20 ga. for deer?

des54

November 23, 2004 17:24

I have always used a 12 ga. or rifle for deer. Since I have gotten older (just turned the big 50!!) I decided that I would like to ease the big recoil of the 12.I recently purchased a 20 ga. pump and decided to use it this season. I have never used a 20 before and don't know how effective they are on deer with a rifled slug. Can I get some feedback on this subject?? Thanks Guys

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  allen griggs

  November 23, 2004 17:53

  Does your state allow muzzleloaders? Get an inline. More accurate than the shotgun, by far. Recoil is not bad.

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  Contender Man

  November 23, 2004 17:57

  75 yards and in it will get the job done just fine. Practice a bit and I think you'll be satisfied w/ the results.
  
  
  
  
  If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!

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  des54

  November 23, 2004 18:05

  Thanks Allan. Yes, my state does allow muzzleloaders (Maryland) and I do have one. It is a Traditions in-line .50 cal. I used it last year but I just wanted to try the 20 ga. this time. Thanks

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  des54

  November 23, 2004 18:10

  Thanks contender. You say 75 yds. and under, that's just fine. Most of my shots at deer have been that or less. Good to know the 20 will do the job. Thanks again.

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  Ray Boone

  November 23, 2004 19:59

  I have killed one deer with a 20 ga. I wouldn't normally use a shotgun to shoot a deer, but on that occasion I was actually hunting pheasants with a 20 ga superposed. As a precaution I took along a five-pack of superX slugs. We came across a forked horn, while one held our German Shorthair, so as not to spook the deer I snuck up to about 40 yards and one shot to the lung area put it down for keeps. Advances in slug technology have pretty much obsoleted those old style rifled slugs, so I'd expect even better performance from the newer models, so the 20 ga punp should provide yeoman service for deer to reasonable ranges, probably 75 yards.

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  river

  November 24, 2004 02:51

  no problem - make sure you check POI

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  gskyhawk

  November 24, 2004 13:02

  i've found that the 20 usually will shoot better than a 12 in the smooth bore type barrels , can't say on the ones with fully rifled barrels

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  Mobuck

  November 24, 2004 14:31

  I have very limited experience with a 20 with a rifled bore but was impressed. Accuracy at 50 & 100 yards was quite good. The Federal sabot with the barnes hollowpoint is wicked. We shot one deer and I feel it produced a wound about like a 30/06. I wouldn't be afraid to use that load anywhere.
  
  Mobuck

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  snowtigger

  November 24, 2004 14:38

  I killed my first Caribou AND my first moose with .410 punkin' balls. The Caribou when I was ten years old and the moose a couple years later. Winchester model 37 steelbuilt. Full choke, I sure do miss that gun. That 20 ga sounds like overkill to me.LOL
  
  It ain't what you shoot, it's what you hit.

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  moose56

  November 24, 2004 18:22

  A .410 for a moose? I would loved to have saw that! Way to go!
  
  later....Moose
  
  "I will follow the path of others some of the time, but most of the time I prefer to make my own path." - Mike Moyle

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  CHGOTHNDER

  November 24, 2004 18:35

  I have a friend that used a .410 slug gun for deer (rifled of course ) but had to be pretty close though. Go for it.
  
  PJ
  
  
  If nobody seen you do it, how could you have done it. NRA Endowment Member, AF&AM, Shriner Life Member, A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois "Chicago Chapter" Founding Member & Board Member

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