Heavy slugs at 1600fps or light slugs at 2000 fps

Super-Dave · February 25, 2008, 03:18 PM

If you are hunting under 50 yards which will be best for hunting medium/large game?

480 grain 1600 fps slug

or

those light weight sabots 300-350 grain that go 1900-2000 fps?

Heavy and slow or light and fast?

Which is the best ammo choice for shooting a Silver Back Gorilla at 50 yds?

Scorch · February 25, 2008, 04:01 PM

Just in terms of energy, the heavier slug has 2700 ft/lbs of energy, the lighter slug has 3000 ft/lbs of energy. The lighter-faster slug should shoot flatter. Either will kill deer or wild pig. You should test both and see which groups better out of your gun.

davlandrum · February 25, 2008, 04:09 PM

I liked the sabots back when I was in a shotgun only zone of MD. I liked them enough to buy a rifled barrel for my Mossberg 500.

"Light" is not how I would describe a 300 gr chunk of lead...

Rigby1962 · February 25, 2008, 04:16 PM

While some rifled slug guns can have decent accuracy out past 100yds. This isnt something I have to really deal with so I prefer the heavy 600gr loads from Brenneke. I think even if 100+ yds was something I could have the opportunity to shoot I think I would still use the Brenneke and try to get closer. You got a 12 bore why not use it all.

hogdogs · February 25, 2008, 06:00 PM

Them near golf ball size lead slugs for me

Just brute force...
Brent

mikejonestkd · February 25, 2008, 06:19 PM

What Scorch said...

Either will work just fime out to 100-125 yards or so. test and see which brand and load groups best in your shotgun.

Personally I like the 385 gr 12 ga partitions from winchester....1900 FPS and consistent 2" groups at 100yards...YMMV...

My second choice is the Remington copper sabots...

bclark1 · February 26, 2008, 12:43 AM

Slugs out of a smoothbore are fine at 100 yards. So at 50, cheap, big and heavy are what I'd go with. More practice for your dollar. I was looking into scoping a rifled barrel to see if I could push it out over 200. And you can, but those hi-velocity rounds add up quick. Pricey to sight in. So if you really think you won't be going much over 50, I'd go with something bigger that's less pricey than fancy hi-speed sabot. Projectile drop at that range will be negligible even with a slug that will be a foot low at 200.

February 25, 2008, 03:18 PM	#1
Super-Dave Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 795	Heavy slugs at 1600fps or light slugs at 2000 fps If you are hunting under 50 yards which will be best for hunting medium/large game? 480 grain 1600 fps slug or those light weight sabots 300-350 grain that go 1900-2000 fps? Heavy and slow or light and fast? Which is the best ammo choice for shooting a Silver Back Gorilla at 50 yds?

February 25, 2008, 04:01 PM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Just in terms of energy, the heavier slug has 2700 ft/lbs of energy, the lighter slug has 3000 ft/lbs of energy. The lighter-faster slug should shoot flatter. Either will kill deer or wild pig. You should test both and see which groups better out of your gun. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

February 25, 2008, 04:09 PM	#3
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	I liked the sabots back when I was in a shotgun only zone of MD. I liked them enough to buy a rifled barrel for my Mossberg 500. "Light" is not how I would describe a 300 gr chunk of lead... __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

February 25, 2008, 06:19 PM	#6
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,716	What Scorch said... Either will work just fime out to 100-125 yards or so. test and see which brand and load groups best in your shotgun. Personally I like the 385 gr 12 ga partitions from winchester....1900 FPS and consistent 2" groups at 100yards...YMMV... My second choice is the Remington copper sabots... __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

February 25, 2008, 04:16 PM	#4
Rigby1962 Senior Member Join Date: June 26, 2007 Posts: 264	While some rifled slug guns can have decent accuracy out past 100yds. This isnt something I have to really deal with so I prefer the heavy 600gr loads from Brenneke. I think even if 100+ yds was something I could have the opportunity to shoot I think I would still use the Brenneke and try to get closer. You got a 12 bore why not use it all.

February 25, 2008, 06:00 PM	#5
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	Them near golf ball size lead slugs for me Just brute force... Brent

February 26, 2008, 12:43 AM	#7
bclark1 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,531	Slugs out of a smoothbore are fine at 100 yards. So at 50, cheap, big and heavy are what I'd go with. More practice for your dollar. I was looking into scoping a rifled barrel to see if I could push it out over 200. And you can, but those hi-velocity rounds add up quick. Pricey to sight in. So if you really think you won't be going much over 50, I'd go with something bigger that's less pricey than fancy hi-speed sabot. Projectile drop at that range will be negligible even with a slug that will be a foot low at 200.