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ORIGINAL: Troutman10
Does a 20 gauge shoot flatter than a 12 gauge when using slugs or would they have a very similar trajectory? I would think a 20 gauge would have a better trajectory b/c the slugs are quite heavy. Just curious. Thanks in advance.
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That is going to be very dependant on the load you are talking about. There are so many loadings for both gauges at the moment and they overlap in the middle. If you are comparing a 12 ga to a 20 ga and they have the same load, like same bullet weight and what not the 12 will most likely have more velocity and shoot flatter. The question is will it be as accurate
. Speed isn't everything, just like in archery.
Most of the time the same load in the 12 ga will have a heavier 50 cal bullet so it sort of equals out. It will have more down range energy in most cases though because of the heavier bullet. However both will probably have more than enough to get the job done.
Like said above, when comparing the older type BRI type sabot slugs and foster slugs (rifled slugs) the 12 is for sure the better weapon. You are going to get a larger frontal area on your slug and more energy down range because of the extra momentum.
But with the newer premium sabot ammo things have changed a fair amount. They make some great ammo for the 12's that looks very impressive. Lots of speed and great accuracy claims. Good luck actually seeing any of it though
. From what I have been reading on various hunting sites the speeds are not as advertised and most average slug guns don't like the high speed ammo (H&R, 870, mossberg) because for what ever reason the speed or bullet shape just doesn't match the rifling in the barrel. So accuracy just isn't what you would hope for at 100 yards and beyond. You may get lucky and your gun will shoot them though, there are guys out there having good luck with them. However the majority don't, and I am in the majority with my H&R ultra.
Now when you look at the 20 ga offerings they shoot a VERY simular loads to a modern muzzle loader. 45 cal. bullets at simular speeds and barrel rates on par with the good inlines, say 1 and 24 to 1 and 28. And they seem to be showing accuracy you would expect out of that combination. As a matter of fact most of the better 20 ga offerings are better than what I shoot out of my muzzle loader as far speed and bullet weight go. And I am very confident with my ML out to 150 yards.
Again, when we are talking smoothbore rifled slug performance the 12 ga is king for sure. A 20 will kill a deer, but you better know what it's capable of and shoot it well because shot placement will be important.
I know I repeated a lot of what I said in my orginal post, I just wanted to try and make it a bit clearer. Of course I may have just confused you even more
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Paul
20 Gauge Slug at 100 yards
