# H&R 20 gauge 3.5" Slug gun



## Riva (Aug 10, 2006)

Anybody have any experience with this product? Is this a custom order gun? 

Saw it on this video: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq3zp-v5gjA&feature=PlayList&p=B024E1B2EB981E61&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=83"]YouTube- Hastings 3.5" 20 gauge[/ame]


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## RGROSE (Jan 16, 2005)

looks to be a custom machine , I could only imagine what 3.5" slugs must run a box


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## andrew09 (Dec 30, 2008)

I have seen those guns on gunbroker before.


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## Quack Addict (Aug 10, 2006)

I wasn't aware SAAMI specs existed for a 3.5" 20ga. Maybe it's the wildcat of the shotgun world.

Check that, there is the "12 gauge from hell".

When I look up SAAMI specs for 20ga's, the same pressure limit applies to all, regardless of length of shell... so if that's the case with the 20ga, a 3.5" 20ga cartridge would buy you ZERO in the ballistics improvement department, unless specs were disregarded and it was loaded "hot".


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## willy05 (Nov 19, 2005)

Don't know much about but I believe it's been out for about 2 1/2 to three years. Joint venture with hastings and H&R.


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## Wally Gator (Sep 21, 2007)

My dad has that same gun in the 12 gauge, and he bought me and my brother one for christmas. All three of us have em and we love em. Awesome guns, and very accurate. We shoot the 3" shells.


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## cast&blast (Sep 14, 2009)

I have one. There are alot of misconseptions about them, mostly by people that have never shot one. I hear/read about people bashing it because of the "punishing recoil". Whatever, Nancy boy. It doesn't kick any harder than any other 20 gauge. Where the difference is is in the muzzle climb. You don't rest the forearm....you hold it. Unless you like getting hit in the forehead with the scope. Quack addict mentioned SAAMI specs and that you wouldn't gain anything in ballistics unless the specs were disregarded. They must have been. On the box of Hastings Custom 3-1/2" 20 gauge slugs there is a note printed "once fired, hulls are not reloadable". I looked into why. What I found is that Hastings is using some kind of special powder that isn't available to the consumer to achieve the kind of pressures it takes to send a 410 grain payload out the muzzle at 2070 feet per second. Ballistics? The Hastings 3-1/2" slug drops about 9" @ 200 yds. The Winchester Supreme 3" 260 grain partition gold drops about 8-1/2" @ 175 yds. They both advertise 2000 fps @ the muzzle. As far as trajectory is concerned they're nearly identicle. However, a 410 grain slug retains alot more energy @ 200 yds that a 260 grain slug does. I've also tried shooting Hornady 2-3/4" SSTs out of it as well with 4" groups @ 50 yds and 10" groups @ 100, not good. I'm going to look into porting the top 180 ° of the muzzle in a ditch effort to try to keep it down where it belongs. When i bought it I had the gun shop swap a thumbhole stock off an H&R 12 gauge to it. Apparently they didn't offer it on the 20 gauge. Someone in another forum told me that the thumbhole is the cause of the muzzle climb because of the difference in how its held. I haven't shot one with a conventional stock so I don't know for sure either way. All in all I'm very happy with it.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

Riva,
That gun was a joint venture with Hastings (the barrel and ammo maker) and H&R. Hastings developed a 3.5" 20 load and H&R built the guns. They didn't take off like either expected and they are currently not in production. Hastings however still produces the ammo so one could buy one used if they wanted to. I would be on the phone to Hastings and or H&R first though to make sure that Hastings plans to keep the pipeline open on ammo. I know the gun will take regular 2.75" and 3" ammo as well but I've heard mixed results with any ammo other than the Hastings load. It's a great concept imho and should have been more popular. Unfortunately, most southern Michigan hunters still think bird guns are good deer guns and the market for specialized slug guns is still small, at least in this state. I think it is worth investigating if one is serious about their slug guns.


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## Swamp Monster (Jan 11, 2002)

As far as the SAAMI specs, Cast & Blast is correct. Hastings is using a proprietory powder (or powder blend) to create the velocity without high pressures....hence the use in a basically stock H&R that is strong to begin with but not overbuilt by any means. Hornady and Federal both use proprietary powders not available to handloaders in some of their factory rifle ammo ie Light Magnums, etc. so this is not out of the ordinary.


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## MeChief1 (Feb 2, 2021)

cast&blast said:


> I have one. There are alot of misconseptions about them, mostly by people that have never shot one. I hear/read about people bashing it because of the "punishing recoil". Whatever, Nancy boy. It doesn't kick any harder than any other 20 gauge. Where the difference is is in the muzzle climb. You don't rest the forearm....you hold it. Unless you like getting hit in the forehead with the scope. Quack addict mentioned SAAMI specs and that you wouldn't gain anything in ballistics unless the specs were disregarded. They must have been. On the box of Hastings Custom 3-1/2" 20 gauge slugs there is a note printed "once fired, hulls are not reloadable". I looked into why. What I found is that Hastings is using some kind of special powder that isn't available to the consumer to achieve the kind of pressures it takes to send a 410 grain payload out the muzzle at 2070 feet per second. Ballistics? The Hastings 3-1/2" slug drops about 9" @ 200 yds. The Winchester Supreme 3" 260 grain partition gold drops about 8-1/2" @ 175 yds. They both advertise 2000 fps @ the muzzle. As far as trajectory is concerned they're nearly identicle. However, a 410 grain slug retains alot more energy @ 200 yds that a 260 grain slug does. I've also tried shooting Hornady 2-3/4" SSTs out of it as well with 4" groups @ 50 yds and 10" groups @ 100, not good. I'm going to look into porting the top 180 ° of the muzzle in a ditch effort to try to keep it down where it belongs. When i bought it I had the gun shop swap a thumbhole stock off an H&R 12 gauge to it. Apparently they didn't offer it on the 20 gauge. Someone in another forum told me that the thumbhole is the cause of the muzzle climb because of the difference in how its held. I haven't shot one with a conventional stock so I don't know for sure either way. All in all I'm very happy with it.


I have 20 boxes of ammo and no gun with that barrel? Know anyone?


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

MeChief1 said:


> I have 20 boxes of ammo and no gun with that barrel? Know anyone?


His post is from 2011. He may not be looking. Last time he logged in was June of 2017.

Edit: Welcome to the site.


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## Jon salisbury (Sep 15, 2021)

RGROSE said:


> looks to be a custom machine , I could only imagine what 3.5" slugs must run a box


They are actually a brass cased slug not plastic shells


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## kappa8 (Aug 8, 2013)

Solution looking for a problem. I've owned two H&R 20ga Ultra Slug Guns (20 ga bored thru 12 ga barrel). Using Remington Buckhammer 2-3/4" slugs (not the 3"), both shot 2" groups at 100 (the 3" ran over 2"). But, given it's a 14 year old video, was very impressive back then and still is today.

But, with the 450 Bushmaster and 350 Legend craze, we won't be seeing any more slug shotguns innovations. Wondering what to do with my six slug shotguns.


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