Elk Hunting With A Slug Gun?????

Colorado Luckydog · 10-04-2008, 09:16 PM

Have any of you ever taken an elk with a slug gun? This will be my first year to give it a try. I will be shooting a Remington 870 12 gauge, Nikon Buckmaster 3x9x40, with Remington Premier 1 ounce copper solids. I plan on hunting an open meadow first morning with my 300RUM, and as soon as it warms up, I'm going into the timber with my slug gun and 44 mag. I feel comfortable out to 100 yards with the slug gun and out to 40 yards with the 44 mag. I would like any advice or success stories that you can offer.

Thanks Bryan

younggun308 · 10-05-2008, 01:14 AM

That should be a great way to kill elk,considering how big the projectile is, hope you get one.

elknut1 · 10-05-2008, 07:29 AM

Bryan, we've taken a couple elk with a 12 gauge slug & one with a 20 gauge slug. The 12 really puts the hammer down on them for sure. You are definitely good to 100yds as long as you do your part. (grin) Here's a photo of one taken at 40yds that I called in for my nephew & his Dad. The cow dropped nearly instantly & the slug had complete penetration! It was sticking in the hide on the off-side!

ElkNut1

ElkNutz · 10-05-2008, 09:25 AM

Bryan why not the 375H&H?? I guess the new has worn off of it. I think you should sell it to me.

sclwald · 10-05-2008, 03:33 PM

Has never crossed my mind to use a slug. But after I get my first elk with a bow I want to put one on the ground with a 44 mag. Would be a good time and test of skills.

bigbulls · 10-05-2008, 04:20 PM

A 438 grain, 45 caliber, Barnes X bullet at 1500 fps I would think would do quite nicely.

If I were going after elk with a slug my first choice would be a Winchester 3", 385 grainpartition gold or the Winchester 3"XP3 slug.
Assuming they were accurate but both are starting out at aproximately 2000 fps. and are true 45-70 performance from a shotgun.

Colorado Luckydog · 10-05-2008, 05:18 PM

I went to the range today and had problems with the slug gun. If something real good doesn't happen before Thursday morning, I will be leaving the slug gun at the house. The allen nuts were loose after shooting it for months. The were stripped out somehow. I'm going to Sportsmans tomorrow, but if I don't get a good feeling whenI shoot it again, I'll just stick with the 300RUM, 375H&H, or the 44 mag.

Windog1 · 10-06-2008, 09:23 AM

Try changing slugs too. I whitetail hunt with a slug gun every year and I went through a few different slugs before finding the right combination. I use a Browning BPS with Winchester Patition Gold 2 3/4"slugs. I tried the 3", they were faster but all over the place.

WNYhunter · 10-08-2008, 01:08 AM

Bryan,

From experience, I can tell you that a 12 ga will work perfectly. And you don't need to get to fancy with slugs. I raise a few and every year I shoot a few to butcher. I use my rem 12 ga 870 with 2 3/4" run of the mill winchester slugs. I haven't had one stay on its feet for more than 30 seconds after being shot, the farthest away one was, was ~60-70 yrds. Good luck, hope you get your gun ready.