ths78

I have a friend who has decided that he'd like to try hunting this year. He's been thinking about getting a Slug Gun. I've always hunted deer with a rifle or buckshot, and don't know much about Slug Guns.

The places that I plan on taking him will have no shots over 100 yds.

Will a slug gun be OK for him. If so, what guage? Or should I talk him into a rifle?

Do slugs kill as quickly as a rifle?

Thanks, ths78

Matt/TN

i prefer a rifle they are much more accurate but if he insists get him a 12 gage

DM

Slugs are better than buckshot, a decent cal. rifle is better than a slug, and also something like a 270 Win., 280 Rem., 7mm-08 will have a lot less recoil than a slug.

Yes, a decent cal. rifle loaded with the "proper bullet weight" will easily kill faster than a slug... At least in my experience that's the way it's been...

Drilling Man

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s. il. hntr

Here in IL. we can't use a rifle so were limited to slug guns or muzzle loaders. But don't be too quick to dismiss a slug gun, they can be fairly cheap, and with the right gun(rifled barrel) and a sabot slug, you can group shot of 2 " at 100yrd. But jeez I sure wish we could use a rifle

wayomic

Well, maybe what his friend feels comfortable with using, or is already familiar with, is a slug gun and that is what matters most.

I've shot a few true slug guns, some cheap and some not as much, and they were all able to put 3 in 3" at 100yards or better. A few, includig the cheaper H&R would put the right load in 1.5" with a scope, which is as good as, and in some cases better than, alot or most hunting rifles out there.

Slugs usually cost anywhere from $5 to $12 per box box of five, depending on what you shoot. Most riflecartridges (hunting, not cheapimports)cost anywhere from $20 to $40 for a box of 20, NOT counting high end or special made that can be a LOT more expensive.
So that means slugs cost between $1 - $2.40 and rifle cartridges cost on average between .......... $1 - $2 a round.
WOW, those slugs are so much more expensive!!!!!

Recoil? That is almost like comparing the recoil on a trap load and a turkey Mag in a shotgun. Besides,a riflein45-70, 375 H&H, 270 Weatherby Mag and similar will kick a heck of a lot harder than a slug gun, especially whan shot out of a rifle just as light.

Trajectories are no worse than any other projectile of similar weight and velocity. Unless you are thinking of using a 2 3/4" Reduced Power Brinki slug out of an old smoothbore shotgun. Then yes, they don't shoot near as far or accurately, otherwise they are great for 100 yard or less.

Questionable killing power?????????????????????????????
You have got to be kidding, right! Have you ever actually seen someone hit something with one?Or are you just relying on what you heard or "learned" elsewhere, and probably someone who also never had any experience either? Or was it one of those "it takes at least X foot pounds of energy to kill a animal of Y size, therefore........ yet going by the calculations most good deer cartridges should be just as bad" type of web-sites or magazine articles?
You put a shot in the right place and you will knock down any deer at 100 yard just as well as any rifle, you hit it at less than 50 yard and it will look like you just punched it with a sledge hammer. You just see and hear a big "whummp" and it collapses on the spot. I mean I have actually watched and you do see the shockwave heave the deer's chest when it hits.

elgallo114

I always say shoot what you're comfortable with. Slug guns do just fine up to 100 yards. Definately want a rifle after that.

While I choose a rifle for hunting over a slug gun any day at any distance, I think slug guns are very under rated.

wayomic

I agree, on all counts. I would always prefer my rifle, especially at longer ranges, Slug guns are under rated, etc. In fact it is probably a miss-use to call some of them slug guns only because I think that term is best used for a shotgun choked to use slugs, some of the modern (re-inventions of older) guns are really best considered large bore rifles.

Just have to do my part in "ed-u-cat'in" others.
And I've inherited a bit of my father's history-buff genes.
120 years ago a mediumhunting rifle (especially in places like Africa) would have been a 12 bore. Same difference as a rifled 12 gage slug gun, except that they would have been black powder and used solid lead bullets. And those were considered for out to 200+ yards. Many a waterbuffalo and similar large game fell to a 12 bore. I myslef would love to have a old Greener double rifle in 12 bore. (if I had a spare 10to 20grand laying around)

St.Barnard

Couple of yrs ago, my teenage son was to go on a hunt a few hrs from home with a group. He would have the opportunity to hunt deer, which is what he was mainly interested in. But there was also going to be rabbits, and some type of bird, dove I think. He thought he would only take his shotgun to cut down on the gear he was carrying, so we bought some regular slugs and went to the range. With the smooth barrell and those slugs, we couldn't hit the target, let alone the bullseye [&:] After that, he decided to take his shotgun for the smaller stuff, and my rifle for the deer.

eldeguello

These new "rifle-bullet-sabot" type slugs essentially turn a shotgun into a big-bore rifle every bit the equivalent of a factory-loaded .45/70. But the old-style Foster hollow-base "rifled" slugs do NOT kill like a rifle. They have little, if any, shock effect and kill morelike a broadhead arrow-by causing massive bleeding. Sometimes they knock a deer down instantly, but I have seen some that were well-hit with several such slugs that went a LOOONG distance before piling up. And despite their large diameter, they don't always leave a good blood trail, either.

If I have a choice between a Foster slug in a shotgun and a centerfirerifle for deer hunting, give me the rifle every time! I even choose a muzzleloader over a shotgun. So naturally I recommend a rifle.