To those of you that has ever used a slug gun

[Critterslayer51]

I've been looking into gettin a slug barrel for my shot gun to hunt bears. Last year was my first year hunting bears, and I took my deer rifle, a springfield armory 30-06 modified into a custom deer rifle. It has the usual 3-9x40 scope. I do not want to hunt bears with a scope, even on 3 power I think it might be a little easier to just shoot open sights (which I haven't used since I shot my first buck when I was 12 with dad's 30-30 open sights). I could use that 30-30 I suppose, but was looking for something with a lil more knockdown. I could buy a fully riffled barrle for $180, or a IC bore with rifle sights for 120. Sabot slugs are rediculous for the price, 5 shells for about 15-17 bucks, thats a lot per squeeze. I complain about the high end .223 stuff I buy to shoot fox because thats what my gun likes  . So the smoothbore, rifled slugs are $5.50 or so a box of 5. I'm not going to be shooting any farther than 20-30 yards, what kind of expansion and knock down am I going to get with a rifled slug? Anyone have an idea, or have used these in the past?

[muttbuster]

DJ, I have killed many deer with a smooth bore shotgun barrel. That's all we can use in Allegheny County for deer. A 12 gauge slug, bust's them up. If you're close enough to a bear to shoot with a smooth bore it will do the job. They are however, not very accurate. Now I shoot 12 gauge sabots. Much more accuracy. Dick's sporting goods usually sells Hornaday (spelling) sabot slugs, 300 grain, for about 12 bucks a box. A little more money but well worth it. I'm glad I went to sabots, now I can reach out and touch someone.

[predator77]

I had the ol' Mossberg 500 slugster and loved the fully rifled barrel. Today's sabot slugs are accurate and worth the money for the results you get. It I was going to use it alot, I would go fully rifled.

[uncle buck]

20  gauge 2 3/4  slug muzzle velocity is 1275, 20 gauge slug is a .59 caliber, slug weight 5/8 ounce

12 gauge  2 3/4  slug muzzle velocity is 1570, 12 gauge slug is a .70 caliber, slug weight 1 ounce
the 440 grain 12 gauge slug has 2200 foot pounds of energy.

Using 20 gauge you would be hitting bear with a .59 caliber at point blank to 50 yards.


Using 12 gauge you would be hitting a bear with a .70 caliber at point blank to 50 yards.

Article I was reading said the 12 gauge would have more energy then a 30/30 even at 300 yards..



your right too...the sabot slugs are expensive.. But if your using the Foster Slugs out to 50 yard then it's deadly.


I have a 20 gauge Mossberg pump. It's rifled and I use the 20 gauge Fosters aka Slugs  ...I use this when I hunt woodlots and all I can see is 30 yards in front of me..i'd probably could make it shoot accurate at 100 yards with the sabots VS the Fosters..If I am going to do that I would rather just use my center Fire rifle for big game..It's cheaper...

[uncle buck]

If you should have some of the older Winchester slugs around... Right smack in the middle of the slug is a star. Winchester did this so you would know it was a slug and not a round ball..See the round ball are the older type and that kind of ball is what they called "The Punkin Ball". So a Foster slug is not what we all used to refer to as Punkin Ball..