Author Topic: Why use a Slug Gun? (Read 904 times)

Dirty Tiger · « **on:** February 22, 2005, 02:20:12 PM »

I am a newbie gun owner and soon to be hunter and I have a question about the main application/theory behind using a Rifled Slug Gun as opposed to a conventional Hunting Rifle.

Thanx.

savageT · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2005, 02:58:52 PM »

Dirty Tiger,
I hope I haven't misunderstood your question about slug guns but here in New York State, as well as many others across the U.S. there are zones where it is ruled illegal to use center-fire rifles for deer hunting. The reason? Simply it is because of civilization encrouching into woodlands/farmlands, and it just isn't safe! Therefore, an answer was to allow shotguns (originally smooth-bore barrels) in these zones used with slugs because of their shorter-range.
The problem today is that modern technology has produced rifled barreled shotguns and muzzle-loaders with dramatically better accuracy and range than we had just a few years ago. Changes in the rules will be coming!
Hope I answered your question.

Jim

Markus · « **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2005, 01:34:15 AM »

I see you are in colorado. When I was out there from 86-94 i dont think I think I only saw one slug gun the whole time and I bought it. The guy in the gun shop said it had been traded by an Air Force guy that had brought it from NY. It was a smoothbore 870 with rifle sights and I used it as a truck/camp gun. 3" mags loaded with 000 buck or slugs. I'm from Delaware and slugs are all we can legaly use here. This state is so small that a lot of rifles could shoot all the way fron one side to the other. One game perfomance with modern sabot slugs is incredible though and not a handicap at all since all of the possible shot in my hunting area are less than 150yards.

mrlizzzard · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2005, 01:44:04 AM »

Some of the best area's of Idaho are now slug only.From experience my ol mossy 500 will shoot a beer can at 75yds usually and really how many 200 plus yds does the hunter have on elk or deer?
lizzzard

BoneDigger · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2005, 03:11:25 AM »

In Texas there is no specific "slug gun only" season, but there are areas that will only allow the use of slugs. For instance, many of the US Army Corps of Engineers properties and state owned lands have slug only regulations.

A high powered rifle bullet will travel for much greater distances because of its low weight than will a slug. A slug is good out to MAYBE 150 yards (I know there are some who shoot out to 200 plus, but that's insane), but a rifle bullet can travel much farther.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

Todd in TX

buckslayer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2005, 09:44:05 AM »

savaget, if the "rules" people have any knowledge on guns they will not change the rules. the ballistic coefficient(bc) is so low that, to quote dave henderson, "would be like shooting pencil earasers compared to rifle bullets"!

Critter · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2005, 09:59:01 AM »

Why is 200 yards with a slug gun insane?

DaveH · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2005, 10:35:41 AM »

Critter what are you shooting ? I have two rifled slug guns. and I'm also an expert in Military firearms. And I think you might beable to hit a target at 200 yrds with a slug I don't think you could do it every time you pulled the trigger. I am comfortable shooting my slug guns at 100 yrds and thats about it. If you can put your round into a 8 in target at 200 yrds EVERYTIME you pull the trigger then be my guess and do it. I know I can't so I'm not going to try. Heck where I hunt I'm lucky if I see a deer thats more then 100 yrds away from me. Oh and by the way I killed 5 deer this season. All taken within 50 yrds. Thats what the slug gun is all about short range and hard hitting.

JRSR126 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2005, 06:50:54 PM »

DirtyTiger,

I am a newbie and have a smoothbore that I shoot slugs out of. The main reason I see to use a slug gun is it is fun to shoot a large chunck of lead from a big bore gun. Slugs are expensive especially the top of the line ones for rifled bores. May be more expensive than some centerfire loads which is something to consider. I bought a bunch of rifled slugs on sale so I can practice. I am getting comfortable with it for up to a 100 yd deer gun for the 2005 season. If I ever buy a centerfire rifle, my first one will be a 45-70 for the above reason.

Markus · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2005, 01:11:47 AM »

Man, I totaly forgot about what JRSR126 just said. I should have thought of that since thats exactly what I was doing last week when I broke the forearm lug off my 12 ga. Not hunting or seriously target practice. I was shooting a plastic soda bottle in a ditch. Some day I'd like to get a 10 ga and do the same. It's a grown up version of chunkin' dirt clods.

Dirty Tiger · « **Reply #10 on:** February 24, 2005, 08:14:18 AM »

Thanx for the replies.

Dirty Tiger · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2005, 03:11:16 PM »

Are there any situations in which you would pick a Slug Gun over a Rifle if you had the option to use BOTH :?:

BoneDigger · « **Reply #12 on:** February 24, 2005, 04:12:57 PM »

No, I can't think of any reasons to use a slug gun if a rifle is availible. Now, let the clarify that by saying that there are some rifle calibers that wouldn't be applicable for some situations that a slug gun excells in. For instance, for pig huntoing I'd much rather have a 12 gauge slug than a .243. But if you could get a 30/30 or larger round, it will do just as good a job as the slug gun and will probably be lighter to boot. So, if you choose the right rifle, there is no need for a slug gun unless you just simply like to shoot slugs for some reason.

DaveH, thanks for answering Critter's question for me, I could not have said it better myself. I would not trust a slug out to 200 yards for any reason.

Todd

Markus · « **Reply #13 on:** February 24, 2005, 04:18:51 PM »

I've hunted with slugs for my whole hunting life and been successful enough. That being said if I could hunt with a rifle of appropriate calibre. I'd take the rifle.

Dirty Tiger · « **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2005, 04:20:34 PM »

OK, that makes sense.

I didn't know that some states/areas only allow Shotguns for hunting.

Cut me some slack.... a few years ago I was a VEGAN

jason burns · « **Reply #15 on:** February 26, 2005, 12:37:09 PM »

Quote from: Dirty Tiger

Cut me some slack.... a few years ago I was a VEGAN

Consider the slack cut and welcome to the top of the food chain! :-D

MIdeerhunter · « **Reply #16 on:** March 07, 2005, 12:28:48 PM »

Hello, To tell you the truth, i use my slug gun over my rifles, I hunt where u can maybe shoot 100 yards at the most and it is thick and there are hunters nearby, out of slug range, but in rifle range, In the area i live you can shoot rifle or shotgun but I still prefer my NEF Ultra slug hunter deluxe, i guess its just maybe because it is a really COOL gun or because I like knowing i only have one shot...I don't know, but it is pretty impressive looking, everyone I have shown it to always manages to comment on how the barrel is huge and looks like a handcannon...i hunt in a treestand so weight isn't an issue so I don't care how much it weighs and I like it, by the way I also have a .308 and 6mm Rem. and still prefer the slug gun over the 2...good shooting

mitchell · « **Reply #17 on:** March 07, 2005, 01:17:10 PM »

Quote from: DaveH

Critter what are you shooting ? I have two rifled slug guns. and I'm also an expert in Military firearms. And I think you might beable to hit a target at 200 yrds with a slug I don't think you could do it every time you pulled the trigger. I am comfortable shooting my slug guns at 100 yrds and thats about it. If you can put your round into a 8 in target at 200 yrds EVERYTIME you pull the trigger then be my guess and do it. I know I can't so I'm not going to try. Heck where I hunt I'm lucky if I see a deer thats more then 100 yrds away from me. Oh and by the way I killed 5 deer this season. All taken within 50 yrds. Thats what the slug gun is all about short range and hard hitting.

well dave i've taken my slug gun to 200 before. i could shoot under an inch at 100 yards and drop at 200 was only 6 inches. and i know that if i saw a deer at 200 yards and it wasn't coming any closer i would shoot it and i would feel just as good of the shot as i would any other . 200 is not that far away.

gwhilikerz · « **Reply #18 on:** March 07, 2005, 01:38:30 PM »

Quote from: BoneDigger

No, I can't think of any reasons to use a slug gun if a rifle is availible. Now, let the clarify that by saying that there are some rifle calibers that wouldn't be applicable for some situations that a slug gun excells in. For instance, for pig huntoing I'd much rather have a 12 gauge slug than a .243. But if you could get a 30/30 or larger round, it will do just as good a job as the slug gun and will probably be lighter to boot. So, if you choose the right rifle, there is no need for a slug gun unless you just simply like to shoot slugs for some reason.

DaveH, thanks for answering Critter's question for me, I could not have said it better myself. I would not trust a slug out to 200 yards for any reason.

Todd

I know this is the shotgun forum and I agree that the slug gun is probably better for pig hunting than a 243. But I am going to have to think about this some more. I watched a hunting show on tv last night and watched a magazine editor pig hunting in Texas. He shot several pigs using both a 30-30 and a 224. He missed a couple of pigs with the 30-30 ( I suppose because he is getting on up in years and the '94 had open sights) Those he hit with the 30-30 in almost every case ran a few yards or far enough to make trailing necessary. He shot 3 or 4 with the 224 and they dropped in their tracks. Of course the 224 was custom and had a scope so that was a big part of it I guess. But I am starting to lean more toward the theory that a high velocity bullet does an enormous amout of damage. Guess I will have to try my 243 on pigs to find out. :grin:

BoneDigger · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2005, 08:22:12 AM »

To some extent that may be the case. But let me throw in a couple of ideas. For one, I have shot pigs and deer with high powered, high velocity rounds and they don't appear to drop any more quickly than with a slug or 30/30. I shot a deer four years ago with my 7mm Mag and she ran for nearly 50 yards before dropping. When I field dressed her I found her heart completely shredded! How she ran with no heart I'll never know. By the same token, I have shot many deer with that same gun that dropped in their tracks.

I have shot pigs with a slug gun that have run a ways before dropping. So, it really is hard to make that determination. Which is better, I'm not sure.

If you are pig hunting from a stand, then using a high velocity rifle may be the ticket. If you are stalking these pigs, I personally think that a slug or large caliber rifle bullet is the best. A .243 may very well put them down quickly enough for you. I have stalked these animals with archery equipment before and I have never had one turn on me. But then, that could change at any time...

Todd