20 guage too light for deer right?
08-10-2006 | 12:32 PM
#42
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 270
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From:
RE: 20 guage too light for deer right?
The current 20g slugs have more energy than the 45-70 and 30-30. You think either of those are too light for deer?
08-10-2006 | 09:15 PM
#43
Fork Horn
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 213
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
RE: 20 guage too light for deer right?
ORIGINAL: Nick Bales
Before I switched over to bow only and practicing QDM I went through that stage where quantity was better than quality.
Honestly I've never killed a deer with any gun other than a 20 gauge Ithaca pump with a rifled barrel shooting sabot slugs and I lost count but I know it's between 100 and 150 deer killed with that gun.
Before I switched over to bow only and practicing QDM I went through that stage where quantity was better than quality.
Honestly I've never killed a deer with any gun other than a 20 gauge Ithaca pump with a rifled barrel shooting sabot slugs and I lost count but I know it's between 100 and 150 deer killed with that gun.
Sorry if stupid question, but what does "QDM" stand for?
08-11-2006 | 09:30 AM
#45
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,045
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From: E. Washington State
RE: 20 guage too light for deer right?
ORIGINAL: tykempster
Only the very low pressure 45-70 loads. The most powerful 20 gauge slugs max out at almost 2400 ft/lbs. A 45-70 (Ruger #1 or similar) maxes out at almost 4000 ft/lbs. A Marlin can handle the 300 Grain Buffalo Bore loads reaching 2350 fps. A 20 gauge can only come within a couple hundred fps of that. I'm not knocking the 20 gauge, I might use mine out of a treestand this year, but a 45-70 can certainly have more energy than a 20 gauge slug.
Only the very low pressure 45-70 loads. The most powerful 20 gauge slugs max out at almost 2400 ft/lbs. A 45-70 (Ruger #1 or similar) maxes out at almost 4000 ft/lbs. A Marlin can handle the 300 Grain Buffalo Bore loads reaching 2350 fps. A 20 gauge can only come within a couple hundred fps of that. I'm not knocking the 20 gauge, I might use mine out of a treestand this year, but a 45-70 can certainly have more energy than a 20 gauge slug.
These days, shotguns are required for deer hunting in many locations, and hunters have learned that you don't always need a 10- or 12-gauge to harvest a deer. A 3/4-ounce 20-gauge Foster slug at 1,800 fps produces over 2,300 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, almost eaqualing a 300 grain .44-70 load and beating virtually all .30-30 loads.
So, ya, to answer the question of this post, I think a 20 gauge shotgun is plenty to take a deer.
