20 gauge slugs and larger animals

[Southern Shooter]

I am considering a camp gun to keep on hand when out in the woods. I already have a 20 gauge shotgun. And before I go invest in another gun I want to see if what I have is enough. I understand shot placement is important. But, lets say I make a mediocre shot. How large of an animal would a 20 gauge slug be effective against?

[jacobtowne]

I'd be comfortable with a 20 gauge on anything in the lower 48 states (at close range, of course). Some of the most successful whitetail hunters I know use 20 gauge guns.
The bore is about .62 caliber, the slug about 400 grains, and the muzzle velocity around 1600 fps.
JT

[Southern Shooter]

So at 25-50 yards a 20 gauge slug can bring down anything in the lower 48 states? Bear, moose, etc?

[artsmom]

Yes, Moose, Bears, cougars, and bad guys. At 25 yards, it is superior to the old .45-70 Government loads, and few doubt that caliber for taking down any North American game at close range.

Choose any slugs according to whether they are suitable for a rifled or unrifled barrel, whichever your shotgun has.

[DucksOnThePond]

i would load a buckshot shell after the slug shell and if the slug does not stop em the buckshot will.

[Southern Shooter]

20 gauge buckshot would put down a bear etc. at 25 yards?

[DucksOnThePond]

if he gets that close you better hope it will.

I am just guessing from your username that you are from the South. I wouldnt think bears attacking would be much of a problem in the South. we mostly have black bears and unless you cornered them I could not see them attacking. the biggest threat to safety down here is mostly wild dogs, wild hogs and fellow human beings. buckshot is the best medicine for any of those. panthers and bears will mostly avoid you if they can and you are lucky to see them. snakes rate as the biggest threat and well a good pair of boots is your best protection there.

I was just saying if I wanted protection and I had a slug chambered, my next round behind it would be buckshot. if you shoot at 20 yards and miss with the slug, you still have the buckshot.

[Charles S]

i would load a buckshot shell after the slug shell and if the slug does not stop em the buckshot will.

I don't have much faith in buckshot. I have killed three deer with buckshot and found the effect to be unpredictable even when one had taken the time to pattern the load for an effective shot column and has sighted in the gun for the load. I would limit buckshot to an absolute max of 20 yards.

I am quite comfortable taking anything that walks in North America to 75 yards with the correct 20 ga slug and gun combo.

Charles

[DucksOnThePond]

i took it that he was asking about something with stopping power at close range if an animal was attacking. for hunting purposes you are probably right about the slug. for something coming at me within 20 yards, I would want a spray of heavy shot as a backup to the slug.

[Tom Matiska]

2 3/4" chamber or 3"? If you have 3" chamber I'd add 25 yards and the 49th state to the above remarks.

[Long Path]

Heh. Yeah, because you still best watch out for all that dangerous game in Hawaii that a .20 ga. slug can't handle.

[Hello123]

Pick a brenneke (hardened) or black talon slug, and bye bye anything that can threaten you.

[psycho nut]

Anything that you hit with a slug (shot placement!!!!!!!) in the US is going to die.

We have some old 1/16' sheet metal at our house and at 30 yards it went through two of them and hit a tree 30 yards behind that.

You hit it, it dies. That is.......
unless they shoot you first!!!!

[N.H. Yankee]

I dont know how big southern bears are but up here they can get up to 500 lbs. Myself and 2 friends shot one 7 times before we stopped it with a 30-06, 7mm rem. mag and a 350 rem mag. My friend hit it in the side with the 30-06, then it came back at me and I hit it in the front shoulder with a 350 Rem. mag and it summersaulted got up and kept coming, my other friend hit 3 times in the side with a 7mm Rem mag. then it came back toward me when I hit it in the neck front chest area at about 60 feet and dropped it, the bear dressed out at 303lbs. My friend insisted we put in on the roof of his van, with help from others we put it on and it caved in the roof. I dont think I would be typing on this forum right now had I used buckshot in any gauge shotgun! I shudder when I think about how we hunted bears in caves with handguns the year before, YIKES!!!! I gave up my bear hunting career and took up fishing instead, fresh water only fishing at that!