 5 steps and dropped . It killed 3 or 4 more does , none went more than 10yds .

Fairly easy to find ammo for and very accurate . I really didn't think I would like it that much , boy was I wrong . Mine on ar platform but I'm sure a bolt or single shot would be just as good .

 

[ws6duramax]

If I had to pick a gun for public ground , it would be a 450 bushmaster . I picked one up last year and it's awesome . My youngest boy killed a nice 8pt at about 110 yds . It took about 5 steps and dropped . It killed 3 or 4 more does , none went more than 10yds .

Fairly easy to find ammo for and very accurate . I really didn't think I would like it that much , boy was I wrong . Mine on ar platform but I'm sure a bolt or single shot would be just as good .

 

[oldpink]

If I had to pick a gun for public ground , it would be a 450 bushmaster . I picked one up last year and it's awesome . My youngest boy killed a nice 8pt at about 110 yds . It took about 5 steps and dropped . It killed 3 or 4 more does , none went more than 10yds .

Fairly easy to find ammo for and very accurate . I really didn't think I would like it that much , boy was I wrong . Mine on ar platform but I'm sure a bolt or single shot would be just as good .

Not a .450 Bushmaster, but one of our more mechanically skilled INGOers built a .458 Socom on a Remington 700 bolt action for a successful bear hunt in Canada.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/gunsmithing/376495-my-next-project-rem-700-458-socom.html

 

[sheltowee]

Well I think I have decided. I'm taking my h&r 20 gauge to JM Gunsmith in Greenwood Saturday to get drilled and tapped for a scope. Has anyone used them before?

 

[huntall50]

Yes, good guy does good work. Saw a H&R .44 in the classifieds.

 

[Paul30]

There are a lot of options. In a year or two all calibers might open up after millions don't die in the street after approving normal rifle's in the field on private land. The lever action is nice, I have the 44 mag and it works fine but the 357 mag might even be better. It shoots 38 special for plinking and the 357 is a bit flatter shooting. Now that 10mm / 40 S&W is now legal, one could use an AR15 in that caliber and have a fun gun to shoot later. Rock River Arms: LAR-40 .40 S&W Of course the 458 socom is great but expensive. The 300 blackout pistol would be nice too, maybe add the sig arm brace for stability.

Arm Braces & Pistols Legal, Even When Fired From Shoudler - The Firearm Blog

This is old information, ATF determined firing it from your shoulder is a crime, but using it as intended is not. It is rediculous and they are wrong, but I would not want to finance a case to defend it.

 

[Hookeye]

Why go .300 Blackout in pistol?
Might as well get it in rifle.

 

[Paul30]

Why go .300 Blackout in pistol?
Might as well get it in rifle.

Because the pistol is legal on public grounds where the rifle is not ..........yet. When it is, get the rifle. If you hunt on private ground, there are more caliber options on rifles.

 

[sheltowee]

I ended up drilling and tapping my h&r 20 gauge single shot with a rifled barrel. I also replaced the stock with one with a raised comb. I put a Bushnell banner 3x9 scope on it with extended eye relief and added a hammer extender.

 

[patience0830]

I have one of the H&R 20g UltraSlugs and that thing will drive tacks within it expected range. Three shot group can be completely covered with a quarter at 50 yards. No need for a follow up shot when 85% of my shots are within that range.

2 3/4" Remington Buckhammers touching at 100 yds is good enough for me. Never had a slug gun that shot so we'll and loved the cheap stuff like my H&R.

 

[Hookeye]

I sold my .35 Rem TC bbl, so am stuck with .243 win and .300 Savage and private ground.
Unless I borrow my dad's .44 mag Ruger auto, or set up the TC frame with a .357 mag handgun bbl.