going down to WMU 5C (PA) this coming week for a day of deer hunting. Cant use rifles there so i either have to use my flintlock or a shotgun...
I would rather use a shotgun for the added range...but i dont have a rifled shotgun, I would need to borrow my friends rifled 20gauge...or get some rifled slugs for my smoothbore 12 gauge
what do you suggest?
Use my friends rifled 20gauge?
Or use my smoothbore 12 gauge and get some rifles slugs?
I would use the rifled 20 gauge, especially if it has a scope. I have had great success with rifled barrels and sabot slugs with shotguns. They tend to be much more accurate, especially at longer ranges, than rifled slugs. If you have the time, shoot the 20 ga just to make sure you know how(if) it is sighted in. Good luck on your hunt.
thank you very much for the help guys. I am having my cousin drop the 20 gauge off tomorrow so i will have until next week to get used to the gun...this week ill be using my trusty Winchester Model 94!!!
Don't be so quick to dismiss your 12 gauge. I bought one an 11-87 with a cantilevered barrel for turkey. I got a rifled choke in case I wanted to use it for deer. After I mounted a scope I took it to the range. I decided to shoot some old-fashioned rifled slugs before shooting some much more expensive sabots. They cloverleafed at 50 yards. They did great to 100, the maximum at my club. In the field the gun has never failed me. I have taken deer to 100 yards with it.
Now I am not dismissing the sabots. But I am not sure the extra money is worth it. A few bucks a box is a lot cheaper than 10 or 12 bucks a box. You may be better served by using your money to shoot more.
Rifled slugs only good to 50 yards ????? Pretty broad statement ... that said here in western ny i have hunted for 30 years with an old Ithaca deer slayer 18 inch smooth bore barrel 12 guage ,Brenneke slugs and have shot many deer out past 100 yards and grouped under 2 inches.I would have to imagine it depends on the gun / load and the ability of the hunter.
I'd go with the 20 ga with the rifled barrel and sabots. But with your 12 ga smooth bore you can take alot of deer at shorter ranges. And the slug you use in your 12 can make a big difference. The Brenneke slugs do very well in most smoothbores.
Rifled Slugs or a Rifled Shotgun?
