12 gauge elk

B

Blacktail_Slayer

New member
Hello
In the area i live in it is firearms restricted, shotgun, revolver, bow (no crossbows) or muzzelloader only.
The only one my dad will shoot is a shotgun.
It is lleagal to use only 12 gauge slugs for elk and I am looking at 2 diffrent slugs.
PREMIER CORE-LOKT ULTRA BONDED SABOT SLUGS
or
BUCKHAMMER STABILIZED SLUGS

both are sabot slugs for a rifled barrel.

The first ones have 2325 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards (wich is more than my 30-06 with 150 grainers)
The Buckhammer ones only get 1600 foot pounds but dont cost as much.

Are the buckhammers strong enough for elk out to 100 yards or should i spend a little more money to het the Premier ones?
 
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First we have to determine if your shotty has a smooth or rifled barrel.

If it's a smoothbore, you're limited to the "standard" Foster or Brenneke-type slugs - of which the BuckHammer is one. Smoothbore, will not normally shoot sabos accurately.

If it has a rifled barrel [preferably with a scope] you can - and should - use saboted slugs. Since Elk is a very heavy, large-bodied deer I would chose the heaviest slug available for the job. Never shoot standard slugs through a rifled bore.

Remember, just because YOU like the slug, doesn't mean your gun will! Always experiment with several different types and weights of the slug you wish to use to see which one your gun shoot most accurately.

Good hunting! ;)
 
I would go buy 1 box of each you have mentioned, and try therm in your particular gun. Some guns don't like a certain brand of slugs, my 11-87 will shoot Copper-Solids in 3" at 100 yards, if I go to some of the other brands, they go from 5" to 10" groups. Buy a box of each kind of sabot and bench them for accuracy, if you are going to hunt elk you want to hit it in the right spot first and foremost, weight and speed is secondary.
 
12 Gauge Rifle

Try using your 12 bore rifle with real big game ammunition. How about 740 grains of hard cast lead at 1200 feet per second! Type Dixie Slugs into your search engine and find ammunition for 12 gauge rifles.

http://www.dixieslugs.com/
 
The first ones have 2325 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards (wich is more than my 30-06 with 150 grainers)
Um, NO--- 06 reings supreme:cool: :D
Do an accuracy test of hunting viable slugs-then ask us questions.
Chase
 
In agreement with what has already been posted, buy the slugs of your choice and try them. My Ithaca Deerslater ll loves Remington coper solids and Lightfields. I sometimes get cloverleafs at 100 yards with either. I have hunted Elk when I lived in Arizona, so I have had some personal experience ( 7 Elk so far). Elk sometimes take a hit with no apparent effect even though you just shot out their heart and lungs. I know,, been there, done it. I would thing a 12 guage slug gun is appropriate for Elk as long as you keep the ranges reasonable. Slugs have incredable muzzle energy and they are still strong at 50 yards. But they loose speed, energy and accuracy pretty quick when you stretch ranges beyond 100 yards. I know there are those that will quote the charts etc, but to me the bottom line is that a shotgun just doesn't have the velocity to be a long range gun. I wish it were different, but they just aren't. Some of the Hornady's quote flat trajectories, lots of energy and all the BS you can stand. Just remember it isn't a 300 Win Mag or a 338 mag,, it is a shotgun and within reasonable ranges it will do the job.
 
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