yes your feeling is a positive one i live in illinois which is a shotgun state 
to an i use a fully rifled barrel on my remington 1100 an i can shoot out to 
100 yard with no problems

No doubt ,you would benefit from a rifled barrel! I have a rifled barrel on my '870', topped with a Leupold 2-7x32 shotgun scope. Had it at ther range just the other day, shootin 2 3/4" Remington, copper solids, about three inches high at 50yrds, an inch high at 100 , three to five inches low at 150! Much beyond that, your gonna start losin energy 'fast', so I would say 150 is a max distance. Although, most of the deer I've shot (slug gun or centerfire) have been inside 60 yrds. Bottom line, I'd take a rifled over a smoothbore!

I live in Delaware and have a friend that hunts Ohio. He swore by smooth bore and a bead for years. Then i took him out and let him shoot my H&R 20 ga ultra slug gun topped wih a Swift 3x9x40. After 1 3 " groupat 100 off a rest he went and bought one. Rifled barrel and scope is the only way to go!!!

For deer hunting at Fort Knox (primarily), I purchased a Remington 1100 12-gauge shotgun with a 28" Rem-choked barrel with rib (I use it with a superfull tube for turkey hunting). I purchased a fully rifled 20" barrel from Cabelas with rifle sights. I then had my father, a machinist, drill and tap the receiver. Mounted a weaver full length base and use Quad-lok quick release rings with two scopes (one for turkey, a 3-9x40 for deer).

It gives me the option of a low mount scope for shots beyond 100 yards (Hornady 300 gr SST slugs) and rifle sights for back up.

You only get one gun and 10 rounds of ammo at Fort Knox.

I came from northern MN where all we could use were slugs. I have had success with both senerios. But by far I now own rifled barrels topped with scopes. You have a lot better accuracy with a scope if you have that option. If not remember Shoot a rifled slug in a smooth barrel and a smooth sabot in a rifled barrel for better accuaracy. If you can go by your self a mossberg 835 with both barrels its rather a inexpensive gun and it will shoot very well. I personally shoot a benelli with a rifled barrel and a browning with a rifle barrel but my brother has a mossberg and it does the trick just as good. If you are ever looking for a good shotgun I might be going to sell my browning gold hunter if you are ever interested.