Shotgun Slugs: Any Recommendations?

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nagantfan

New member
I've got me a 24-inch rifled barrel coming for my Mossberg 835, complete with cantilever scope mount, and I've got a Leupold shotgun scope, too.

I am impressed with what I've seen and heard about 12-gauge slug knockdown power at short range for deer hunting. And that's the only kind of shot I ever get (or take).

And I aim for the shoulders: I like'em to go DOWN, immediately. No tracking for me, thank you very much. (lots of brush, gullies, etc. rough country)

So now I need to take ammo out to bench test to see what shoots best.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I've heard the following things: 1) Remington Copper Solids are very accurate but aren't instant incapacitators. 2) Brennekes are very accurate and great penetrators, but if you don't get the animal down immediately (shoot too far back), they don't leave a very big blood trail. 3) Winchester 1 oz. rifled slugs may or may not penetrate but leave huge blood trails. 4) Lightfields, especially the 3 1/2" version, are almost the Hammer of Thor, but kick like steroid-crazed mule. 5) You don't gain anything by stepping up from 2 3/4" to 3". 6) Dixie Slugs are pretty much Hammers of Thor. 7) Sabots are more accurate in rifled barrels than rifled slugs. 8) Generally speaking, ANY 12-gauge slug, in any configuration or weight is more than enough to flatten a whitetail with through-both-of-the-shoulders shot.

Haven't heard anytihng about whether smaller diameter (and sometimes lighter weight) of saboted slugs diminishes their stopping power.

So what about it, folks?

Rifled or Sabot?

2 3/4" or 3" (or those 3 1/2" Lightfields)?

What types and brands have you guys (and gals) had experience with, both in terms of stopping power and in terms of accuracy?

I look forward to hearing all about it....

Thanks.
 
Federal Premium loaded with Barnes 99% pure copper expanders. They come in 2 3/4in and 3in shells, they also retain 99% of their weight, open up perfectly, and they also drop grizzlies dead in their tracks with no problem.
 
In MY experiences

First Off, you say you have a rifled barrell? So forget about the rifled slug. Use Sabots only!

You say you want instant knock downs? I don't know of any ammo would do that 100% of the time. Too many variables.

What I can tell you is that I have killed about 15 deer or so with a few different types of Sabots, from what I have seen remmington copper solids can not be beat.

They are very accurate, I've killed deer between 120 and 150 yds with them.
They have all penetrated excellent and have made great wounds. As far as an instant kill, only one has dropped where he stood the others ran no more than 30 -40 yds. No tracking needed. Blood trails were all excellent and I could of easily found the deer if they had not dropped from the sight of my stand. I shoot for double lung/ heart always.

I use a remmington 870 with a simmons 4x scope. The ammo is all 2 3/4".
I've found that sighting in at the beggining of the year is very easy and only requires a few rounds which is good since it is very expensive ammo. But considering that you will only need a couple boxes a season that isn't too bad.
 
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Does anyone use a shotgun slug for deer by choice; in other words, in a state where it is not required to use a shotgun only?
 
If you want that shotgun to perform like a big bore rifle on a shotgun frame....Dixie Slugs (dixieslugs.com)......12 Bore Xterminator-solid .730"/730 grs heat treated slug at 1400'/" and ME of 3177 fpe.......James
 

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basiclly any 12 gage slug will kill a deer at close range but u have to shoot sabots out of a rifled barrel and u still have to hit them
 
Rifled shotgun barrels have a right-hand twist. Foster style slugs have a left-hand twist which were designed for smoothbore barrels. There's no twist on the plastic sabot the slug sits in. If you try to shoot a slug with a left-hand twist out of a barrel with a right-hand twist you'll have major problems with accuracy!
 
I would recommend using sabots, but you can use Foster style slugs if you want. Sabots will give you great accuracy out of a rifled barrel.

I live in Ohio, which is shotgun only. Therefore I have gained a decent amount of experience with slugs. Copper Solids work well, but I'd recommend one of the Federal Barne's loads over the Copper Solids.

I used Winchesters new Platinum Tip this year. Very accurate out of my Marlin slug gun. I shot one doe at about 60 yards with it. Instant doa. The wound channel was the most devastating I have ever seen! Even more than I've seen with rifle wounds. Only an example of one, but it will probably be my choice in the future.
 
Just as I thought......trying Foster slugs. Now let's put this in focus. When rifled barrels became popular, there became two groups using them. In shotgun only states sabot slugs became popular with those trying to extend the range on deer. But, there is another group growing across the southern tier of states, the far Northwest, and Alaska. This group hunts dangerous, or large, game in heavy cover. It is in these areas that the full potential of the rifled barrel is found with full size slug/bullets. These are really big bore rifles on shotgun frames.
Dixie Slugs manufacturers three 12 bore loads using a .730"/730 gr hard cast heat treated slug/bullet........The Terminator @ 1200'/" (matches the British smokeless load), Express @ 1300'/" and the Exterminator @ 1400'/" (that's 3177 ft lbs energy at the muzzle)!
So.....You see there is other slugs to use in rifled shotgun barrels beside sabot loads........James@Dixie Slugs (dixieslugs.com)
 
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Thanks, James (and to you others, too)

But I don't really need the penetration offerd by your fine product. The Dixie Slugs remind me of Brennekes on steroids.

But I'll tell you, if I was hunting dangerous game (the most dangerous thing I'm likely to see where I hunt is a skunk) or big game (the biggest thing I am likely to encounter is a 100-lb. whitetail), I'd probably get some Dixies.

I might anyway, to see how well they crush bone on wild hogs. I'll bet the Dixie slugs are more than just dandy in that application.

I was looking more for something that made a huge hole, preferably all the way through. Something that penetrated like a Dixie or Brenneke, and that expanded like a Foster or a Barnes hollowpoint.

I'll try the Lightfields (James, you might want to think about getting some video on your website demonstrating the destructive power of your slugs on game...the Lightfield site has some,and it is impressive. Yes, I know you could probably put such video online for almost ANY slug/gun/cartridge, but it's still pretty impressive).

I'll also try those Winchester Platinum Tip Hollow Points (thanks for the rec, there, Ruger # 1)

Hey, First Freedom, to answer your question, I am (as perhaps James implies) going to use a 12-gauge slug gun this fall. I have the option of using a high-powered rifle (I've had great luck with a .30-06. Using 180 gr. Hornady SST's through the shoulders, at the short distances I hunt, it drops'em in their tracks), but I would like to try something a little different. And the huge destruction caused by a slug is something I'd like to see.


Again, guys, thanks for the input!
 
NSO_w/_SIG,
Is it me, or is this thread turning into an advertisment?
Click to expand...
Gee, I don't know; nagantfan specifically mentioned Dixie slugs in his original post when he started this thread. I won't disparage a manufacturer who comes in and answers the question and then gives further details when it becomes appropriate, just as it seems he's done. Notice that he hasn't disparaged other mfrs' stuff, either; he's just discussing what he can write about authoritatively. Can you fault him for liking his own product? I figure that he wouldn't sell them if he didn't think they were good. I'll speculate that he's probably put a lot of work into them, too.

And I've never used his products.

I like to hear technical information from the "horse's mouth" when that's possible. Thanks, James. Thanks for the thread, nagantfan; I'm not experienced with slugs and I'm learning here.
 
Thank You, Brian.......Just when I pulled and deleted the bookmark to this board. I spent my entire adult life working for the gun & ammo companies, retired back to my native state of Florida, and built Dixie Slugs. I love big bore rifles and the shotgun with a rifled barrel is nothing more than a big bore rifle on a shotgun frame.
I will continue (maybe not here on this board) to post information on Dixie Slugs and what they offer the shooter.............Regards, James
 
DixieSlug,

I was not familiar with your DixieSlug until I read this thread. I think this might be just the ticket, as was mentioned earlier, for those close in hog shots. Thanks for the info, and the heads up.
 
It looks like I have to be careful what I say on this board. I will say this, there is a growing interest for Ultra-Bore rifles in 12 and 20 bore. My good friend Dr. Charlie Sharps just did a very informative article in Thompson-Center's "One Good Shot" and also in "The Single Shot Exchange".
Any of the shotguns with rifled barrels are really big bore rifles on shotgun frames, along with TC's Encore and NEF's.
The concept is not new......the Brits knocked over some very large African and India game with the Paradox guns.
For those that are interested in these. I wil do what I can to tell what we have found, tested, and hunted with.
If that is considered advertisement, then come over to our Dixie Slugs forum.
However, if my comments are acceptable on this board......I will continue to help all I can......James
 
Shotgun slugs

For inexpensive, close range work on feral swine, under 40 yds or so, remove the shot from a 20 ga. field load and insert a .575 Min'ie of 1 oz.
Works fine, about 1250-1275 fps and really thumps, equivalent or better than a .45-70 with the 500 gr bullet
Don :)
 
LOL @ Brian Dale

Easy Tiger.

I don't give 2 s**ts if he is giving good information about his product. I am sure it is great and does everything he says, and I give him credit for starting up a business from his ideas on something that might of been missing in regards to slugs.

If you look at most of his posts though he brings up and "pushes" his products in them. With links and statements like "here at....... ect, ect "

Now, more power to him if he gets business that way, but don't start crawling up my butt because I made a fairly obvious statement about the posts. I went and looked at all his other posts and I would say 50% are of that nature with links and business email addresses. I don't have any problem with it, if it is relevant info. and related to the topic. But it seemed a little more than that to me, hence "Is it me?"

BTW James I will now order a couple boxes of your product and try it becasue it does seem pretty impressive in the right situations.
 
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Bye Bye.......I don't need this BS either! What's the difference in someone pushing the product they like and me pushing mine? I'll say this in closing, Let some impartial group test slugs and I'll put ours up against any when it come to sheer power!........see you somewhere else, James
 
Activ Shotgun Slugs

I don't know about anyone else, but Ive had some excellent results with Activ 3inch slugs in a 18inch smooth barrel out to 75 yards. Sighted in at 50 yards with ghost ring sights the group is tight enough to touch each other. However, this ammo is getting harder to find. Anybody know where I can still get it or something close to it? It stops feral hogs dead in thier tracks. Only ever had one walk away and that was because I hit close to the hind quarters. :eek:
 
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