shotgunning deer- the basics

[RevNate]

It's a looong story (I'll tell it if anyone is interested)- but an injury has made it impossible for me to hunt with a rifle for the rest of the season. I can, however, still hunt with a shotgun (sounds strange, I know- like I said- it's a long story). But- I've never hunted deer with a shotgun. So, I need some advice. Mainly I need some idea of the effective range. I'll be shooting a 3" 870 12ga.- will consider either slugs or buckshot (it's a smoothbore.) I'd also appreciate some input on preferred factory ammo and choke selection.

Thanks!
Nate

 

[ACP230]

I killed a three point buck years ago with my Winchester Model 12 in 16 gauge. I'd been hunting the thick stuff all morning so I had two buckshot up first and then a slug. The buck showed up at 50 yards and fell after the first round of buckshot. He stood right up again and I hit him with another one. He was still moving when I got up to him so I shot him in the neck with the slug.

My Mossberg 590 shoots good groups with slugs at 50 yards and is 12 inches low at 100 yards. Groups at that range aren't too bad either.

The Winchester has a Poly Choke on the barrel. I think it was set on Modified when I took the buck. The Mossberg is cylinder bore.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Check the Archives,Nate, there's plenty of input about slugs and buck.

A couple things fast...

Slugs work well, used within their effective range.For many shotgunners, this works out to less than 100 yards.

YOUR effective range is whatever range you can keep all the slugs on a 6" bull from the bench.

For buck, less than 50 yards, oft less than 25 is MAX.

The key to successful shotgunning for deer is to hunt more like a bowhunter than a rifleman.

HTH...

 

[foghornl]

Mr. McCracken has covered it pretty well. If your barrel is a smooth-bore, use the rifled slugs (Foster? Forster?) type. If you have a rifled barrel, the sabot slugs are usually more accurate.

If you have the time, and your shoulder will hold up, buy a 5-pack of as many different brands as you can find locally. When you find a particular type that works, buy a bunch of that one. (That's why I have 250 of the PMC brand slugs)

 

[cordex]

Listen to Foghornl. Good advice. Try a lot and buy what works.

For me, it was the (thankfully) cheap Winchester full-bore Foster style slugs. These are quite accurate out of my rifled slug barrel. Kcustom45 tried 'em out in his scoped gun and they grouped almost as well as his saboted, $1.80 per shot copper solids. For 20 cents per shot (well ... really free, since he can just grab a box or two out of my case). That means he can sight in with the cheap stuff and hunt with the expensive stuff, if he so chooses.

 

[fgr39]

growing up all we could use was buckshot, I have to say that with my 1187 26 inch barrel and full choke that I killed lots of deer using remington 3" mag nickle plated oo buck. This round gave the best performace for my combo and really good penitration also. I never shot at a deer that I didn't feel completely confident that I could kill and I never had one get away that I shot. at 40 yards all 15 pellets were on the deer and I don't think I ever took a shot longer than that, I have seen guys shoot at longer distances but it gereraly ended with me tracking for a while. I never shot slugs untill this year and still havn't shot a deer with one but using remington rifled slugs with my modified choke is really accuate.

 

[Calanctus]

Mr. McCracken has covered it pretty well. If your barrel is a smooth-bore, use the rifled slugs (Foster? Forster?) type. If you have a rifled barrel, the sabot slugs are usually more accurate.

What if you have a smoothbore barrel with a rifled choke? Haven't tested it with slugs yet, but what's the rule of thumb about which should work better, sabots or rifled slugs?

 

[cordex]

Calanctus,
I've never used a rifled choke, but I've got a fully rifled barrel. Rifled slugs have always been quite accurate through it.

 

[RevNate]

I was amazed to see so many responses so quickly- and each one very helpful. Thanks to each of you.

I've decided that since I do not have opportunity to thoroughly test a variety of slug loads, I'll stick wth buckshot as a backup to my .41 mag revolver (our laws require a long gun backup for handgun hunters). That way I'll just have to fire a couple of shotgun rounds for patterning purposes. Don't get me wrong- I understand the importance of a lot of bench time, but my left arm is in a cast after surgery two days ago and I'm not looking forward to a lot of shots with the forend resting on sandbags.

I'll be hunting a small green field from a ground blind (a location I set up for a couple of first-time hunters this year)- longest shot will be about 50 yds. and that's my max limit on the .41 anyway. There is a shooting lane extending about 200 yds into the woods, but I'll just have to let them walk unless they are coming to the field.

Thanks again for all the help- and a final word of caution to all- be careful when you're skinning your deer this year. I'm in this predicament because of a miscue while skining a buck I killed monday- one slip of the knife and I severed some tendons in my left hand . A little extra caution never hurts.

Nate

 

[Tom Held]

Buckshot Legal?

Don't know what your state hunting laws allow but in Maryland it is illegal to use buckshot for deer hunting except for one county on the eastern shore for Sika deer. You might want to check first.

 

[RevNate]

Yes- we have very lenient laws regarding acceptable firearms for hunting. It is legal to use buckshot in anything except .410, which is still legal for slugs. Any centerfire rifle cartridge cal .220 and up is legal- and any centerfire handgun with a 4 in. minimum barrel.

Not saying all of the qualifying firearms/ammo is prudent or ethical- just legal.

Nate

(maybe I should try a .380 auto with a 28 ga. backup. ha ha)

 

[OH25shooter]

Is it feasable for you to switch to a rifled barrel? I never understood the theory how a rifled slug spins in a "smooth" barrel. Nothing to bite on. Anyway, I use a rifled Remington 870 (12 ga) with sabot shells. Like most have stated, I like to stay within 50 yards, but feel comfortable out to 100 max. The rifled barrel is very accurate. Have a safe hunt.

 

[zahc]

YOUR effective range is whatever range you can keep all the slugs on a 6" bull from the bench.

Why? I don't shoot deer from a bench very often.

I never understood the theory how a rifled slug spins in a "smooth" barrel. Nothing to bite on.

i always thought it started spinning after it left the barrel, from the air

 

[Dave McCracken]

zahc, 6" from the bench oft translates into 12" from field positions. Sometimes more. Lots of folks think they can place their shots just as well in the field. Lots of deer have long agonizing deaths thereby. Specifying 6" gives a little room for error.

Forster style slugs really don't spin.Those "fins" are for obturation and swage down as the slug passes up the barrel and choke.

 

[Caliburn]

Mr McC, would you care to elaborate? (or translate?)

Those "fins" are for obturation and swage down as the slug passes up the barrel and choke.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Obturation is the sealing of the bore by the back end of the projectile, keeping the expanding gases behind it. Like the old Minie bullet from the UnCivil War, the hollow base is meant to expand.

The "Fins" are meant to contact the bore first and keep the thing from tipping in the few microseconds it takes for obturation can occur. The classic Forster slug runs smaller than the nominal.729" in 12 gauge so it can get through ALL chokes, including old supertights without damage.

Hope that clears it up....

 

[Caliburn]

Most enlightening! I thank you sir.

 

[Mannlicher]

foster type slugs fly fairly true, because they are front heavy. Like a shuttlecock, the weight up front keeps them from tumbling, and flying fairly straight. They are not dependent on rifling to spin them to keep them pointed in the right direction.

 

[Blain]

Buckshot all the way, just make sure you pattern the gun and your load so you know your distance.