What is the best best deer slug guns in 2026?

Our top pick is the 220 Slug Gun by Savage Arms. A bolt action with an AccuTrigger and a rifled 20-gauge barrel. The most accurate factory slug gun made.

How did The Wild10 rank these best deer slug guns?

Rifled slug guns for shotgun-only whitetail country, ranked by accuracy at 100 to 200 yards. Rankings reflect independent editorial evaluation — no paid placements or affiliate bias.

What is the best budget best deer slug guns?

500 Slugster by Mossberg — Tang safety and a rifled bore. The budget slug gun that has taken more deer than most rifles.

Top 10 · Gear

The 10 Best Deer Hunting Shotguns

Rifled slug guns for shotgun-only whitetail country, ranked by accuracy at 100 to 200 yards.

All lists

In shotgun-only counties a slug gun is your deer rifle, and modern saboted slugs out of a fully rifled barrel will hold three inches at 150 yards. These are the platforms that get there, plus the smoothbore workhorses that still fill tags every November.

Best of the Best · Head to Head

220 Slug Gun vs Deerslayer III

#1 vs #2 — side-by-side specs, pros & cons, and the final verdict.

Topic summary

Rifled slug guns for shotgun-only whitetail country, ranked by accuracy at 100 to 200 yards.

Key takeaways

#1 220 Slug Gun — Savage Arms
#2 Deerslayer III — Ithaca Gun Company
#3 Model 700 Slug — Tar-Hunt
#4 870 Fully Rifled Deer — Remington
#5 500 Slugster — Mossberg
#6 M2 Rifled Slug — Benelli

Intended uses

Gear

Verification notes

Editorial ranked list, 10 entries. Evidence mix — 10 research only. Buy links open the maker or a retailer search.

Rank this list

Loading community ratings… Ratings re-order the picks — they never change which products make the list.

Bottom line

A dedicated rifled barrel and a cantilever scope mount matter more than the action type. Sight in with the exact slug you will hunt with; they are not interchangeable.

Next list

Best Hunting Rifles

Learn the craft: hunting guides

All hunting guides →

Shotgun Hunting

Gauges, chokes, shot size, and lead for birds and slug country.

Big Game

Deer, elk, moose, bear, hog and sheep — where to hunt, tags, and what to expect.

Hunting Hub

Where every hunting guide on The Wild10 starts.

The 10 Best Deer Hunting Shotguns

Topic summary

Key takeaways

Intended uses

Verification notes

220 Slug Gun

Deerslayer III

Model 700 Slug

870 Fully Rifled Deer

500 Slugster

M2 Rifled Slug

BPS Rifled Deer Hunter

SX4 Cantilever Buck

A300 Ultima Slug

Ultra Slug Hunter

Learn the craft: hunting guides

Shotgun Hunting

Big Game

Hunting Hub