I'm not a deer hunter, but I would like to have a firearm capable to put a deer (or similar size/toughness animal) at 200 yards and in. Would a shotgun with a rifled barrel and sabot slugs be up to the task? My SKS can put shots on target at 200 yards, but for a deer I want the kill to be clean. The SKS is more for...uhh...social work, and if I ever needed to use it for that purpose, it would unlikely I would care about the clean death of the person on the receiving end.
Hunting deer with a shotgun
- Thread starter aquapong
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Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Even a custom bolt action 12 gauge rifle like the TarHunt is not capable of making clean kill after clean kill at 200 yards on deer sized game. After 100 yards or so, the trajectory of a slug resembles that of a hurled brick.Retained energy is way down also.
200 yards is a far piece, I'd recommend getting a scoped B/A rifle in something like 308 for such work.
FWIW, my sloppy record keeping over the last decade shows my average shot taken at about 32 yards. My 870 slug shooter puts slug of choice into about 4" at 100 yards from the bench. IOW, 100 yard shots are possible, but I don't have just that kind of shot opp.
BTW, that SKS will take deer humanely inside 125 yards with well placed shots using soft point ammo. Took one long ago with a SKS and the Norma SP load. Nigh instant turnoff and quick kill. Distance was maybe 45 yards.
HTH...
200 yards is a far piece, I'd recommend getting a scoped B/A rifle in something like 308 for such work.
FWIW, my sloppy record keeping over the last decade shows my average shot taken at about 32 yards. My 870 slug shooter puts slug of choice into about 4" at 100 yards from the bench. IOW, 100 yard shots are possible, but I don't have just that kind of shot opp.
BTW, that SKS will take deer humanely inside 125 yards with well placed shots using soft point ammo. Took one long ago with a SKS and the Norma SP load. Nigh instant turnoff and quick kill. Distance was maybe 45 yards.
HTH...
Mannlicher
Member
Shotguns work great for deer, I know from experience. You have to bear a few things in mind though. Like you have, and will be told, shots beyond 75 yards become an iffy thing. Accuracy and retained energy deteriorate quickly.
I know average range to target will vary with locale, but down here in Florida, if you can't get within 25 yards of your deer, you arn't much of a woodsman.
I know average range to target will vary with locale, but down here in Florida, if you can't get within 25 yards of your deer, you arn't much of a woodsman.
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