RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

I do. I live in a rifle county in MD and pretty well use my slug gun for everything there. It has given me so many one shot kills, I am beginning to think its just a charmed gun. I know thats silly, but when you have confidence in a firearm, that means alot. I took a 45-70 out first day lat year and lost a deer because it ran 20 yards on the neighboring property. And I have almost a dozen deer cartidges. Alot of my friends give me a hard time. But its a semi with a 2X scope so its perfect, and I am hunting on a small plot of land and like the followup, and even though you don't see this massive hydroshock inside the animal, you always get a big entrance and big exit.

Second benefit, is the land I use this gun on is a finger goin thru two horse farms. I feel better shooting a slow 1oz slug than possibly killing a 1 million dollar horse with a 150gr 3000fps 06.

when I go hunting in other states or swamps, I take the rifle.

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

H&R heavy barrel .20 guage. Almost no recoil and will drop a deer in it's tracks. Ammo is a bit high though.

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

Hey the key word is confidence. Because you do, you are relaxed and calm when you shoot because you know if you put the slug where you want it, the deer is going down for the count. If my slug gun racked em up too, then all the friends could make fun of me as they were enjoying my DEER steaks taken with my slug gun, cause they had none in the freezer! :D[8D];)

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

I absolutely would NOT hunt with "any" firearm that i didn't have 100% confidence in!! "If" you can't say the same thing, then you should spend more time with that firearm on the range untill you can.

Drilling Man

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

Well, I think everybody knows that here. Except for confidense is not just shooting well, its how it performs on animals. Guess whats the only way to get confidense in that? To actually do it.

This has been an argument ongoing for eons by guidesman, gun writers and every gas station that is a check in station. Big heavy large diameter bullets movin slow vs. fast movin (relatively) bullets that create hydrostatic shock. Its a waste of time to even think we could settle it here. Don't ya all think?

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

you should be glad we can't use rifles. look at the statictics, states with rifle usage have fewer trophy book enteries than slug guns states.

since folks here in IL hunt in mostly wooded habitat, a slug gun is quite effective. as far as killing power, I would not say that it is any less than a rifle. 1 1/4 oz of lead and a 1/2" hole does a very good job. just make sure you put it in the right spot.

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

Absolutely correct! And, as mentioned, plascement is the most important factor of all. I find it a lot easier to place a bullet precisely at uncertain ranges when shooting it from a rifled bore at high velocity!

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

The following examples of recoil energy and velocity are all measured in 8 pound rifles. (Caliber [bullet weight, muzzle velocity] = free recoil energy & free recoil velocity.)
[ul][*]6mm Rem. (100 grain, MV 3100 fps) = 10.0 ft. lbs. & 9.0 fps[*].270 Win. (140 grain, MV 3000 fps) = 17.1 ft. lbs. & 11.7 fps[*].30-06 (180 grain, MV 2700 fps) = 20.3 ft. lbs. & 12.8 fps[*].35 Whelen (250 grain, MV 2400 fps) = 26.1 ft. lbs. & 14.5 fps[*].450 Marlin (350 grain, MV 2100 fps) = 35.7 ft. lbs. & 17.0 fps[*].458 Win. Mag. (500 grain, MV 2050 fps) = 68.9 ft. lbs. & 23.5 fps [/ul]
In the typical examples above, as the bullet weight goes up the muzzle velocity (MV) goes down; but the recoil energy and recoil velocity both continue to go up. The heavy bullets at relatively low velocity do not deliver a "long slow push," they deliver a progressively harder and faster blow to the shooter. Note that the high velocity .270 with its 140 grain bullet has a recoil velocity of only 11.7 fps, while the relatively low velocity .450 Marlin with its 350 grain bullet at 2100 fps has a recoil velocity of 17 fps!
Rifle weight plays an important role in determining the amount of recoil delivered to the shooter's shoulder. For any given caliber and load, a lighter rifle kicks more than a heavier rifle. Which is why I avoid ultra-light hunting rifles. Here are a couple of examples showing the effect rifle weight has on recoil energy and velocity when shooting the exact same load.
[ul][*].300 WSM (180 grain, MV 2950 fps), 6.5 lb. rifle = 30.8 ft. lbs. / 17.5 fps[*].300 WSM (180 grain, MV 2950 fps), 8.5 lb. rifle = 23.6 ft. lbs. / 13.4 fps [/ul]
[ul][*].45-70 (300 grain, MV 1900 fps), 7.0 lb. rifle = 26.6 ft. lbs. / 15.6 fps[*].45-70 (300 grain, MV 1900 fps), 8.5 lb. rifle = 21.9 ft. lbs. / 12.9 fps [/ul]

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

I have never cared much for what a calculator or table tells you. Shoulder them and see how it feels. I have shot heavy slugs out of shotguns and muzzle loaders and high powered rifles. My 30-06 kicked harder than any slug gun or ML I have shot. And I thought mine was relitively nice on recoil compared to my step dads 7600 pump carbine in 30-06. That thing was just no fun to shoot at all.

It is really hard to tell though since reciol varies so much between rifles even in the same caliber. weight and gun design play a big part in it. There is difference in calculated recoil and felt recoil. I really don't think slugs kick that bad unless you shoot them out of a really light rifle. I don't understand why people complain about slugs but not a field load when some of them shoot the same weight at the same if not higher velocities in some cases. The physics are the same. You want kick, shoot a 2 oz magnum turkey load, or a 3 1/2 inch turkey load! The average slug isn't that bad after that;).

Just my opinion though.

RE: Shotgun Slug vs. Rifle
 

Interesting thread. Unless restricted by law, I'd opt for a rifle over a shotgun. I've killed deer with muzzleloader, .270, and shotgun (though all my shotgunned deer were taken with buckshot while running dogs). I've acquired a rifled barrel for my 870 Express, and practiced with slugs... and they're like 3" buckshot when it comes to recoil. No fun. If your 30-06 or .270 feels like it kicks hard... shoot a box of slugs or buckshot ouit of a pump gun, and Mr. .270 will seem mild by comparison.

As does another poster... I opt for muzzleloader instead of a shotgun. I've a low-powered scope on mine, and I can place shots MUCH more precisely with it than I can with my iron-sighted shotgun, and can do so a lot further out. I know you can setup a shotgun to work well - fixed barrel, scope, good rifled shells - but that adds up to $$$ and a dedicated slug gun, and I've neither right now.

I, too, have concluded that where you hit the deer is much more important than what you hit him with.