20 gauge slugs for deer

[mountain_man]

Anyone got a favorite? I have been thinking about brenneke slugs. I have read that the remington and winchester foster types were a little on the soft side. I dont know if that is true so anyone want to comment.

It will be out of a smooth barrel. I dont anticipate a shot beyond 50 yards in this location.

 

[DanTheFarmer]

I'll be watching this thread too for the voice of experience. On paper the numbers look o.k. for all the major brands with the nod going to brenneke slugs. I'm interested to hear what others with more real world experience (read that as everyone who isn't me!) have to say.

The one thing I can add is that I did not get even reasonable accuracy at 50 yards with a smooth barrel and bead sight. I'll try mounting my red dot and use a really big sheet of paper to see if I can find a group and make adjustments.

I'll keep you posted.

Dan

 

[rondog]

Just read a thread about this on another forum, and 20ga. w/slugs seems to be quite popular. But wouldn't soft slugs be a good thing? As far as mushrooming/expansion being good? Deer aren't very big, I can't imagine you'd need the penetration of a harder slug. But, what do I know.....

 

[Patocazador]

The only way to find out which type is best in your gun is to buy different types and try them for accuracy from your barrel.
Any type of 20 ga. slug will kill a deer if you hit the vitals. Accuracy from your gun is what matters.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i have had good luck with remington copper solids

 

[MCgunner]

The only way to find out which type is best in your gun is to buy different types and try them for accuracy from your barrel.
Any type of 20 ga. slug will kill a deer if you hit the vitals. Accuracy from your gun is what matters.

+1 Just think of it as a .54 caliber musket that you don't have to load from the front.

 

[mountain_man]

I was gonna accuracy test a few different kinds, but had heard that some of the cheaper fosters would fragment quickly. The last thing I want to do is wound a deer because the slug fragmented.

 

[RPRNY]

I have been shooting Rio 20 ga 7/8oz Brenekke slugs for several asasons in an H&R break action. Good accuracy out to 65-70 yards, much better than Foster type slugs in my gun. They have accounted for several deer, albeit all at under 50 yards.

Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk 2

 

[Water-Man]

Remington Buckhammer works well.

 

[Kingcreek]

Federal tru ball worked good for me as did brenneke KOs in an old Ithaca deer slayer but they tend to be a little more choked and are usually pretty accurate.

 

[ldlfh7]

I have had good results with Winchester super X and Remington slugs. They are cheap, basic, and kill deer easily. No need to spend extra money if you are shooting smooth bore within 50 yards. Last year I took a doe with a winchester 2 and 3/4 in slug out of my 20 ga single shot. Shot to point of aim and I could see a hole in the deer where it was hit..... It went about 10 steps before it flopped. Massive wound cavity. Tasty deer.

this is what a 20ga slug does to flesh.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY4tvV0Cq6I

 

[redneck2]

Gotta be careful about lead versus sabots. Sabots require a rifled barrel but are typically much more accurate. I hunted with a 12 gauge 870, rifled barrel with a 2x7 scope. It would put three Remington Copper Solids into a tennis ball at 125 yards. Killed a coyote at 140 yards. Probably killed 30+ deer with it.

There a few smooth bores that will shoot certain lead slugs very accurately. I have a friend that has taken deer at 100 yards+ with his 20 gauge 11-87 smooth bore.

Shotguns can be VERY picky about ammo, and every one is a law unto itself

 

[Recruit]

Remington Buckhammer works well.

Only wish these were still made.

 

[DanTheFarmer]

I'm just back from the range testing out several kinds of 20 gauge slugs.

I mounted my red dot (Bushnell TRS-25) on my Mossberg 500 so I could adjust for windage and elevation.

I shot my groups from a rest at 50 yards using an Improved Cylinder choke.

The winner was Winchester Super X, 3/4 oz.. 3 shots inside a 3" circle.
Second best was the Remington Slugger, 5/8 oz.. 3 shots inside a 4" circle.
The two that didn't do very well were the Brenneke Heavy Short Magnum 1 oz. and the Federal 3/4 oz. slug. These didn't put 3 shots onto the 12" X 10.5" target.

My town, and most of the state, allows rifles to take deer but the next town over is shotgun only. I'm confident that my set up will work well if I get to hunt there.

Good luck and keep working at it until you find something that works for you because apparently every shotgun has its individual preferences.

Dan

 

[BigBore44]

When I decided I wanted to see how my Nova smoothbore would do with slugs I bought 4 boxes each of Remington's, Winchesters, and Federal rifled slugs. I fired every slug that day. The Remington's were the most accurate. 3" at 100 yds. Winchesters just over 4" and the Federals were around 6". I got my answer but I'll never do that again as long as I live.

 

[RyanM]

I was gonna accuracy test a few different kinds, but had heard that some of the cheaper fosters would fragment quickly. The last thing I want to do is wound a deer because the slug fragmented.

You have the right idea for sure.

I cannot remember the website now, but I read about a 12 gauge faster slug failing to penetrate into the chest cavity of a yearling calf that had to be put down, despite perfect shot placement from about 15 feet away. It just skidded around the outside of the ribcage, just under the skin. The 2nd shot worked, though. Had photos of exactly what each slug had done, and the first shot failed miserably.

Yes, a yearling is about twice the size of a deer, but that was still a 12 gauge at nearly point blank.

Shot placement counts the most, but the bullet has to actually do its job afterwards. I definitely recommend Brennekes if you can find a specific load that's accurate in your gun.

 

[ShootALot523]

20 gauge slugs

3" Barnes ballistic tips EXPANDERS

 

[DM~]

this is what a 20ga slug does to flesh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY4tvV0Cq6I

Well, kinda... ALSO keep in mind, they were only shooting TEN feet!! At 50 yards, it would have been much different picture, as slugs slow down quite fast!!

DM

 

[hipoint]

When I decided I wanted to see how my Nova smoothbore would do with slugs I bought 4 boxes each of Remington's, Winchesters, and Federal rifled slugs. I fired every slug that day. The Remington's were the most accurate. 3" at 100 yds. Winchesters just over 4" and the Federals were around 6". I got my answer but I'll never do that again as long as I live.

haha, WOW!!! I understand and have empathy with your statement of "never doing that again"... That's alot of thumping on the ol' shoulder buddy!

 

[336A]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ldlfh7
this is what a 20ga slug does to flesh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY4tvV0Cq6I

Well, kinda... ALSO keep in mind, they were only shooting TEN feet!! At 50 yards, it would have been much different picture, as slugs slow down quite fast!!

DM

Very true, however even at extended ranges shotgun slugs do some very nasty things to living flesh and blood. Having grown up in a shotgun and slug regulated area I've witnessed the carnage that slugs do to deer first hand. Even at longer ranges after the slug has lost a lot of velocity, pass throughs are the norm not the exception. Growing up I could never figure why folks looked down upon the shotgun slug when it came to hunting big game, as on game performance certainly isn't lacking. My brother in law took a nice 6pt years ago with his tried and true 12GA Ithaca M37 deer slayer and Rem sluggers at 110 yards, the slug went completely through the buck and he dropped in his tracks. The performance of 20GA slugs are pretty much the same, as the 8pt that hangs on my wall that my father shot can attest to.