Anyone have any experience with standard full-bore 20ga slugs on whitetails? NOT sabots. What is the max effective range?

[MLH]

Anyone have any experience with standard full-bore 20ga slugs on whitetails? NOT sabots. What is the max effective range?

[Golfing Sportsman]

I have in the past and my dad currently shoots Brenneke slugs out of an 870 with a smooth bore slug barrel. This scoped gun shoot 2-3 inch groups at 50 yards and i would have no problem hitting a deer in the vitals at 100 yards. As for power, deer arn't that big and tough and a 5/8 ounce 20ga slug will still easily dispatch a deer at 100 yards.

[steve182]

I agree with the above stated 100 yd range for 20 guage slugs

[Beekeeper]

My old college roommate bought a pump Savage shotgun in 20 ga that also came with a cylinder deer barrel and rifle sights. Shortly there after he found several hundered old Winchester MK IV Express paper slugs (foster type) at a flea market for 5 bucks. We took his new deer rig to the range (an old dead end logging road with a large dirt berm). We were amazed that these slugs would print a 3 inch group (one large hole) at 50 yards. We were even more amazed that we could keep them in a 6 inch circle at 100. While it was no clear cut or pasture gun it was quite effective to just over 100 yards. Those old slugs killed deer and feral hogs like they had been hit by a bus! To my knowledge he never had an animal do more than drop and kick out. He still has that old gun and even a few of the slugs!

[bonnier-admin_2]

20 Gauge with slugs not no PUNK! 150 yards!

[MLH]

And just think, paper ballistics show there is "only" 600-700 ft-lbs of energy at 100 yards. Big weight, big hole, and lots of momentum count for something, I suppose.

[TheEasternShoreHunter]

ive never used them on a deer but they are accurate to at least 150 yards.

[buckeye]

That is what I used to hunt with and I would say about 100 yards. The farthest shot I ever took on a deer with it was about 75 yards and it dropped him no problem.

[hjohn429]

I used to use a single-shot 20ga (full-boar rifled slugs) and at 75 yards I got 2-3 inch groups. I would say the effective range is 100 yards.

[Jim in Mo]

MLH, If I'm reading your question correct I'm thinking your saying taking a shotgun out of the closet and shooting the oldest most original slugs from it. If so, I think 100 is stretching it. There might be exceptions. But we did it here before I had the money for a rifle, and the shooting was pretty close and what we shot at was generally 50yds and probably closer. We generally was within 2-3 inches of where we were aiming which was good enough, the deer jumped and fell. But I'm talking the original type slugs and smooth bore from beginning to end. Not barrel types of today.

[t_holinka]

Years ago I used a 20 gauge remington 870 with a smooth bore, and i was told that 50-60 yards was good. I never had to chalange that because i shot my buck at 20 yards away, while listening to the Green Bay Packer Game on the radio.

[MLH]

Jim - I was actually thinking modern "full" bore slugs in lieu of sabots. Some are recommended in rifled barrels and offer alternatives to sabots with little, if any, loss in range due to accuracy at reasonable ranges ... though, lead instead of plastic fouling and, perhaps, more recoil. Lighter sabot rounds are faster and retain more energy at 100 yards so might be sexier, but I was curious about actual field experience with full bore 20 gauge slugs.

[NYhunter]

I wouldn't shoot past 100yds with a 20.