i have a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun without a rifled barrel. How bad will the 1 1/2 ounce shot comapre in terms of recoil to the 1 1/4 or the 1 1/8 ounce shot? should i use a slug or buckshot for deer. The maximum range will probally be 100 yards. what kind of scope should i get for it. I don't know if i want a red dot or not. i'm only 15 and don't want to spend a lot of money on another gun so i'm trying to get buy with what i have.

thanks for your replies

First off run slugs!!!! You will probably find the Brenieke slugs will give you the best accuracy. As for buck shot you should limit your shots to 35 yards or less even with a tight shooting gun. If you do not then you will have lots of wounded deer!

use slugs...since your shotgun is smoothbore, then try all of the standard slugs (FOSTER) from Remington, Winchester, and Federal, also try the Brennekes

SLUGS !!!
IMO buck shot is good for 25-35 yds MAX Farther away deer are lost to much
I would recomend Brenneke K.O. slugs .
Not only do they shoot great out of most smooth bore guns but they are cheap $ 1.79 a box at Gander Mountian this fall
I would buy a red dot .
I have found I can pick up moving deer better with it and it is better in low light
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE !!!!

Slugs!!!! Try what everyone has already said, every type of foster slug and some of the hybrids.

ok i guess i'm going with slugs. can anyone tell me how bad the recoil is on one of them? i was looking at some shoulder recoil pads online. are thoes good. i had never heard of them before.

Buckshot, when used with the correct choke, will give you about 75 yds range. As long as you can keep two pellets on on 11" paper plate, you are good to go. Since you don't have a rifled barrel, you will only get about 75 yds out of a slug. I am a slug fan, but buckshot has more knockdown power if you can get multiple pellets to land on target.

good luck!

In the past I found my slug cartridges shot lower weight projectiles, thus I found recoil was less in my shotguns. I have no qualms about 00 buckshot used in range limitations, and where it is legal and if you have a cylinder or improved cylinder bore to shoot it out of.
Good hunting.

Use Slugs, just this week alone where i hunt the cops had to finish off a deer because buckshot did not do the job and it ran into a park.
Ths78 what kind of gun are you shooting to get 75 yards out of buckshot i have never heard of that.

If you want 75 yards out of buck shot you need to check out buckstix.com what they have will reach out to 250 yards!!!! Other then that I do not care what choke you have buck is a 35 yard at best deal. Thank you for the rest of you knowing how to spell Brennekes, I blew it there, it must be the Maine axcent?