uncle matt

Also, if these expected shots are 50 yardish can you, and if so, why don't you use good old 0 or 00-buck?

etothepii

If velocities are equal, then a heavier projectile would have more momentum. More momentum means less deflection, assuming similar shaped projectiles. Shotguns have a much slower velocity than rifles (generally of course) so the question is, does the heavier projectile overcome its slower velocity to create more momentum? To answer that, google up some numbers.

Multiply mass * velocity of typical rifle and shotgun cartridges, and compare. Higher numbers mean more momentum, which means less deflection, which most folks consider the makings of a "brush gun."

What others consider a brush gun is one that is no good at long ranges, so use it where you know the shots will be shorter.

uncle matt

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Ed McDonald

Someone shooting into brush is how innocent people get shot ........ If you need to do that , you shouldn't be hunting .

uncle matt

I think Ed brings up a VERY good point here and I thank him for bringing it to light.

Rather than puting the focus on whether one thing vs. anotherwill bust thrubrush - what will happen in the event of a ricochet?I am assuming we all are on board with it is our responsibility to know what is beyond our intended target, so I think we are all responsible for where our bullet goes even if it does ricochet.

Ed McDonald

I was expecting to get slammed on my post but I have heard of relatives , friends shooting friends when seeing movement and shooting into brush / thick stuff . If you don't have a clear shot , don't shoot . Why even take a chance on having a ricochet and getting a bad hit on an animal only to have it run off and die and not be recovered ?
Know your target and beyond !

etothepii

There's brush and there's brush. I'd never shoot through something so thick I couldn't be 100% sure of the target. But gun hunting isn't like bow hunting where you need pristine shooting lanes. I've hunted the edge of fields where a rifle would have been perfect (if they were legal here), and I've hunted where reasonable shots would have been well below 50 yards, and a shot may have to pass through some under growth, where a shotgun slug would be ample.

Bernie P.

One problem with such shots is one's eye's/attention is focused on the deer.It's easy to overlook someone a way's behind or to the side of the deer.