Field Tested - Marlin 512 Slugmaster Review

I recently spent some time in the woods for this marlin 512 slugmaster review, and honestly, it reminded me why these old bolt-action shotguns still have a cult following among deer hunters. If you grew up hunting in "slug only" states, you know the struggle of trying to get a smoothbore bird gun to behave like a rifle. The 512 was Marlin's answer to that problem back in the 90s, and even though it's been out of production for a while, it still holds its own in the thickets. ...

February 15, 2026 · 7 min · Bauers Levi