Rifleman Q&A: Loads For A Deerslayer

by
posted on October 15, 2024
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
1951-vintage Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight 20-ga. pump-action shotgunn left-side view drawing
Photo courtesy of American Rifleman archives.

Q. I have a classic, 1951-vintage Ithaca Model 37 Featherlight 20-ga. pump-action shotgun with a 2 3/4" chamber and a 2 3⁄8"-chambered smoothbore Deerslayer barrel for use with slugs. Are there factory 2 3/4" buckshot loads that have shot sizes larger than No. 3?


A. Please be aware that your Ithaca Model 37’s Deerslayer barrel is made to shoot only Foster-style rifled slugs, not sabot-style slugs. Sabots are made exclusively for use in barrels with cut rifling, not a smooth bore. Of the various smoothbore slug barrels, Ithaca Deerslayers are considered to be one of the very best in terms of accuracy.

Regarding buckshot, there are loads available with pellets larger than No. 3—from smallest to largest these include No. 1, 0 and 00. Of those, the 00 loads are the most prevalent. However, of all the pellet sizes, 00s are the most unreliable as far as pattern density is concerned, so it is best to use them at short ranges only. Because of their downrange characteristics, manufacturers recommend using buckshot only with full-choked barrels.

Latest

Customizing X Card Shotgun 1
Customizing X Card Shotgun 1

Building an X-Card Gun for Turkey Shoots

Unofficially known as a “turkey shoot,” X-Card competition challenges shotgunners to place shot pellets as closely as possible to the center of a target. And some makers have perfected a way to fine-tune shotguns for this purpose.

Spanish National Police Adopt Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC

The Spanish National Police (Policia Nacional) has officially adopted the Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC 9mm pistol as the issue pistol for its uniformed officers.

NRA Launches New NRA.org Platform and Official App to Modernize and Enhance the Member Experience

The National Rifle Association today launched its new NRA.org website and continued enhancements to the official NRA App, marking a major step and significant investment to modernize the organization and better serve members.

Political Report | Federal Firearms Rights Restoration is Officially Back

Criminal-justice reform has been distorted to mean counterproductive policies like eliminating cash bail or politicized district attorneys exhibiting a determined indifference to violence, but there is a place for sensible reforms that allow genuinely rehabilitated offenders to reintegrate into the community of law-abiding citizens.

Stable Fun: The Taurus Brace-Ready TX22

Taurus USA first adopted the ideal of a brace-ready format for a traditional handgun in its GX4 Strike Bravo, and now, the company is extending that concept to its TX22 rimfire handgun.

I Have This Old Gun: The Whitney Navy Revolver

One of the lesser-known revolvers from the Civil War era, the Whitney Navy revolver had several notable features and even inspired a copycat in the Confederacy.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.