sabot slug or buckshot
 

i am going on a deer/hog hunt this weekend and my uncle says i should use my 12 guage with buckshot because it can get thick were we are going but i was planning on usein my 20ga sabot slug gun this year. What would be better the 12ga buckshot or the 20ga sabot? I know it mite be thick but i think the slug would put a hurtin on a animal better then buckshot. thanks for the input

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

Sabot (Rifled Barrel)

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

As much as I love buckshot, I'd go with the versatility of the sabot slug.You sayit can get thick there, does that mean there aren't open areas too? I'd say to use what you're more comfortable with.

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

what i mean by thick is that its very brushy and dense and my uncle saidthat i might miss the shot due to my sabot hitting a loose branch that i dont see, and i am not quite sure what i am comfortable with that was my main reason for asking.

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

If it is really thick I would go with a .44 Ruger personally-- but you should take the advise of your Uncle -- it sounds like he has been there before.

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

ok so now two people say buckshot and two people say sabot i need some more opinions.

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

anyone??????

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

You are right!

Buckshot has long been illegal for deer shooting in many states. The reason for this is that of all possible ammunition, it is the LEAST effective in bringing a deer to bag; more deer escape wounded to die later from buckshot than from slugs or rifle bullets! At Camp Pickette VA, where buckshot was MANDATORY for safety reasons, I once saw a 120-pound buck travel over 1.5 miles after being hit through the heart-lung area with three 00 buckshot from a 12-ga shotgun at a range of about 40 yards before he laid down and died. One of the pellets had gone right through his heart; the other two through the lungs. If not for the hounds that were being used to drive the deer, he would never have been found, as he had shown no sign of having been hit as he ran by the line of shooters! Agreed, that was but one incident, but it does illustrate why the stuff is illegal in a lot of places, I think!

Hogs are worse!! They have thick plates of bony gristle over their vitals on each side, and it takes considerable penetrating ability to get through it. Buckshot would do it, but not reliably beyond perhaps 30 yards or so - not muchmore than that!

Although no projectile is much good going through brush if it hits limbs and such, the little, lightweight buckshot pellet has a lot worse chance of doing so than a sabot type slug! You will do much better with the slugs! Use them and let other folks wound critters wih buckshot!

Yes, I admit I am prejudiced against buckshot! But this is based on what I've personally seen happen, not on anything someone told me.

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

A 20 ga sabot bullet is pretty large and heavy as far as bullets go, like 45 ca. and at or near 300 grns with a XTP controled expansion type bullet. This type of a bullet should go through any small brush pretty well. We are talking about a slow heavy bullet, not a high velocity frangable bullet that will explode if it hits a twig on the way to the target.

Keep in mind the newer slug gun loads reach performance levels very near or at that of a 45-70, which is known for being a great bush gun.

That being said I wouldn't shoot through brush on purpose. It would be best to wait for a good shot.

Paul

RE: sabot slug or buckshot
 

cool, thanks for that information and thankyou for all the other input guys this is very much appreciated.