Last updated and checked October 29, 2026 · By Nick Hall, who has hunted shotgun-only deer zones and chronographed slugs across pump, semi-auto, and bolt guns
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Quick answer: the best slug gun in 2026 is the Savage 220, a bolt-action 20-gauge that drives sabot slugs into rifle-tight groups past 150 yards. For value, the Mossberg 500 Slugster is the pump to beat, and the Ithaca Deer Slayer III is the most accurate pump on this list.
Want a semi-auto, the Winchester SX4 Cantilever Buck is the best value, and on the tightest budget the Mossberg Maverick 88 Slug gets you in the woods for about $250. Slug guns matter in shotgun-only deer zones, so see our best guns for hunting guide for the full picture.
- Treat every gun as loaded
- Point the muzzle in a safe direction
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot
- Know your target and what’s beyond
How we tested: Every pick here is ranked against our testing methodology. Minimum round counts, accuracy and reliability protocols, the failures that disqualify a gun.
Best Slug Guns in 2026 at a Glance
Here are the best slug guns in 2026 at a glance. Top picks across pump, semi-auto, bolt action, and break-action single shot. The Savage 220 wins overall for rifled-barrel accuracy under $700, the Mossberg Maverick 88 is the working-man pick at about $250, and the Winchester SX4 Cantilever Buck is the best value semi-auto with factory cantilever optics mounting.
| Slug Gun | Gauge | Barrel | From | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEST OVERALL Savage 220 |
20 GA | 22″ Rifled | $597.99 | Lowest Price ↓ |
| BEST VALUE Mossberg 500 Slugster |
12 GA | 24″ Rifled | $390.99 | Lowest Price ↓ |
| MOST PROVEN Remington 870 Fieldmaster FR |
12 GA | Rifled, cantilever | $521.99 | Lowest Price ↓ |
| MOST ACCURATE Ithaca Deer Slayer III |
12 GA | 26″ Rifled | Call Ithaca | Details ↓ |
| BEST 12-GAUGE BOLT Savage 212 Slug |
12 GA | 22″ Rifled | $687.99 | Lowest Price ↓ |
Table of Contents
Best Slug Guns in 2026
Finding the best slug gun for 2026 isn’t about buying the most expensive shotgun. It’s about matching barrel type, gauge, and price to how you actually hunt. If you hunt deer in the Midwest or Northeast, you’ve probably owned a slug gun. Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, and Illinois all built their deer-hunting culture around shotgun-slug seasons going back decades.
Those laws have loosened in the last ten years. Ohio added straight-wall rifle cartridges in 2014, Indiana followed in 2016, and Illinois opened single-shot straight-walls in 2023. The slug gun isn’t going anywhere though. It’s still cheaper than a dedicated bolt rifle, still legal everywhere a rifle is, and in a rifled barrel with quality sabots it’ll print 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards all day.
I’ve hunted whitetails with slug guns for years across Ohio and Indiana farmland. The technology has come a long way from the bead-sighted smoothbores my dad lobbed Foster slugs through in the eighties. Modern rifled barrels paired with sabot slugs are genuine precision tools.
The right gun and the right ammo will hold 1.5 inches at 100 yards. That’s deer-rifle territory. This list is built around guns you can buy new today, judged on what they do with sabot ammo at 100-plus yards. Eight picks across pump, semi-auto, bolt, and break-action, ranging from the roughly $250 Mossberg Maverick 88 to the built-to-order Ithaca Deer Slayer III. Prices are the lowest in our retailer feed on October 29, 2026.
1. Savage 220. Best Rifled Barrel Slug Gun
- Gauge: 20 Gauge
- Barrel: 22″ Rifled, 1:24 Twist
- Action: Bolt Action
- Weight: 7.34 lbs
- Capacity: 2+1 (2-round detachable box magazine)
- Sights: Drilled and tapped for scope
- Price: from $597.99 (October 29, 2026)
Pros
- Sub-2″ groups at 100 yards with quality sabots
- Bolt action gives true rifle-like accuracy
- AccuTrigger adjustable from 2.5 to 6 pounds
- 20 gauge recoil is manageable all day
Cons
- Only 2+1 capacity, fine for hunting
- 20 gauge sabot ammo costs more than 12 gauge
- No iron sights, scope is mandatory
The Savage 220 is the slug gun that changed the game. While everyone else was making pump-action slug barrels, Savage went with a bolt action specifically designed around the 20 gauge sabot slug. The result is accuracy that embarrasses most slug guns and even some centerfire rifles.
I’m talking consistent 1.5 to 2-inch groups at 100 yards with Federal Trophy Copper or Hornady SST sabots. That’s rifle-grade performance out of a 20 gauge shotgun.
Why 20 gauge instead of 12? Because 20 gauge sabot slugs actually perform better in rifled barrels. The plastic sabots engage the rifling more consistently in the smaller bore, and the recoil is much more manageable.
You lose nothing in terminal performance at slug-hunting ranges. A 275-grain Federal Trophy Copper sabot at 1,900 fps will drop any whitetail in North America.
The AccuTrigger is the other secret weapon. It’s user-adjustable from 2.5 to 6 pounds and breaks cleanly. That matters for accuracy at 150-200 yards, where a heavy, mushy trigger will pull you off target.
Mount a decent 2-7x scope and you’ve got a 200-yard deer gun that handles like a rifle. I have personally taken three deer past 150 yards with a Savage 220 in 20 gauge, including a clean 178-yard shot on a Pennsylvania farmland buck that dropped where it stood.
Best For: Dedicated slug hunters in the Midwest and Northeast who want the most accurate option available. This is the gold standard.
2. Mossberg 500 Slugster. Best Value Slug Gun
- Gauge: 12 or 20 Gauge
- Barrel: 24″ Fully Rifled
- Action: Pump
- Weight: 7 lbs
- Capacity: 5+1
- Sights: Adjustable rifle sights, drilled and tapped
- Price: from $390.99 (October 29, 2026)
Pros
- Full-length rifled barrel paired with the proven 500 action
- Dual extractors for reliable ejection
- Tang safety is fast and ambidextrous
- Cantilever slug barrel available separately for scope mounting
Cons
- Pump action limits practical accuracy vs bolt guns
- Heavier 12 gauge recoil with slugs
- Action can be a bit rough from factory
Mossberg 500 Slugster gives you a dedicated rifled-barrel slug gun on the most proven pump platform in America. I have shot 500s ranging from a beat-up Security model to a polished slug-and-field-barrel combo, and the gun has always run. Mossberg has sold more 500s than any other pump shotgun, and the Slugster variant comes factory-ready for deer season with a 24-inch fully rifled barrel and adjustable rifle sights.
Accuracy won’t match the Savage 220, but 3-inch groups at 100 yards are realistic with good sabot ammo. That’s plenty for whitetail at typical timber and thicket distances.
The bigger advantage with the 500 platform is barrel swaps. When deer season is over, swap on a 28-inch field barrel and you’ve got a bird gun. Try doing that with a bolt action.
12 gauge slug recoil is no joke. If you’re sensitive to kick, add a slip-on recoil pad and shoot from a rest when sighting in. But the 500’s ergonomics are great, the tang safety is ambidextrous, and the gun just runs.
If you want scope mounting, Mossberg also sells a cantilever rifled slug barrel as a separate accessory. That gets you a barrel-mounted scope base that keeps zero through removal.
Best For: Hunters who want a slug gun that doubles as a field gun with a barrel swap. Best bang for the buck in the slug gun category.
3. Remington 870 Fieldmaster Fully Rifled. Most Proven Slug Platform
- Gauge: 12 Gauge, 3-inch chamber
- Barrel: Fully rifled, with a barrel-mounted cantilever scope base on the Cantilever model
- Action: Pump
- Capacity: 4+1
- Stock: Synthetic with SuperCell recoil pad (walnut versions exist)
- Price: from $521.99 (October 29, 2026)
Pros
- Legendary 870 action with a solid steel receiver
- Cantilever version keeps the scope zeroed to the barrel
- SuperCell recoil pad takes the edge off 12 gauge slugs
- Huge aftermarket for stocks, barrels and parts
Cons
- Heavier than the Mossberg pumps
- Post-bankruptcy Remington QC was spotty, improving under RemArms ownership
- Fewer retailers stock the rifled models than the field guns
The 870 has been putting deer on the ground since 1950, and under RemArms the slug versions are sold as the 870 Fieldmaster Fully Rifled. The Cantilever model puts the scope base on the barrel itself, so the optic stays zeroed to the bore even if you pull the barrel for cleaning. The Deer model skips the cantilever and costs less.
The older 870 SPS Super Slug, with its 25.5-inch, inch-thick fluted barrel, still turns up at some dealers. If you find one at a fair price it is a fine slug gun, but the Fieldmaster is what Remington builds now.
I will be honest about the elephant in the room. Remington went through bankruptcy, and guns from the final years before the sale had complaints about rough chambers and finish. I learned to hunt deer on a 1980s 870 Wingmaster my dad bought used in 1992, and that gun put down more whitetails in our family than any other firearm on three different farms. RemArms has been steadily rebuilding that reputation, but inspect a new 870 at the counter before you pay.
When you get a good one, the 870 is still the 870. Smooth action, rock-solid lockup, and a massive aftermarket for anything you want to change.
Best For: 870 loyalists who want a dedicated rifled slug pump with all the aftermarket support of the most-sold pump shotgun in America.
4. Ithaca Deer Slayer III. Most Accurate Pump Slug Gun
- Gauge: 12 or 20 Gauge
- Barrel: 26″ Heavy Fluted Rifled
- Action: Pump (bottom eject)
- Weight: ~9 lbs (12 GA)
- Capacity: 4+1
- Sights: Weaver-style scope base
- Price: call Ithaca, built to order
Pros
- Arguably the most accurate pump slug gun ever made
- Heavy fluted barrel for better harmonics and heat dissipation
- Bottom ejection is great for scope mounting and lefties
- Made in the USA in Upper Sandusky, Ohio
Cons
- Heavy at 9 pounds for carrying in the field
- Limited production, build-to-order availability
- Premium price for a pump-action shotgun
Ithaca sells the Deer Slayer III through dealers and direct from its Ohio factory, and the factory lists it as call for pricing. None of the retailers in our feed had one in stock on October 29, 2026.
The Ithaca Deer Slayer III is the precision instrument of the pump-action slug-gun world. I have not put as many rounds through a Deer Slayer III as I have the others on this list because these guns are rare and almost always built to order, but every Deer Slayer III I have handled at gun shows or on a friend’s range feels substantially different from a factory Mossberg or Remington pump. Built on Ithaca’s Model 37 bottom-eject action in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, the Deer Slayer III is hand-fitted and machined to standards most factory pumps don’t approach.
The 26-inch heavy fluted rifled barrel is the source of the accuracy. It’s barrel-heavy, which dampens vibration during the shot, and the fluting helps it cool between strings. With Federal Trophy Copper or Hornady SST, 1.5 to 2-inch groups at 100 yards are realistic. Some guns will do better.
Bottom ejection is a real feature, not a gimmick. Brass falls straight down instead of arcing over your sight line. Scopes mount lower and lefties get a fully reversible operating experience.
Weight is the trade-off. At ~9 pounds before you add a scope, this is not a gun you want to carry five miles through the woods. It’s best for fixed-position stand hunting where accuracy matters more than mobility.
Availability is the other catch. Ithaca builds these in low volume, often to order. Expect to wait if you want a specific configuration, and call Ithaca or a dealer for a current quote.
Best For: Stand hunters who prioritize precision over weight and want a built-to-last American-made pump slug gun.
5. Savage 212 Slug. Best 12-Gauge Bolt-Action Slug Gun
- Gauge: 12 Gauge
- Barrel: 22″ Rifled
- Action: Bolt Action, AccuTrigger
- Capacity: 2+1 (detachable box magazine)
- Sights: None, top rail for a scope
- Price: from $687.99 (October 29, 2026)
Pros
- Bolt-action accuracy of the 220, in 12 gauge
- AccuTrigger breaks cleanly
- 12 gauge sabots are easier to find than 20 gauge
- Black synthetic and camo versions
Cons
- Heavier recoil than the 20 gauge 220
- Only 2+1 capacity
- No iron sights, scope is mandatory
The 212 is the 12 gauge twin of the Savage 220: the same bolt action, the same AccuTrigger, the same detachable box magazine, and a 22-inch rifled barrel. If your local shop stocks 12 gauge sabots and not 20, or you want the heavier payload, this is the bolt gun to buy.
The trade-off is recoil. A bolt gun has no moving action to soak up a 12 gauge slug. I shot the 212 and the 220 back to back off the bench with Federal Trophy Copper, and after ten rounds of 12 gauge the 212 is the one you still feel the next morning. A good recoil pad and a solid rest matter more here than on the 220.
Want a semi-auto instead? Benelli builds the Super Black Eagle 3 as a dedicated 24-inch rifled slug gun (item 10379), but it is mostly a special-order gun at dealers and costs about three times as much as the 212. The Winchester SX4 Cantilever Buck below is the semi-auto most hunters should look at first.
Best For: Hunters who want bolt-action slug accuracy with the easiest-to-find ammo.
6. Henry Single Shot Slug. The Quality Single-Shot Slug Gun
- Gauge: 12 Gauge
- Barrel: 24″ Rifled, 1:35 Twist
- Action: Break Action Single Shot
- Weight: 6.88 lbs
- Capacity: 1
- Sights: Fiber optic front and rear, drilled and tapped for a Weaver mount
- MSRP: $660 (Henry, model H015-12S)
Pros
- Only current-production rifled break-action single shot of this build quality
- American walnut stock and blued steel finish
- Lightweight for carrying in the field
- Henry quality and customer service
Cons
- Single shot only, no follow-ups
- 12 gauge recoil is sharp in a 6.88-lb gun
- Limited aftermarket compared to pump platforms
Henry sells the H015-12S through dealers at a $660 MSRP. None of the retailers in our feed listed it on October 29, 2026, so check Henry’s dealer locator. Buying used? Henry recalled H015-series single shots made before July 1, 2020, because some could fire without the trigger being pulled if the hammer was partly cocked and released. Check any older gun at Henry’s recall page before you load it.
Henry makes some of the best affordable American guns on the market, and the H015-12S single-shot slug variant is a perfect example. For around $660 you get a rifled barrel with a 1:35 twist, fiber optic sights, a drilled-and-tapped receiver, American walnut, and Henry’s fit and finish.
The single-shot limitation is real, but let’s be honest. How many deer have you shot where you needed a second round in under three seconds? If you do your job with shot placement, one is enough.
The simplicity of a break action means there’s essentially nothing to malfunction. Open it, drop in a slug, close it, shoot. The whole gun has fewer moving parts than the trigger group of most pumps. I have helped two new hunters sight in their first Henry single shots, and both walked away with a 100-yard zero in under an hour using Federal Trophy Copper.
At 6.88 pounds, this is the lightest gun on the list, which makes it a great choice for stalking or walking to a stand deep in the woods. The trade-off is felt recoil. Light gun plus heavy 12 gauge slug equals a sharp kick.
A slip-on recoil pad helps. So does making sure you only fire a handful of sighting rounds before the hunt. The Henry isn’t a shoot-from-the-bench all day proposition.
Best For: Hunters who want a quality break-action rifled slug gun without going to a custom builder. Also makes a great first deer gun for a kid moving up from a .410.
7. Winchester SX4 Cantilever Buck. Best Cantilever Semi-Auto for the Money
- Gauge: 12 or 20 Gauge
- Barrel: 22″ Fully Rifled
- Action: Semi-Auto (Active Valve gas system)
- Weight: 7.5 lbs
- Capacity: 4+1
- Sights: TRUGLO fiber-optic front, adjustable rear, Weaver cantilever rail
- Price: from $981.19 (October 29, 2026)
Pros
- Factory cantilever keeps the scope zeroed to the barrel
- Active Valve gas system soaks up slug recoil
- Inflex Technology pad takes more sting out at the shoulder
- Available in both 12 and 20 gauge
Cons
- Synthetic stock only at this trim
- Heavier than the SXP pump it replaces in the lineup
- Aluminum receiver isn’t to everyone’s taste
The SX4 Cantilever Buck is Winchester’s purpose-built rifled slug gun, and it’s been my go-to recommendation for hunters who want semi-auto recoil reduction without paying Benelli money. The Weaver-style cantilever rail mounts to the barrel, so your scope stays zeroed to the barrel even if you pull it for cleaning.
That’s the same advantage the Remington Fieldmaster setup gets you, on a faster-cycling gas action. The cantilever is also what the SXP slug pump never had from the factory.
Winchester’s Active Valve gas system is self-adjusting. It runs heavy 3-inch sabots and lighter 2¾-inch loads without you fiddling with anything. The Inflex Technology recoil pad is genuinely effective.
Shoot a box of slugs through this gun side-by-side with the Henry single shot and the difference at the shoulder is night and day. Semi-auto soaks up energy that a break action transmits straight to your collarbone.
Accuracy with the 22-inch rifled barrel is solid. I have put about sixty rounds through an SX4 Cantilever Buck across two range sessions, and I have seen consistent 2-inch groups at 100 yards with Federal Trophy Copper loads in 12 gauge, with no flyers I could blame on the gun. The 20 gauge variant exists too if you want softer recoil and don’t mind a slightly more expensive ammo selection.
Best For: Hunters who want a semi-auto with factory cantilever optics mounting at about half the Benelli SBE3 price. The smart-money pick for a dedicated semi-auto slug shotgun at around $1,000.
8. Mossberg Maverick 88 Slug. The Working Man’s Deer Gun
- Gauge: 12 Gauge
- Barrel: 24″ Fully Rifled
- Action: Pump
- Weight: 7 lbs
- Capacity: 5+1
- Sights: Adjustable rifle sights
- Price: from $239.99 (October 29, 2026)
Pros
- Cheapest rifled-barrel slug gun in current production
- Shares parts and accessories with the Mossberg 500
- 5+1 capacity for follow-up shots
- Twin action bars and dual extractors run reliably
Cons
- Cross-bolt safety instead of Mossberg’s tang safety
- Synthetic stock and forend, no wood option
- Finish is basic, it’s a $250 gun
Maverick 88 is what happened when Mossberg looked at the entry-level pump market and decided to own it. It’s essentially a 500 with a different safety, a synthetic stock, and a price point that makes a Henry single shot look expensive. The Slug variant ships with a 24-inch fully rifled barrel, adjustable rifle sights, and a 5+1 magazine for about $250.
Accuracy isn’t going to embarrass the Savage 220, but 3-inch groups at 100 yards are realistic with the right sabot. I’ve put hundreds of rounds through Maverick 88s over the years (mostly the security variant), and the action is a little rougher than a 500 from the factory.
It loosens up. The dual extractors and twin action bars are the same parts you get in the 500. They just work.
The big trade-off versus a Mossberg 500 Slugster is the safety. The Maverick uses a cross-bolt at the front of the trigger guard instead of Mossberg’s classic tang safety. If you grew up on tang safeties, that’s annoying.
If you have never owned a Mossberg before, you will not care. Plenty of deer have been killed with cross-bolt safeties.
Best For: Budget hunters, first-time deer-shotgun buyers, and anyone who wants a beater rifled pump that won’t get babied. Also a great loaner for buddies who decided to come out a week before opener.
Slug Gun Buyer’s Guide: Rifled vs Smoothbore and Everything Else
The best slug gun for you comes down to three calls: rifled barrel or smoothbore, 12 gauge or 20 gauge, and how far you actually plan to shoot. The picks above cover every combination, but the buyer’s guide that follows walks the decisions in plain English so you can match a gun to your own hunting style and your own state’s rules.
Single biggest decision in slug gun shopping is rifled barrel vs smoothbore. Here’s the short version. If you’re serious about slug hunting, get a rifled barrel and shoot sabot slugs. If you occasionally shoot slugs through a general-purpose shotgun, a smoothbore with Foster-type slugs works fine at shorter ranges.
Rifled barrels spin sabot slugs like a rifle spins bullets. That spin stabilization is what gives you 2-3 inch accuracy at 100 yards instead of 6-8 inches. The sabot is a plastic sleeve around a smaller-caliber projectile that engages the rifling and falls away after leaving the muzzle.
Sabot Slugs vs Foster Slugs
Sabot slugs are the modern choice for rifled barrels. I have not run a Foster slug through a rifled barrel since the late nineties, and modern sabot ammo has only gotten better in the years since. The projectile is typically a copper or copper-alloy bullet around .50 caliber, jacketed inside a plastic sleeve that grips the rifling. Federal Trophy Copper, Hornady SST, and Winchester Dual Bond are the consistent performers across the lineup above.
Foster slugs are the older bore-diameter design. They’re meant for smoothbore barrels and they’ll print 6-8 inch groups at 100 yards. Don’t shoot Foster slugs through a rifled barrel. The lead will foul the rifling and your accuracy will get worse, not better.
The reverse is also true. Sabots through a smoothbore won’t stabilize and you’ll get keyholing at any distance past 50 yards. Match the slug to the barrel.
12 Gauge vs 20 Gauge for Slug Hunting
20 gauge sabots actually perform better than 12 gauge sabots in rifled barrels. Counter-intuitive, but true. The smaller bore engages the sabot more consistently and the lighter projectile retains rotational stability better downrange.
You don’t give up terminal performance at deer-hunting ranges. A 275-grain Federal Trophy Copper sabot at 1,900 fps will pass through any whitetail in North America. The Savage 220 in 20 gauge is the most accurate factory slug gun for a reason.
12 gauge is still the go-to for ammo availability and price. Every gun shop stocks 12 gauge slugs. 20 gauge sabot ammo is more specialty, so expect fewer choices on the shelf and a higher price per round than the same load in 12 gauge.
How Far Can You Shoot a Slug Gun?
The honest answer is 150-200 yards for most factory slug guns and quality sabot ammo. A Savage 220 or Ithaca Deer Slayer III with the right load will hold 4-6 inches at 200 yards, which is well within the vital zone on a whitetail.
Past 200 yards, slug ballistics fall off a cliff. The big-diameter, low-velocity projectile sheds energy fast. By 250 yards you’re seeing 12-15 inches of drop from a 200-yard zero, and the energy curve doesn’t favor clean kills past that distance.
For pump and break-action slug guns, 100-150 yards is the realistic accuracy ceiling. Know your gun. Pattern it at the distance you plan to hunt, with the ammo you plan to use.
Scope Options for Slug Guns
Most slug kills happen inside 150 yards, so you don’t need a lot of magnification. A 2-7×32 or 3-9×40 scope covers the entire effective range of a slug gun. Go for a BDC reticle calibrated for slug trajectories if you can find one, or use a standard duplex and learn your holdovers at 100, 150, and 200 yards.
Slug guns beat up optics worse than most rifles. The heavy recoil and different vibration pattern means you need a scope that’s rated for slug gun or muzzleloader use. Nikon Slug Hunter (discontinued but available used), Weaver Slug Scope, and Leupold VX-Freedom are all proven survivors.
Don’t mount a bargain-bin rifle scope and expect it to hold zero after 20 rounds of 3-inch magnum slugs. A bargain scope on a $600 slug gun is false economy. Match the scope quality to the gun’s accuracy potential.
How I Tested These Slug Guns
The picks on this list come from over a decade of hunting whitetails in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, plus range time spent zeroing slug guns for friends and family every fall. Every gun listed has either been in my safe at some point or run through my hands at the range with a borrowed unit and a chronograph.
Where I don’t have personal time behind a particular variant (the Ithaca Deer Slayer III, primarily), I lean on cross-referenced manufacturer specs and hands-on reviews from Outdoor Life, American Rifleman, and RECOIL.
Accuracy claims in this list come from 5-round groups at 100 yards, shot from a benchrest with sandbag support, using whatever sabot ammo the gun shot best. Federal Trophy Copper and Hornady SST were the consistent performers across the lineup.
Velocities are pulled from manufacturer published ballistics, cross-checked against my own chronograph runs where I had the gun on hand. Prices are the lowest listed in our retailer feed on October 29, 2026, and the cards under each pick update as retailers change their prices.
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Bottom Line: Which Slug Gun Should You Buy?
If you only buy one slug gun this year, get the Savage 220. It’s the best slug gun on the market for accuracy at any reasonable hunting distance. It’s the most accurate factory slug gun ever made, period. 20 gauge sabot recoil is manageable, the AccuTrigger is a real precision asset, and you can hold 1.5-inch groups at 100 yards out of the box.
Mount a 2-7x scope and you have a 200-yard whitetail rig that handles like a deer rifle. The 220 punches well above its $600 weight class.
If $600 isn’t in the budget, the Mossberg 500 Slugster from about $391 is the right pick. If $250 is all you’ve got, the Maverick 88 Slug will put deer on the wall. And if you already own a Mossberg 500 for birds, a rifled slug barrel turns it into a deer gun before you spend on a dedicated slug gun.
Looking for the best prices? Check our gun deals page and price comparison tool to compare prices from 200+ retailers before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most accurate slug gun?
The Savage 220 bolt action in 20 gauge is widely considered the most accurate slug gun available. It regularly produces sub-2-inch groups at 100 yards with quality sabot ammunition. The Ithaca Deer Slayer III is the most accurate pump-action option.
Should I use a rifled barrel or smoothbore for slugs?
Use a rifled barrel with sabot slugs for maximum accuracy (2-3 inch groups at 100 yards). A smoothbore with Foster-type slugs works for shorter range shots under 75 yards. Never shoot sabots through a smoothbore or Foster slugs through a rifled barrel.
What is the best slug ammo for deer hunting?
Federal Trophy Copper, Hornady SST, and Winchester Dual Bond are consistently top performers in rifled barrels. For smoothbore barrels, Remington Slugger and Federal Power-Shok Foster slugs are proven and affordable.
What scope should I put on a slug gun?
A 2-7x32 or 3-9x40 scope covers the full effective range of a slug gun. Choose a scope rated for slug gun or muzzleloader use, as the heavy recoil can destroy standard rifle scopes. Leupold VX-Freedom and Weaver Slug Scope are proven options.
Is 12 gauge or 20 gauge better for slug hunting?
The 20 gauge Savage 220 is arguably the most accurate slug gun made, as sabot slugs engage rifling more consistently in the smaller bore. For maximum energy and ammo variety, 12 gauge has the edge. Both are lethal on whitetail deer at slug hunting ranges.
What states require slug guns for deer hunting?
Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan built strong shotgun-only deer-hunting traditions over decades. Most have loosened those rules in recent years (Ohio added straight-wall rifle cartridges in 2014, Indiana in 2016, Illinois in 2023), but slug guns remain legal everywhere a rifle is. Check your state wildlife agency for current zone-specific rules.
How far can you accurately shoot a slug gun?
A quality rifled barrel slug gun with sabot ammunition is accurate to 150-200 yards. A smoothbore with Foster slugs is practical to 50-75 yards. Most slug gun deer kills happen inside 100 yards.
Can I shoot slugs through a regular shotgun barrel?
Yes, you can shoot Foster-type slugs through any standard smoothbore shotgun barrel with an open or modified choke. Do not shoot slugs through a Full or Extra-Full turkey choke. Sabot slugs should only be used with rifled barrels.
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