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Old January 31, 2013, 05:28 PM   #1
Clevinger
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Is the 20 Gauge Gaining Popularity for Slugs?

I am interested in getting a rifled shotgun for deer hunting with sabot slugs. I have heard tons of complaints about 12 gauge recoil in slugs, so I am considering a 20 gauge. However, I am worried about the availability of ammo for the 20 gauge.

Is the 20 gauge gaining popularity for slugs? Are the 20 gauge slugs readily available?
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Old January 31, 2013, 05:42 PM   #2
markj
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Quote:
Are the 20 gauge slugs readily available?
Why yes they are, my neighbor uses a 20 semi auto with rifled barrell, uses sabots as I do in my 12. Them deer didnt know the difference, they died same as mine did
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Old January 31, 2013, 05:51 PM   #3
rcase1234
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My uncle dropped a buck this year at over 100 yds with a 20 ga sabot slug
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Old January 31, 2013, 06:16 PM   #4
Clevinger
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Is it true that the 20 gauge slugs actually have a flatter trajectory?
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Old January 31, 2013, 07:13 PM   #5
PetahW
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I think the trajectories are about the same, Foster slug to Foster slug, and saboted slug type to saboted slug type.

FWIW, I switched to 20ga sabot slugs (Lightfield) several years ago, with excellent results - on both ends of the gun.




.
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Old January 31, 2013, 08:14 PM   #6
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Yes - check out Ajay's thread on Cast Boolits - Incredible amount of information for 20 gauge and 12 gauge for that matter, but I doubt there is anything close in 20 gauge info out there.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-Blazing-Sabot!
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Old January 31, 2013, 10:07 PM   #7
tjh
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More companies are coming out with better 20ga. loads all the time .
I just sold my 12ga. deer gun , going to go to a 20ga. my self . tired of getting beatup as i get older . Think i'll just get a rifled barrel for my t/c encore . or maybe a gas auto to help on recoil.
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Old February 1, 2013, 02:29 AM   #8
idek
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In some cases, 20 gauge shells have better sectional density which may result in slightly flatter trajectories.

One example is Brenneke's 20ga 3" magnum slug. It weighs a full ounce (like many 12ga rifled slugs), but it, of course, has a smaller diameter which may improve aerodynamics and result in better penetration. I suspect similar examples can be found among sabot slugs.
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Old February 1, 2013, 03:50 PM   #9
Old Grump
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I haven't compared all of them but I mostly use 20 gauge and I found when they came out with the Remington sluggers with my 100 zero on my scoped Win 1200 with 28" barrel I have 1 1/2 high at 25 and 2 1/2" high at 50 on average. There is enough overlap with my group sizes that its negligible for all practical purposes. Out of my old Stevens with the 28" barrel using 3" sluggers I duplicate that performance using iron sights. The 20 gauge is more fun to shoot but the 12 gauge Stevens is perfectly acceptable if that's all I had to use.

As far as a straight across the board comparison with same length shotshells and same length barrels I can't help you. Only thing I will state definitely is that faced with a bear or bison or an unhappy mama moose I would want the 12 gauge in my hands.
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Old February 1, 2013, 06:29 PM   #10
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NEWS FLASH! The 20ga is superior to the 12ga in every aspect!
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Old February 1, 2013, 11:00 PM   #11
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NEWS FLASH! The 20ga is superior to the 12ga in every aspect!
Maybe not.

Federal Truball 12 gauge 2 3/4" 1 oz. 1,600 fps, 2,485 ft/lbs
Federal Truball 20 gauge 2 3/4" 3/4 oz. 1,600 fps, 1,865 ft/lbs

Might win on trajectory but not on thump applied to target critter.
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Old February 1, 2013, 11:05 PM   #12
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Please don't let facts or reality get in the way. 20 gauge is good and the 12 gauge is gooder.
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Old February 1, 2013, 11:24 PM   #13
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An older friend of mine has done a couple of the Argentinian dove hunt trips. The first time, he used a 12ga, the second time a 20ga. He reported that during the first trip, the high-volume shooting with the 12ga took its toll on him, and when, on the second trip, he was offered a 20ga, he accepted.

He fully expected to be less effective with the smaller bore, but just the reverse was true. He found, especially after a long day of shooting, that he was making better hits with the 20 than he had with the 12. He felt better after the shooting was over as well.
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Old February 1, 2013, 11:49 PM   #14
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For slugs, the 20 guage, in my experience, is slightly more accurate than the 12 guage. But as for recoil, that all depends. Shooting the medium recoil sabots out of a 12 will give you less recoil than a full bore 20, and a better trajectory.

Now, when we go to looking at the launching pads, there are differences there too. If recoil is getting to you, the Versa-Max, with the same payload and velocity, kicks less than the 20 by a noticeable difference. If I ever got so luck to go to Argentian for Doves, the Reduced recoil birdshot in the Versa-Max makes it seem like shooting a .22 compared to a 20 guage.
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Old February 4, 2013, 05:58 PM   #15
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Quote:
NEWS FLASH! The 20ga is superior to the 12ga in every aspect!
Um, no it isnt. Testing has proven that.
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Old February 5, 2013, 06:53 AM   #16
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I killed deer last season with my 220f, .30-06, and my smoke pole. With well placed shots, your target doesn't care how much abuse your shoulder takes.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
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Old February 5, 2013, 04:54 PM   #17
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I bought a 20 ga. slug gun before this past season and my brother in law just told me that he bought the same gun last friday, Savage 220.
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