I searched around for various threads about slugs and hunting with shotguns.
The county I live in (Western Pa) banned the use of rifles a bit better than 20 years ago.
I started the first shotgun only season with my trusty Savage model 30 rabbit gun. I bought a few different types of slugs and after shooting a few slugs of each type, figured 50 yds was my max range. I was looking around my loading bench and saw some dusty old boxes of slugs and was surprised at how many different types I had kept these last 20+ years.
Those of you who do use a shotgun for deer. What type of slugs have you used in either a smoothbore or rifled tube? How long did it take to settle on a certain type? What type and accuracy can you get with them?
Here is what I started with:
The Remingtons were the best out of my rabbit gun although I can't remember what size group I had initially. Along with these 3 boxes, I found a lone Remington 20 ga. that had a hollow point. Since I only had 1 left, I have to figure they shot the best. I harvested a 6 point at about 30/35 yds that first shotgun season.
The next year, all pumped from being successful with the 20 ga., I bought an Ithaca Deerslayer in 12 ga. with a 20" rifled tube. Not sure if a scope would hold up, I put a cheap Simmons 3X9 on it figuring if it crapped out, I wouldn't be out too much. It's still on there.
Here are some of the different types of 12 Ga slugs I tried.
I started out trying to use regular rifled slugs using the Federal Hi Shok's in both 2 3/4" & 3". These were all over the place at 100yds and the 3" hurt me. . I had also tried the Rottweil Brenneke's with just about the same result.
Not sure how I came across the Ballistic Research Industry sabots but using them cut my groups way down to around 4" at 100. BRI was bought out by Winchester and you can see they still used the BRI label on their box. A few years later, the only reference to BRI was a line item on the back of the box.
A buddy of mine was using Remington Copper Solids. I bought a few boxes and the 100 yd group got smaller by about half. So I was shooting 2 to 2 1/2" groups and smaller at 100. The cost of these went up considerably so I bought a few boxes of Lightfields which grouped very close to the Solids.
I have posted this target quite a few times. The Lightfields actually grouped tighter than the solids. Due to cost, I only shoot 2 sight in shots to verify zero.
I heard some guys shoot slugs out to almost 200 yds but have yet to see any type of target that this is a viable range. My SG hits a bit high at 100. I would be comfortable going to about 125.
Thought's? Target pics?
The county I live in (Western Pa) banned the use of rifles a bit better than 20 years ago.
I started the first shotgun only season with my trusty Savage model 30 rabbit gun. I bought a few different types of slugs and after shooting a few slugs of each type, figured 50 yds was my max range. I was looking around my loading bench and saw some dusty old boxes of slugs and was surprised at how many different types I had kept these last 20+ years.
Those of you who do use a shotgun for deer. What type of slugs have you used in either a smoothbore or rifled tube? How long did it take to settle on a certain type? What type and accuracy can you get with them?
Here is what I started with:
The Remingtons were the best out of my rabbit gun although I can't remember what size group I had initially. Along with these 3 boxes, I found a lone Remington 20 ga. that had a hollow point. Since I only had 1 left, I have to figure they shot the best. I harvested a 6 point at about 30/35 yds that first shotgun season.
The next year, all pumped from being successful with the 20 ga., I bought an Ithaca Deerslayer in 12 ga. with a 20" rifled tube. Not sure if a scope would hold up, I put a cheap Simmons 3X9 on it figuring if it crapped out, I wouldn't be out too much. It's still on there.
Here are some of the different types of 12 Ga slugs I tried.
I started out trying to use regular rifled slugs using the Federal Hi Shok's in both 2 3/4" & 3". These were all over the place at 100yds and the 3" hurt me. . I had also tried the Rottweil Brenneke's with just about the same result.
Not sure how I came across the Ballistic Research Industry sabots but using them cut my groups way down to around 4" at 100. BRI was bought out by Winchester and you can see they still used the BRI label on their box. A few years later, the only reference to BRI was a line item on the back of the box.
A buddy of mine was using Remington Copper Solids. I bought a few boxes and the 100 yd group got smaller by about half. So I was shooting 2 to 2 1/2" groups and smaller at 100. The cost of these went up considerably so I bought a few boxes of Lightfields which grouped very close to the Solids.
I have posted this target quite a few times. The Lightfields actually grouped tighter than the solids. Due to cost, I only shoot 2 sight in shots to verify zero.
I heard some guys shoot slugs out to almost 200 yds but have yet to see any type of target that this is a viable range. My SG hits a bit high at 100. I would be comfortable going to about 125.
Thought's? Target pics?