Larger game. When is a shotgun better than a rifle?

Every projectile will deflect significantly if it comes in contact with ANY 'brush' or vegetation. The whole 'brush busting' thing is a complete myth. Some bullets will deflect slightly more than others, but the bottom line is all bullets will deflect significantly when coming in contact with any sort of brush.
Also why would a ~500 grain slug 'do much better' than a 630 grain .458 cal RN?
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Who said anything different? I said it would do better, not that it would act as a brushhog. Who is using a .458 in this thread? I thought the question posed was about a .308 vs his shotguns.
 
IMHO it depends on the terrain being hunted and your personal likes or dislikes. I for one am in the minority here as I will choose a shotgun loaded with slugs everytime over a rifle. It has been my experience that shotgun slugs drop deer as if they were hit by a bolt of lightining. When hit they usually don't run off a ways as they do when I shoot them with a centerfire rifle cartridge. This is very advantageous when hunting in thick wooded areas or swamps which is what I hunt. I can't afford to have a deer run off into a thicker portion of the swamp, or surrounding posted properties. I need them to drop and I mean right now, and that is what you can expect from slugs, and this where the shotgun is king. The other great thing with slugs is they are low velocity so they don't bruise and bllod shot a lot of meat like a high velocity rifle round would when shot at typical woods ranges of 75 yards or less.

Now if you hunt like most modern deer hunters do (at least here in the states) from a elevated box blinds, or tree stand overlooking a large field or food plot then of course a rifle will be better. However if your shots are going to be like those here in the eastern woodlands about 50 yards or so then I prefer a shotgun loaded with slugs. The two deer that I got this year were taken at about 30 and 20 yards using a 20GA single shot. At the shot they both dropped instantly and that was that. The same happened last year with the buck and doe I shot as well. The most dramatic hit I've ever seen is the deer that I shot between the shoulders as it looked at me from 50 yards in Georgia. It took a 12GA Brenneke slug and did a back flip and laid there stone dead. BTW the same happened when a co-worker shot a black bear from about 25 yards last year with his 12GA, instant lights out.
 
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Depends on the kind of hunting you aim to do.

slugs are slow as hell, I wouldn't shoot a running pig with them, but if it thick bush and you get up close because the dogs have bayed its fine, and suppsoedly slugs move better thru brush but I dunno

I wouldn't shoot pigs from a blind with slugs either if the distance is long, say over 50 meters, sure some guns/people can make fist size groups with a shotgun and slugs with rifled barrels and scopes but that is a specialized shotgun

Roedeer you can get with shotguns, do you have bigger deer? shotguns are probably not allowed on those if you have similar laws as the rest of europe
buckshot on pigs is a no-no to.
 
My best friend shot a large American bison with his 12 gauge slug gun at a distance of approx. 85 yards. The Hornady ammo features a 50 caliber bullet within a plastic sabot. This is powerful ammo yet it took three shots to topple the animal. I've wondered if a 30-06 firing 220 grain bullet would've been better choice or same number of shots.

Jack
 
I've shot and/or missed deer with rifles, shotguns, and handguns. I once shot at a running deer in alders with 12 gauge slugs at about 40 yards. I watched each of 5 shots deflect from the kill zone to wide-of-critter by hitting 2" dia. branches or trunks. I also hunted in thick cover with buckshot and came to a power line and watched a beautiful buck walk along the opposite side, only about 120 yards away and wouldn't take that shot, but regret not taking my rifle to this day.

To me, a .308 Win is close to the perfect deer cartridge for most people. Along with a moderately-powered scope (I like 3-9x), it can be used in timber and open areas quite well. In timber, use a low power setting, say 3-4x, to pick clear spots ahead of moving deer, or turn it up a bit to see twigs to avoid for standing-deer shots.

The only time I'll take a shotgun into the woods today is when the weather is too bad for a scope. (But, you won't catch me doing that at my age.)
 
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