Im looking for recommendations on a good slug gun or muzzleloader for deer hunting?

Savage 220 20 gauge
Can you use straight wall rifle cartridges in Illinois?

Mossberg 12ga pump with the rifled cantilever barrel has served me well. I also have an old Mossberg bolt action 20ga smooth bore with a scope on it that will shoot tight groups at 50 yards. I bought it off a guy about 15 years ago and it has certainly put some meat in the freezer.

I've got a Mossberg 600 New Haven (Basically the same thing as a 500) with a smooth bore slug barrel that is super accurate to 50+ yards with Winchester Super-X rifled slugs. I can use a rifle in KY but in the thick woods where the shots are well under 50 yards I use the slugger. Killed a lot of deer with it. I also have a 243 but it is honestly not needed for 90% of the places where I hunt. I'm thinking of getting a Savage 220 for those spots where I might get a 100-150 yard shot every now and then.

Bad bull Muzzloader. But proceed way high.

Bad Bull Muzzleloader will shoot a 275 gr. Jacketed Bullet at a muzzle velocity of 3100 FPS. The 275 gr. Bullet fired at 3100 FPS has over 6000 ft/lbs. of energy at the muzzle. This power is attained through the use of Smokeless Powder and our patented Mag-Prime Ignition System.


3" high at 100 will be 2" at 200 zeroed at 265 and 3" low at 300. According to their sight.

x2

The H&R single shot heavy barrel slugster with Winchester partition gold s a b o t s will shoot like a rifle out to 100 yards at least if you equip it with a scope. The only downside is that it is heavy.

I don't know why you'd want a single shot IMO. If you can use straight wall rifle cartridges then my answer may change but I sure like the 11-87 20ga. with cantilever scope mount and good sabot slugs.

Ithaca Model 37 Deerslayer

Hard to beat the accuracy of the H&R 12ga. Bull barrel.

45cal muzzleloader if you are where you might shoot any distance.

11-87 12 GA
SP Cantilever Rifled Barrel
2-7 Dusk and Dawn scope
Hornady Sabot Slugs.

Will kill them farther than I care to drag them.

Arrowhead 45 cal muzzleloader ( they make black powder substitute and smokeless powder versions) They are pricey, or the MGM new muzzleloader 45 barrel with the 20" twist and bullet to bore bullets. A Savage 220 with TarHunt barrel upgrade or Winchester 1300 deer slayer 12 ga pump.

The straight wall cartride law takes effect for the 2023 deer season. But it only allows for single shot rifles to be used.

If I remember from back when I was looking into muzzleloaders it seems Illinois law doesnt allow 45 cal muzzleloaders for deer as the actula sabot is to small.

In that case my choice doesn't change. It's a legitimate 150 yard gun with the right sabots, and could be stretched out a bit further with some testing and practice.

the question is how far do you need/want to shoot

rifled slugs 12ga is good for about 80-90 yards

20ga with a rifled barrel and good sabots will get you 150 yards decently , I have a M500 20ga with rifled barrel and the scope mounted to the receiver , my son has the cantilever barrel , I seem to get better accuracy but both will do at 100 yards
the down side is sabots run about 3 dollars a round and there isn't great way to make those yourself

if your going to buy something either way , strait wall would be very tempting especially if that can be a 45-70
single shot only does suck some but if your not trying to shoot doubles or running deer a single would be fine.

Always liked the Brennke brand slugs for a shotgun.

Savage 220 is all you need. Dead nuts accurate.

Ithaca 12 guage pump.