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I agree.
My distaste for 12ga slugs isn't lack of power, it's excess. They are ridiculous overkill for whitetail deer and serve only to bruise shoulders and teach young hunters to flinch.
The guns are bulky and heavy, good shells are more expensive than good rifle rounds, accuracy is marginal beyond rock throwing distance... Need I go on?
Use the 12ga for what it was made for, it's a SHOTgun. Shoot SHOT out of it. Kill deer with a deer gun.
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Not very often I disagree with Brian but as someone who strictly hunts a shotgun only state I've have to make some comments. IMO, 12ga isn't over kill for deer. As a matter of fact I can be amazed at the lack of meat damage and penetration a standard 12ga foster slug can do. I've seen more meat damage to a deer from .357 handguns than I do from slugs. As for the better slugs costing more money that is true. But it doesn't take a fancy expensive slug to kill a deer. I use good old federal 2 3/4" (3" are no no's and painful) 1 oz slugs, $3.50 for 5, and if I do my part the gun and slugs are capable to 100 yards. While I'd prefer to hunt with a good carbine length rifle my shotguns aren't any heavier than most bolt action rifles. A little thicker yes, but not any longer or heavier.
The answer is not a simple "use this" or use that". If the 1100 is just a good ol' bird gun with a long barrel and a bead sight then I wouldn't use it. Short barrels and rifles sights or scopes is where it's at. But then again you can't just grab the Mini and shove any old load in it and go deer hunting either. You're gonna need a "game" bullet in that gun while most of whats on the shelf are military, target or varmint oriented. All 3 of which are very poor choices.
If you have a smoothbore slug barrel for that shotgun it's the best choice IMO. If legal the .223 will work given you get some good game specific ammo to shoot in it and pick you're shots.