We just picked up a new property for Deer Hunting next year and it's a shotgun or muzzle loader county so I figured I would set up a shotgun for slugs. I recently got a barrel for my 1100 that was smooth bore with rem choke that i will use as a back up. I Bought this Mossberg 835 from a buddy at a good price . It has a 28" Vent rib barrel with chokes and a fully rifled cantilever slug barrel . I put a Bushnell extended eye relief scope 3-9-40 on it, Limb saver recoil pad cleaned it up and painted it Camo . Now to get a variety of slugs and see what it likes

shrpshtrjoe, I'm interested in what king of groups you get with what slugs. I was thinking of camo painting my slug gun today but don't know if there will be time before a Christmas party this afternoon. You are braver than me. I haven't convinced myself to paint my scope as part of the project.

Nice looking gun. Thanks for sharing. All the best...
Gil

slimjim wrote:

You are braver than me. I haven't convinced myself to paint my scope as part of the project.

I wouldn't have done it to one of my Leupolds . Post pics when your done ..
Joe

Good buy Joe...a damn fine looking piece mate.

Enjoy the load development and hunting with it mate...should be good.

Cheers, Vince

great looking gun. look forward to hear how load development goes.

You might want to try to find some Activ slugs. I think they are no longer made, but they shoot extremely well in virtually every smooth-bore shotgun I have tried them in, which is why I stashed a case of them years ago! Another thought would be the Federal slugs. They have always worked well too. Both slugs are nominally a bit larger in diameter than most so provide for a snug fit in the bore. You probably already know not to try sabot-type slugs in your 835 since the sleeves try to spread in the back-bored section of the barrel and then get constricted again in the bore which can cause pressure problems.

I created a similar slug-only shotgun years back (and still have it) on an Ithaca/SKB Model 900.



Made good sense then and still does. Good luck and good hunting!

SingleShotLover wrote:

You might want to try to find some Activ slugs. .... You probably already know not to try sabot-type slugs in your 835 since the sleeves try to spread in the back-bored section of the barrel and then get constricted again in the bore which can cause pressure problems.

Activ and Brenneke both did well in my smooth bore slug gun. shrpshtrjoe said he had a fully rifled cantilever barrel for slugs. That shouldn't have pressure issues should it?

slimjim wrote:

SingleShotLover wrote: You might want to try to find some Activ slugs. .... You probably already know not to try sabot-type slugs in your 835 since the sleeves try to spread in the back-bored section of the barrel and then get constricted again in the bore which can cause pressure problems. Activ and Brenneke both did well in my smooth bore slug gun. shrpshtrjoe said he had a fully rifled cantilever barrel for slugs. That shouldn't have pressure issues should it?

With this rifled barrel I shouldn't have any issues

I too have used Brenneke in my 12g smooth bore with no problems.

I am rather keen on the Lee Drive Key Slugs I cast for my smoothbore 12g. They are plenty accurate (4" groups at 50 metres) for anything I might need.

Cheers, Vince

Vince, I don't mean to be insulting, but how can 4" at 50 meters and plenty accurate be used in the same sentence? I have seen better accuracy at 100 yards with Brenneke from my smoothbore.

bigger animals or sooner satisfied with grouping?

shrpshtrjoe wrote:

With this rifled barrel I shouldn't have any issues

My apologies...somehow missed the part about rifled barrel.

SingleShotLover wrote:

shrpshtrjoe wrote: With this rifled barrel I shouldn't have any issues My apologies...somehow missed the part about rifled barrel.

No worries