Best slug for penetration?

[Arkady]

Let's assume i'd like to make really big holes in metal with my shotgun.

2 3/4 inch and 3 inch mags are fine, no 3.5 inch. I want the absolute best penetration i can get out of my shotgun--jacketed slugs sound good. What is out there for me?

 

[clubsoda22]

okay, those specialty "penetrator" slugs that you see around in packs of three for something outrageous like $10 do a pretty good job of putting a hole in 1/4" ballistic steel plate.

 

[Cameron Lamont]

You mean like these holes?

Standard Winchester 12 gauge 2 3/4" 1 oz. slugs. The value pack ones.
Yep thats what was left of a hard drive...

Cameron

 

[Arkady]

Actually, i took a couple of harddrives out and shot them with very same Winchester slugs you mentioned the day before i posted this question
And some motherboards.
And one or two CD-ROM drives.

I know the ones you are referring to, clubsoda. I was thinking more along the lines of something produced by a reputable manufacturer.

 

[Cameron Lamont]

BTW the slugs went through the case and electronics at 20 paces.

it held together until the 3rd shot and then the actual disc you see before you came out.

C

 

[clubsoda22]

no reputable manufacturer makes penetrator slugs because no one uses penetrator slugs to hunt. Personally, if i want to do a lot of damage i use Federal 1.25oz 3" magnum slugs. They have the most muzzle energy of any 3" slug i've seen. As for going through steel plates...it won't, but it will probably neave a sizable dent. Definately good for busting engine blocks at 50-100yards though.

then again, the ammo in my 9mm will penetrate 3/4" "bulletproof" glass and have enough umph to get through 12" of gelatin, so those could probably stop a car too....not as quickly, but you get the point.

Me and my evil 9mm ammo.

 

[Arkady]

I wasn't going hunting with them, i just enjoy making really big holes in things, and can't afford a .50
So, does anyone make a jacketed non-sabot slug? Not the best solution, but good enough for my purposes...

Cameron- My experience with the harddrives is that the Winchester slugs punch clean through all around the edges, but when i get a good center hit, it just pops the things open.
There are some advantages to working for a computer services company

 

[DML]

Here's some info from Brenneke. In their catalog, they claim that one of these slugs penetrated a Cape buffalo from stem to stern. Don't forget that recoil will be up there with the .458 Winchester Magnum.





This Brenneke, with its full 1 3/8 ounce lead in 12 gauge, delivers 25% greater knock-down power and penetration compared to standard 2 3/4", 1 1/8 ounce slug rounds.
When you're looking for the heaviest, hardest hitting, most accurate slug for your 12-gauge smootherbore, look no farther than the Original Brenneke Magnum.


"A True One Hundred Yard Slug" Distance (yds.) Velocity (ft./sec.) Energy 1-3/8 oz. (ft./lbs)

Muzzle 1502 3017
25 1300 2261
50 1144 1749
75 1037 1438
100 936 1240

 

[Arkady]

That one sounds promisingly-painful

Got a link to someone that sells them?

 

[DML]

Here's one.....

http://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/st...er=BRENNEKE+USA&model=ORIGINAL+BRENNEKE+SLUGS

 

[Al Thompson]

Arkady, Dick's off of Harbison had ssome last time I was in there.

 

[clubsoda22]

DML, the federal slugs beat the pants off the brenneke. 3110 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle!!! these are 1.25 oz 3" magnum slugs from federal. Fired a few out of my Defender. OUCH!

Their 1.25oz 2.75" slugs also beat the pants of the brenneke with 2805 ft lbs at the muzzle.

 

[DML]

Those "paper" numbers are really not very significant. The slug design has a lot to do with how it performs. All 12 ga. rifled slugs are impressive, but this thread is discussing penetration. In the few unscientific tests of penetration that I have done, the Brenneke slug shoots rings around the Foster type slug.

In reality, I doubt that an animal would care much if the slug can only penetrate 8" into a foot of bailed newspaper or blow a 6" hole all the way through. By the way, this test was done with 1 oz. standard velocity slugs at 50 feet. The Federal Foster slug upset qute a bit and the Brenneke was found down range with only minor damage. Before you say anything about stopping power, consider a 3/4" hole punched all the way through the target. That has to smart!

 

[clubsoda22]

that is true, the federal hollowpoint slugs do deform like mad. Probably not the best for penetration, though they will put a softball size hole in a living target.

 

[stevelyn]

The Brenneke gets my vote too. That's all I'll carry out here in brown fuzzy land. Cut open a Brenneke and a Foster type slug and look at the way they're designed. The Foster is made like a sewing thimble and will fold up on anything heavy. It's design purpose is for expanding powder gases to bump it up to bore size giving a better seal and theoretically improving accuracy.
The Brenneke OTOH is more of a solid and maintains it's shape better on impact allowing it to penetrate deeper. Sort of like the difference between using a jacketed bullet compared to a hard cast one. With a shotgun slug you don't need expansion. You already have a .70+ caliber projectile punching a hole of the same size. The idea is to break heavy bone and see light spilling in through the other side.

 

[Arkady]

Al- I shoot a fair amount of the KO slugs from Dicks, but i havent seen any on the shelf there for a couple of months. I bought the last box they had in May, and they never seem to have restocked them. How long ago were you in there?

It looks like the results thus far are as close to satisfying my requirements as things will get, thank guys.