TimHixson

My 12 ga Hornady sst's say they are 300 grains. My pocket ref. says there are 480 grains to 1 ounce. That means these are only 5/8 oz slugs?

eldeguello

There are 437.5 grains per ounce (7000 divided by 16). Those "slugs" aren't slugs at all, they are 300-grain bullets. As such, they are much smaller in diameter than a 12-ga SLUG, (maybe .50 as opposeed to .70) and they have a much greater sectional density and probably a higherballistic coefficient as well. This means they hold velocity alot better than a slug, and will also out-penetrate any full-bore size slug, even one weighing a lot more. You are comparing apples to pumpkins here!

You just cannot evaluate a bullet using the same criteria you use to evaluate a Foster or Brenneke-type shotgun slug. When you use those loads, you are in effect turning your shotgun into a big-bore rifle like a .45/70. I am assuming that your shotgun has a rifled bore, as those "slugs" will have to have a spin to work.

TimHixson

yes, I am shooting a Rem. 870 with fully rifled barrel. I agree that it seems these SST's are alot closer to a rifle cartrige than plastic coated ball of lead. I feel that they are my best option here in Indiana since we are only allowed to use shotguns or smoke poles.

I like apples better than pumpkins anyway!

rynigner

Tim,
We have a few more options this year... They have changed it so that we can use rifles, with the only catch being that it has to be a chambered in a legal hand gun cartridge. As before we can use handguns chambered in high power rounds. Hopefully in the next few years they combine the two to let us use high power rifles... I know this went tangent to the original thread, but just wanted to share.

eldeguello

I certainly agree that the new "slugs" which consist of aerodynamically superior bullets loaded into shotgun bore-size sabots are much better ammunition for hunting game the size of deer or larger. They make a gun like yours with a rifled bore into the equivalent of a .45 or .50 -caliber rifle. With this kind of ammunition, even the 20-ga becomes entirely suitable for big game at ranges outto at least 150 yards, or perhaps more.

The last time I hunted in Indiana, (Camp Atterbury and Crane Naval Ammunition Depot), I used a muzzleloader becauseI believed (still do!)that a rifled bore is superior to a smooth one any time the target is oever 50 yards away. These new rifled shotguns and the new ammo make using "shotguns" an entirely different proposition!

Good luck!

ipscshooter

Nevermind. Didn't read the whole thread...

TimHixson

Can you show me where this is on the state website? I have always been told that we are not allowed to use the high powered rifles due to the land being too flat which would result in too may houses getting shot.

TimHixson

Theses sst's show to be zero'd at 150 yards and only drop 6.7" at 200 yards. It will take a little time (and practice) to get used to the idea of a shotgun being good past 125 yards.

It's funny that you mention the 20 ga. I have been considering trying a nicer automatic type 20ga as my 870 kicks more than I really like.