shotgun slug distance

[EatBugs]

Just Curious.......

I know you can be accurate to 75 yards with a riffled slug in a 12 guage shotgun. some people farther I guess

but...

If I were to stand on level ground and fire a shotgun straight ahead, how far would the bullet travel?

If the bullet hits and travels through a deer, how far past the deer would it travel then?


I found info on the web that says you can still kill something at 150 yards...but would that be from a standing position or from a high position such as a 30 ft tree stand? Another site said that the bullet will travel a bit over a mile....but again at what height? and is that person angling up or shooting straight?

No, I'm not planning on shooting a skylined deer. I just like to think up scenarios. I started thinking up this scenario when I had to decide between my 12 gauge with slugs or 410 with shot loads (the only guns and ammo I had)to shoot a sick raccoon on a low branch in a residential neighboorhood. I choose the 410 and the raccoon had distemper(I think) anyway, the raccoon was dead before it hit the ground and the gerbils started running on the little wheel in my head.

 

[gspn]

Good choice on the .410. A 12 gauge slug is not for use in a residential neighborhood. That hunk of lead falling out of thk sky could kill someone. #7.5 pellets can rain on you all day with no serious consequences.

There are lots of variables in your question about how far a slug will go. What weight slug? Whats the velocity? What type of slug? Rifled? Sabot? Brenneke? etc. What type of 12 gauge? Bolt action slug gun? Pump action smoothbore? etc.

With a modern slug gun, quality ammo, good scope, and practice you can easily kill deer cleanly at 150 yards.

 

[nitesite]

Consider yourself fortunate that the raccoon was dead before it hit the ground. Emmersome very tough critters! Most don't die quickly. You did well by selecting the .410 with small shot.

I can't imagine firing a 12-ga slug at an elevated angle anywhere close to a residential neighborhood. Even if you hit the 'coon square I am certain that your 12-ga slug would have landed far beyond your line of sight. Perhaps 3/4 mile, maybe more.

I've never fired a 12-ga slug at any kind of an upwards angle. You shouldn't either.