Slugs or Buckshot

[kenlaw76]

Where I am hunting in Pa., it is a shotgun reg. area. I am using a Rem. 870 Express Ultra-Mag shotgun with a non-rifeld barrel. I was wondering what you guys thought would be best to use. I usually don't get to many shots 60+ yards so I have used buckshot in the past but there is always a despute over this between my friends and I. Half of us use slugs and half use buckshot. I don't want to send the $200+ for a new barrel so I have been using a 3" slug as my first shot and 3" XX buskshot as my last 4 (incase he starts to run). What do ya think?

[katfish ken]

Sounds like it's your option if law allows, who cares what everyone else says. Use the same good since you would with a rifle or a bow ,know your limits.

[bw69r]

Ken you are way better off with the slugs. buckshot is iffy at best at 25 yards let alone anything further. some states do not allow buckshot for hunting because it is not very reliable to take animals cleanly and humanely. with the non rifled barrel you are using slugs are a much better option for the yardages you shoot.

[whisker maniac]

Slugs are not always better. If you shoot a deer with a slug and you miss or don't get a good hit and it runs buckshot is better for your next shot.

I hunted with a 12ga. remington automatic for years before finally purchasing my rifle. I alternated slugs and 00 buckshot. This combination worked well.
I took a big ten pt. using this combination. My first shot was a slug and it landed square on the shoulder so it didn't get the penitration that it needed to get to do the damage so when he started running I let him have it with the buckshot. This peppered him good and helped to do more damage to some vitals which slowed him down enough for me to sneak back up on him and finish him off with another slug.

In another instance when my son was hunting with me and he shot his first deer there was a doe with his deer and I decided to take it after he shot. I knew in advance that the doe would take off running when he shot and I hoped it would go the direction that I prepared my self to move and go with my gun. She did and as I lifted my gun toward the doe I fired off the slug to get rid of it for I knew it would be hard to hit the running do well with the slug or at all. I finished getting my gun lined up on the doe with the buckshot and let it fly. The doe balled up right where I shot her. We had two deer down.

Slugs and buckshot both have their place and both are effective in taking deer. I have also taken bucks with just the slug only and never had to use the buckshot. There has also been times that I have taken two deer at once and this was only possible by alternating slugs and buckshot. Get a good shot on the first deer with the slug and get the second one with the buckshot.

Hope this helps.

[Mi11er]

Buckshot is not legal in Missouri. But, I still think that slugs would be better. More knock down power and if you miss it is a clean miss. Not a stray buckshot that hits rump. Plus, I would think that buckshot would tear the meat up more.

[kenlaw76]

I used to hunt with just 2 3/4 XX buckshot with my old 12 ga. I have dropped deer in 1 shot at 40 yards with those loads and there are times I had to shoot them more than once to drop them. It only takes 1 pellet to hit the bread basket.

[kenlaw76]

I really want to get a 20 ga. with a rifeled barrel and a nice scope. Then when my daughter get old enough to go hunting she will have a nice gun that will not be to big for her. But until then I wll have to use it :wink:.

[katfish ken]

I have never used any thing but a rifle for deer hunting. But to me if you sling 9 .33 cal. balls at a deer I would think one of them hitting the right place would kill a deer with no problem.

[bootshowl]

I try hard not to have opinions. But I do on buckshot. It's just too easy to hit the gut or bladder and ruin yer meat. It's just taste better with a good clean kill.
If you talk to a fish and game officer in a state that does not allow buckshot, it's not to protect other hunters, it's to better encourage a clean kill. (humane)
Also if your shots are under 60, a 2 3/4 load is plenty. Ya might try em and see if the lessor recoil makes you more accurate. I buy the 15 pack Winchester from Wally World, and they do fine.
Here in Indiana it's a slug state, but they've recently allowed rifles in pistol caliber's. I'm on the prod for a 44 lever gun.
Hope ya make meat.
:big_smile:

[poisonpits]

unless your gun has a ribed barrel any good gun smith can drill and tap it for a scope.i used a rem.model 1100 with a scope for years and it was deadly at 100 yards.

[Pastor E]

Pattern your shotgun and see what it will do with different loads of buckshot when using slugs and buckshot i always alternated mine also:big_smile:

[bw69r]

Kevin i am not judgeing,just asking why in the first instance you mentioned don't you think a second slug would have done more damage and maybe deer would have not run so far. second why would you errantly fire a slug into the woods so you could shoot at the deer with buckshot. why not just use the slug?

[brother hilljack]

Where I am hunting in Pa., it is a shotgun reg. area. I am using a Rem. 870 Express Ultra-Mag shotgun with a non-rifeld barrel. I was wondering what you guys thought would be best to use. I usually don't get to many shots 60+ yards so I have used buckshot in the past but there is always a despute over this between my friends and I. Half of us use slugs and half use buckshot. I don't want to send the $200+ for a new barrel so I have been using a 3" slug as my first shot and 3" XX buskshot as my last 4 (incase he starts to run). What do ya think?


No offense intended, but if you can't get him with the first shot, then you should have waited for a better shot! There is absolutely no reason to shoot more than once. Chances are you hit him the first time, he will run a few feet and then lay down to die. Save your money and just sit tight in your stand/blind. If you hit him, he will die in about 15 minutes. If you can't be sure you will hit him, let him pass for a better opportunity. Good luck hunting

[Dallas1]

personely i think slug is the best if the deer is runing im not shooting anyway i want that deer to go down fast and not sufer i very carfuly place my shots for this purpas if i cant get a clean shot with the deer standing brawd side to me it lives anuther day i have never had to track a deer becaws i do take the extra time in making the shot count use a single shot it will make you take your time and you will be more carfull with your shots :cool2:

[kenlaw76]

I usually do drop them in 1 shot, but there are alot of people that hunt my area and if I don't frop it fast , someone else gets it. I have followed blood trails to a gut pile in archery. People around my way don't care to much. They will take your deer.

[flathead willie]

I use buckshot after hunting pressure turns deer nocturnal and they aren't moving much. I go out and jump them up. I've had better luck with "single O" buckshot or even #1 buckshot, when shooting at moving deer. I always shoot for the head instead of the body. If they are running away from me, I shoot for the top of the tail and usually hit the back of the head and neck. They go down quick. My Remington 1100 doesn't do to well with slugs.

[Snagged2]

I live where we use centerfire rifles to kill our 1 deer/year if we get drawn state. But, If I got the opportunity to hunt in an area requiring shotguns. I'd use one of my 2 trigger side by each guns. I could put a slug in one side, buckshot in the other, or be able to change the load very quickly, possibly, if needed.:wink:

If buckshot works as good on deer, as turkey loads work on turkey,, I'd feel very well prepared for a shot at a deer. :big_smile:

[BailBonds]

Slug gun here no buckshot allowed. Trusty 870 with a rifled barrel. With Copper sabots it will shoot a 2.5" group at 80yds. Due to my vision getting worse I had it drilled and tapped for a scope this year. Took a nice buck at 72yds last week. 90% of our shots are here are at 60yds or less.

I have smelled a few deer shot through the gut and would think buckshot would increase the odds of a gut shot. But I see the advantage.

[kenlaw76]

When I shoot at a doe I aim for the head and if it is a buck I aim for his armpit. I have yet to shoot one in the guts. Thank god! I have smelled it and never want to again.

[psychomekanik]

If you do decide to use slugs. Use rifled slugs in a smoothbore barrel. and sabots in a rifled barrel. don't use rifled slugs in a rifled barrel. I had a winchester 1300 with a 1 in 30" twist that would consistantly group slugs in a 3" circle at 80-90 yards with winchester super x sabots. I dont hunt gun season anymore. but, when I did, Most of my shots were close. But when I needed to reach out and touch someone. it was dead accurate. I tried rifled slugs. it would give me about a 6-7" group at 75 yards. but at least one slug would go wild and hit way out of the group. But with your smoothbore they should group pretty well. Also, what choke does your barrel have? I would'nt recommend using slugs if it had a full choke. If it's open, or modified it should be o-k. but a full choke is a little too tight for slugs.

[kenlaw76]

I have my modified in there now. I use my full for turkey.

[Poppa]

When shooting buck shot you need to get several sizes and brands and
pattern the groups at the range you plan to shoot. I have never had a
gun that shot 00 well. I got my best patterns from #1 buck and #4 buck.
You have to feed them what they like best. I had an 1100 that would not
put more than 1 pellet in a garbage can at 40 yds. using 00. But this
same gun was excellent with # 1 buck.

[badkarma]

Ken I've been killing deer with slugs since 1965 and have made one shot kills out to 135 yds.You need to shoot what ever you feel best with.I have a scope mounted 12ga with an 18 1/2 in. cylnder bore barrel and it does a good job with slugs but I have also made one shot kills with 3in mag #4 buck at 40 yds.I don't use 3in mag slugs,they kick to much.

[VaFisherMan]

In my part of Va most people are members of hunt clubs and hunt with hounds. Because of this, buckshot is used almost exclusively. In some counties slugs are actually illegal to use, and in others you're supposed to be elevated at least twn feet. Whoever says buckshot is only effective up to 25 yards is crazy. I don't think twice at shooting up to 70 yards and have seen deer killed at over 100 yards. I have personally never wounded a deer and not found it. Like others have said, all you need is one pellet in the vitals or spine to do the job. I shoot a 12 Gauge Remington 870 Wingmaster and Winchester Super X 3 inch OOO. Plenty of knockdown power and a good pattern.

[kenlaw76]

I ahve some 3 1/2" ultra-mag buckshot loads. I don't know if I will ever use them cause the 3" does fine. I bet that they have a hell of a kick.

[bw69r]

I said 25-30 yards. and if you are shooting 70 yards or you have seen 100 yard kills with it then that is called "spraying and praying" and i believe you should get a range finder for true distances. secondly look up the ballistics for buck shot (all the different varieties) and their maximum effective killing distances are 25-30 yards. will it kill out further? probably. but taking a 70 yard shot routinely with it is showing disrespect to the animal and is unethical. you say it only takes one to hit a vital organ but it also only takes one to cause an injury,an infection, and or a long and agonizing death of the animal. another question would be how often do you pattern your gun at 70-100 yards? what does that pattern look like? i would love to see what it looks like. give it a try and post pics.

[kenlaw76]

I know with the 3" OO Buckshot I use, I can deffinatly drop a deer in one shot. I have got them at 40 yards already (I hunt thick stuff) with a solid shot. A buddy of mine and I butcherd the deer and the front shoulder was toast, but atleast 6 of the shot went through the vitals. The deer dropped quick. Some of my buddies will shoot for the neck area and do pretty well. I will shoot a slug first when I am on stand and use all buckshot when I am stillhunting.

[zeboman]

Ken I would spend the money and get a rifled barrel and shoot sabots, I shoot 2 3/4" Winchester sst`s and get very good groups out of my Mossberg 500 12 Ga.

[kenlaw76]

I have thought about it. It would be over $200 for another barrel though. If I am going to spend the money I would prob. buy a 20 Ga. with a rifled barrel and throw a scope on it. I know a few peopls that get good groups at 150 yds. Plus my 6 yr. old daughter can staart off using that instead of a 12 Ga.