Matt in IL

Hey guys,
I just picked up an 11-87 sportsman 12g. I pick it up tomorrow once he is done bore sighting it. I'm trying to decide my approach on how I want to sight it in. I was thinking bout picking up a few boxes of remmington copper solids, federal barnes-x and maybe something else. It's going to be an expensive day.....I know every gun is different, but if I see a trend on what is working well out of this gun, I might cut some corners. So what shoots well out of your 11-87? Anything to stay away from?


Thanks!

jcchartboy

In all of the discussion on exactly that same topic I have never seen it answered...That being said, the top choices are one of the following...Winchester Partition golds (distance,accuracy), Copper solids (for accuracy, not distance), Remington Core Lokt Ultra's, (distance and great accuracy/for some), Lightfields,(accuracy,poor distance), Hornady SST's, (distance, few reports on accuracy)

HighDesertWolf

its hard to give you any advice on the topic but heres one corner to immediately cut if the gun has a 3 inch chamber dont even bother messing with 2 3/4 inch loads. Another thing to do is pick the loads by what projectile will fit your needs best. then out every one you picked try to boil it down to 3 to 4 loads buy a box or two of each and go at it, if you dont like the results then pick another 3 loads and go at it again the next weekend. another way to go at it is buy a 3 to 4 boxes of the least expensive loads get your gun roughly sighted in to the desired range if they dont group good then pick other slugs and shoot for groups and see what works. good luck

RWK

Matt its best to try a bunch of different slugs (sabot) every gun likes a different one.

longrifle1000

I couldn't agree with that comment any more. I wasted a lot of money trying to find a good 2 3/4" load for my gun. Just couldn't find a one that would group at all. Tried several 3" loads, and they all shot twice as good as the shorter ones. And at $2-$3 a pop, it is a mistake that is easily avoided.LOL

If your shots are no more than 125 yards, try the lightfields. They shoot the best out of my gun, and my wifes 1100. But if you are looking for a little more range, these will not be your cup of tea. I would try the Winchester Gold, and the Hornady 3/4oz Barnes first. Along with the SST from Federal if you can find them. Good luck

Paul L Mohr

I am assuming since it is being bore sighted you are using a fully rifled barrel possibly with a scope? If not don't bother with the saboted slugs, they will not work worth a flip. However from what I can gather you got a slug barrel with it.

I will say what the others did, you just need to try different loads to see what you and your gun like. It does get expensive, no doubt.

I have a buddy that has a 12 ga 11-87 and his likes the regular winchester saboted lead slugs in 3 inch. They are accurate and they work. I personally feel the better bullet designs like JCC mentioned would be better, but hey he kills deer with it so he is inclined not to change. And his slugs are a bit cheaper.

As far as not using 2 3/4 inch slugs in it. I don't know about that and I am pretty certain JCC will dissagree with that as well. Most of the 2 3/4 inch slugs work better and can have just as much power. You may find the faster slugs will not shoot well out of your barrel. From what I have seen most average slug guns like 1700 fps or under to shoot accurately out to 100 yards and beyond. You get up around 1900 fps and the accuracy seems to fall off at longer distances.

I will give you two more loads to look at as well. The federals with the barnes Expander bullets. Not the lighter faster ones (although you can give them a try if you want), but the one ounce slower versions. The barnes are a very proven bullet in the inline muzzle loading circle. Also look at the winchester Platinums, they shoot pretty well out of most guns too. I think the barnes would expand better though.

I have pretty much narrowed it down to these two bullets in my H&R ultra. I have not tried the core lokts or copper solids yet either though.

Paul

Paul L Mohr

Longrifle, you have it backwards, the sst's are hornady and the barnes are used by federal.

Paul

Matt in IL

Hey guys,
I appreciate the comments

The gun has a simmons 4x32 scope on it.

I ended up getting 2 boxes of the following:

Winchester SuperX 3'' 1400fps 1oz Sabot
Federal Barnes Expander 3" 1525fps 1oz Sabot
Remington Copper Solid 3" 1550fps 1oz Sabot

longrifle1000

Theirs a shock, I made a mistake.LOL


This is the way it was explained to me. When you are shooting 2 3/4" slugs in a 3" chamber, the slug has to make a little jump from the shell into the rifleing. Now, I can't say for certain this is the reason, but their was a big difference in my gun as far as accuracy goes. 2 3/4" loads were averaging 5" at 100 yards, and 3" slugs are averaging 2 1/2". But, both wereaccurate enough if shots were to be taken at 100 yards. In the actual real world, I have not been able tosee any difference in performance between the two other than accuracy. Almost identicle trajectories, same performance on game.

Paul L Mohr

The only reason I said that is most of the newer style saboted bullets if you get the 3 inch shells they are the faster loadings, and out of some of the standard rifled barrels your accuracy will be hit and miss with faster loads. I just don't think they can stabilize the bullets at those speeds well enough.

However my buddies 11-87 and anothers 870 with cantilever barrels shoot the 3 inch standard winchesters better than the same slug in the 2 3/4 inch version. They tried them and they just were not as good. I don't know that it has anything to do with the chamber though. I think it has more to do with barrel harmonics myself. I am sure if they played around with different shells they could find a 2 3/4 inch shell that shot just as well if not better. There are too many guys out there shooting the 2 3/4 inch shells for them not to work. Almost every modern shotgun is chambered for 3 inch shells and I bet the best selling slugs are 2 3/4 inchers. I can't say for sure though.

My H&R will shoot 3 inch slugs, but the shell length doesn't seem to have an effect on accuracy. It had more to do with bullet design and speed. It will shoot 3 inch and 2 3/4 inch shells just as accurate if it likes the load. Heck I have shot some 3 dollar rifled slugs that would group a little over an inch for three shots at 100 yards. And my gun seems to like the winchester platinums as well, I got around 1 inch groups with those. And for being a 2 3/4 inch shell they have about the most recoil I have felt. However it does not like the faster loadings. I tried some of the barnes 1900 fps rounds and they would not even group on a sheet of printer paper at 100 yards. They were pretty good at 50, but sucked at 100 yards.

I wish I had the money to try them all. I have tried a pretty decent sampling, but not all of them. There are a few I would like to try yet. Truth be known, I am going to try the federal barnes one ounce loads, and if they group within 2 inches at 100 yards I am going to stick with them. I would really like to try to load a Precision Rifle bullet that I use in my ML into shot shell and use that. I think they would be pretty devastating out of a shotgun. They are simular to the hornady sst's but not jacketed, and they are a boat tail design. Very accurate in my ML out to 150 yards in the 350 gr version. I wouldn't mind trying a 450 grn version in a shotgun.

I think your above post was just typo, I was just messing with you is all.

I have tried a few of the lightfield loads out of my H&R and it didn't like them. They offer a lot of different shells though and I didn't try them all. I used brenneke gold magnums last year because I ran out of money and time for testing. The were not the most accurate, but they were ok and I had them on hand if you know what I mean. I thought a 600 grn slug would do more damage, but I wasn't that impressed to be honest. I am sticking with the better designed controled expansion bullets for now on.

Paul