What do you thing about a 28 gauge slug gun
 

Got my wife a 28 gauge for upland, but I was wondering what you guys would think about running slugs for deer. Anyone try this? Any idea on distance limitations?

TB,
Do they even make slugs in 28 ga? Before I use them I would have to know more about velocities and energy.
daddus

I know at least one company does. I know its equivalent to a 54 cal and I think a 1200 fps muzzle velocity

Brenneke makes them 5/8 oz with 1450 muzzle velocity

Pretty much feel the same way about 28ga specialty rounds as I do about the .410... Just a waste of time and money... (saying this as an AVID .410 bore fan)...

Biggest hurdle you'll see is that most states have a 20ga minimum for big game with slugs.

Then you're talking basically about hunting with the ballistic equivalent of a .45colt or .44mag revolver, the range just isn't there to make it worth my trouble.

Sure, it'll work. I may or may not have killed a few deer in younger years with a single shot .410 and 00buck (3 pellets), but that doesn't make it a good choice...

With how much big game hunting my girlfriend will be doing it would be a waste of time and money to buy her a rifle. I already have the 28.

You should have just bought a 20 gauge. But, that point is moot. Why not buy "yourself" a muzzle loader and work up a load/bullet combo with 70 - 90 grains of powder?

I see a much worse problem than ballistics. Letting your girlfriend use your wife's shotgun is probably a bad idea. :s4:

Once you get past the above post of mine, here's what I think.

A Brenneke 28ga slug is a 5/8 ounce, or by my calculation 273gr, moving at 1450fps (Brenneke's number). Hunting with that wouldn't make me weak in the knees. A friend shot a deer with his .54 round ball out of his long rifle and anchored it, and as you point out the two are comparable.

Wife+ girlfriend+ guns= trouble!!!

Hmmm. Idk why I never thought of that, I did just win an in line ML at a banquet. Havent had a chance to shoot it to see the kick. Good idea

Haha, suppose so. Been together for years and have a daughter, I suppose the real term is Fiance. Good catch TC

Hmmmm ! Ol' "parapraxis" showed up ?

I am not a fan of any "shotgun" load below the 20 ga., 3" sabot type slugster set-up. Just too much distance limitation for my taste, however, I suspect that limiting the distances to 50 yards or so, the 28 ga. slug load would be OK.

As for not springing for a rifle, I bet you could find a used Handi in 243 Win. for around $200. If your wife and/or girfreind are not worth you dropping two Benjamins, then maybe you need a third choice !?! ;)

28ga slug for deer? illegal here in IL...

12ga to 20ga only...

get her a 20ga savage 220 or a semi auto 20ga maybe?

or if a rifle is legal in your state, something like a .243 or 7mm-08

28ga is legal here in Kansas and I know of three companies that make loads for it. The first one has all ready been mentioned. That is the 5/8oz 1450fps load from Brennenke. Second is a .505 cal round ball load from Ballistic Products at 2000fps. Third is Star and Stripes. Here is some advice on the use of the 28ga on big game from 28ga.society.com
http://28gasociety.46.forumer.com/1s...-t2321718.html
http://28gasociety.46.forumer.com/br...-t2321819.html

Accuracy is the biggest variable here. Can she hit a softball with it from 50 yards? You may want to consider a set of half way decent clamp on the rib fiber optic sights. They can be had for about $50. That will pretty much double effective hunting range of any smoothbore slug gun.

I think it will kill a deer dead as a door nail just so long as she can put the slug where it needs to go. Forget any illusions of a 200 yard slug gun here... but with a steady rest, some sights, and a little practice I think she should be able to take deer just fine out to 75 yards with it.

Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice.......... can't say that enough.

Deer wounded not killer bad choice!

I built this .54 flintlock back in the 80s, have killed about 50 deer with it...A .530 round ball weighs about 220 grains, I use 80grs FFF Goex and have dropped deer out to 125 yards...I see no problem...

On the subject of muzzle loading. You could always load a 50 caliber mini, maxi, or round ball with pryodex or black powder into a 28ga shell and fire it. Or you could put a 54 caliber projectile down the barrel, basically make an inline muzzle loader. As said accuracy is the issue not power. One of the loads I mentioned earlier is basically a 50 caliber round ball going at 2000fps. If this load was coming from a muzzle loader no one would be questioning its effectiveness at bagging deer.

you sir, are a man amongst men

Why would you run with a 28 gauge slug for deer? You would have better results if you shot it instead. :wave:

. . . . . I see what you did ther