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Very unhappy with my gun!!!

J

jason

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Today I tried sighting in my 20 gague for deer season. I mounted a bushnells scope on my 870 w/ rifled barrel earlier this summer, and Im shooting federal sabot slugs.
After shooting it 18 times, it wasn't even close to being sighted in. The slugs were flying all over the ply wood. Only on was in the bull. And the rest after that were usually 6 to 10 inches left, right, up or down from the bull. It is horrable!!!!! The worst I've ever seen a gun shoot! My friend looked at the scope, and the mount, he said it looked fine to him.
I used a sheet of ply wood for a target, and after looking at the holes, It looks like the slug were tumbaling when it hit the ply wood. Most of the hole are peanut shaped. And a few of them are round like a slug. The slugs Im using are hypervelocity's, they look like hour glasses? Could the slug of tumbled in flight???? What should I do? If i resight in, it will coast me a nother 50 bucks, then I'll have to buy more slugs after that, which brings me up to about 100 just on shells. Is it worth it??
Thanks and good hunting
 
Jason,
I switched to 870 12gauge last year with a rifled barrel and had some difficulties as well. You need to make sure your rifling is not getting fouled by plastic. Buy a box of Remington copper solids and shoot through a clean barrel. Don't sight just shoot for a group. You can always get sighted. Then do the same with the Federals. I have wanted to try Winchester newest sabot, but have not. I'll bet it would be worth the trouble to try them. You'll find you have a great deal more confidence with the better slugs and rifled barrel. I think it is worth it. Look at my profile- 92 yard strait through everything. The best part is the copper solids are really soft on the shoulder. Good hunting.
 
How is the scope mounted? cantilever, tapped reciever, 1/4 rib, or on a side plate attached to the trigger assembly pins.
How far are you sighting in at?
Is it a factory or aftermarket barrel?
Is it fully rifled or just the choke tube?
It sounds like the sabot's are tumbling.
If you feel your way off you can boresight it in a make shift way (with out a boresight tool) if the scope is attached to the barrel. That will get you "on paper".
Start close 35-40 may be 50.
The heavy recoil from shooting just a few slugs often causes the shooter to shoot pooly. Even off some good sand bags. Forget any other way, the gun must be supported to sight it in. A commercial rest is good but 2 or 3 sand bags is better.
Get one box each of 4 or 5 differnt slugs and take your time. (Don't heat up the tube) Then pick the best slug type.
I never liked anything that goes real fast. "Hyper-velocity" bullets are usually less accurate than slower ones.
Lastly, Do you trust the scope? it may not like the heavy recoil or may be slipping the rings.
 
I shoot a 870 Wingmaster, cantaliever scope mount, rifled barrel with 1.5 power scope and shoot only Remington Copper Solids. What a deadly little gun. It has never shot bad.
 
Different brand Sabot shells can all shoot differently. I would get it bore sighted (saves ammo) and then start at 25 yards with a firm rest. Shoot 2-3 shells and let the barrel cool down. You might get a different pattern from each different shell manufacturer. When you have a group from one kind of shell, adjust to the bullseye, shoot again and move back to 50 yards and repeat. Do this out to 100 yards and beyond. I know for me it was expensive to initially sight my gun in but it's the only way. You will find a shell that will work for you and they are accurate.
 
My scope is mounted by a side mount. I have a fully rifled barrel, and it's an after market barrel. I tried sighting it in at 50 yards, but then after 10 shot i moved up to 25. And still no luck. The scope is good and sturdy on the gun, It's not slipping or moving. I do trust the scope, it's a bushnells, it's a 120 dollar scope. I think the slugs were tumbaling too. Im going to get remington coppersolids and try shooting them. But if I still have problems, well then Im just going to take the muzzle loader this year.
 
jason,
My experence with light field was also very good. The remington copper solids will pattern 12 inches higher and I believe give you much better performance at greater distances. Also, they are much easier on your shoulder.
 
I agree on the performance of the Lightfields. However, if the sabots you are using are tumbling now, I would expect all others will do the same, some worse than others. If you were shooting a smooth bore, I would guess that to be the problem. I cannot imagine what the problem is but would guess it's the barrel. Are you sure it's fully rifled?
 
i had the same problem with a side mount my avice is take it off throw it away and get a b square mount it fits like a saddle over the reciver. i shoot brenekkees in my hastings thats what it likes
 
Try the Federal slugs with the Barnes X bullets. I got a box of the Federal Hypershock bullets by mistake and experienced the same tumbling . The Barnes hollowpoints grouped great
 
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