Max Effective Range of a 20ga Sabot on deer?
 

I believe they say a modern 20ga sabot slug will kill a deer at 200yds effectively.

What's the maximum effective range on a whitetail deer you think?
Or if you have personal knowledge of someone killing a deer with a 20ga slug past 200yds, please share what distance/circumstances.

I've heard a 12ga have killed deer at 250-300yds, think a 20 has enough juice at 250? 300yds?

A 20ga Sabot is 260grs@1900fps, I've heard this is exaggerated. I think they're .45 or .50 caliber ML style bullets, so perhaps someone can determine energies at 200, 250, 300yds.

I don't have any data in front of me but consider this. A 44 magnum generally shoots a 240 gr. jacket SP bullet somewhere around 1300 fps ...give or take 100 fps. If your 20 ga. is shooting a 260 gr. saboted SP bullet at a speed something more than that and the BC of which is close, you would have at least the same effective range. I would suggest considerably more. My experience with slugs/sabots from shotguns is very limited but I would be more concerned about accuracy at 200 yds. than killing power.

My best guess is that your 20 ga firing 260 gr. sabots will quite easily kill a whitetail deer at 200 yds.

To determine actual energy at those ranges you will need to know the actual bullet speed at the muzzle and the ballistic coifficient.

X2 on the killing power. I think being able to hit it with a 20 will be another thing. My 12 at 175 puts out about 6" groups.

I'm getting 5 shot groups, 3/4" at 100 yards and still I'm 4" above dead center, with that I'm at 200 yards, I'm using a Savage 220f and Remington Accu-Tip 3" shells

YRD...DROP...VEL...ENER...MOM...OGW
0..... -1.5...1900...2084...70.57...696
50......0.7...1723...1714...64.00...519
100....0.0...1559...1403...57.90...384
150...-4.3...1410...1147...52.37...284
200..-13.0...1280...945 ...47.53...212
250..-27.0 ...1170 ...790...43.46...162
300..-47.4 ...1086 ...681...40.34...130

20ga,
BC-.2
.458 dia

http://www.biggameinfo.com/index.asp...=/balcalc.ascx


1900 fps

250 yards with a good scope and practice is do-able !