OT - Favorite Slug Loads

[Hobie]

I just got a rifled slug barrel for my Winchester 120 pump gun. I'm "suddenly" looking for primo 12-bore "rifle" loads. There's a lot of high tech stuff out there I know some of you guys have used. If you have, what did you like?

[Andrew]

I don't have any but I like the question, it should get some good answers.

[RKrodle]

Hobie, there used to be a guy that posted on one of the forums, can't remember with one, that was developing hard cast loads for slug guns. I believe his name was Gates and was from Florida and had alot of ballistics background. I think he went up 500 or so grains and was developing them for hog hunting or something. But, with my memory I could be wrong on all of this.


I found a link, may not be what your looking for but interesting none the less, He has several post related to the development of his loads.
http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=4491

Also, here is his website.
http://dixieslugs.com/

[m.wun]

For close up I hear the Rem. Buckhammer loads are real stoppers. 1 3/8 oz.@1550
and there full 12 bore.

[Mokwaw]

I like the Remington copper solids. Were very accurate in my Win. 1200.............

[shawn_c992001]

I like the Rem. Buck Hammer and the Rem. Copper Solid both in 3". I zero both @ 75 yards to be dead on.

[Modoc ED]

I've used Remington's Copper Solids for the last several years with good results. Very effective on hogs and the one deer I have shot using the Copper Solid Slug dropped straight down and never even twitched. I have found that for my use, I prefer the 2¾" Copper Solids over the 3" Copper Solids. I'm not sure why. It isn't recoil related. They just seem to shoot better out of my gun.

One thing to note. The Copper Solids and all slugs being marketed for rifled slug barrels these days are EXPENSIVE. So, I use Winchester Super X 12ga, 2¾" 1 OZ Foster Slugs in my fully rifled slug barreled shotgun for general walking-around plinking/fun shooting. They are meant for smooth bored shotguns but work really well in rifled barrels. Copper Solids are about $15 a box of five and the Winchester Foster Slugs are about $4 a box of five.

[cshold]

I've used Remington's Copper Solids for the last several years with good results. Very effective on hogs and the one deer I have shot using the Copper Solid Slug dropped straight down and never even twitched. I have found that for my use, I prefer the 2¾" Copper Solids over the 3" Copper Solids. I'm not sure why. It isn't recoil related. They just seem to shoot better out of my gun.

One thing to note. The Copper Solids and all slugs being marketed for rifled slug barrels these days are EXPENSIVE. So, I use Winchester Super X 12ga, 2¾" 1 OZ Foster Slugs in my fully rifled slug barreled shotgun for general walking-around plinking/fun shooting. They are meant for smooth bored shotguns but work really well in rifled barrels. Copper Solids are about $15 a box of five and the Winchester Foster Slugs are about $4 a box of five.

I fully concur with the use of the Win. foster type slugs.
I probably have killed more deer with these than any other
rifle I own. (also the most deer to drop in there tracks)
I hunt deer on an Army depot, where slug guns and Muzzle
loaders are all thats legal to use.
I setup a Browning BPS with a fully rifled Hastings cantilevered
brl. with a Nikon 4X scope and sling. This rig has proven to be
extremely accurate and lethal.

[Idiot]

Hobie, quit fooling around with slow slugs made of soft lead that turns into a pancake on impact stuff. If you want a slug that will penetrate and hammer anything that walks in your woods, get the Brenneke "Black Magic" 3" Magnum 12 gauge slug. Go to their website and look them over, then buy a box or two. You will not be disappointed.

Tim Sundles is working on a slug that will out penetrate the "Black Magic." But I think it's yet a few months out. When that hits the streets, it will certainly be a slug to reckon with.

Now if you're one of those "a 20 gauge is all I need for everything" guy, then ignore this post, hop in your car and buy whatever K-Mart still has to offer, it'll work just fine.

[Hobie]

Quite an interesting range of responses. No, I'm not a 20 ga for everything guy (although a 20-bore rifle would be neat).

[cshold]

Hobie, quit fooling around with slow slugs made of soft lead that turns into a pancake on impact stuff. If you want a slug that will penetrate and hammer anything that walks in your woods, get the Brenneke "Black Magic" 3" Magnum 12 gauge slug. Go to their website and look them over, then buy a box or two. You will not be disappointed.

Tim Sundles is working on a slug that will out penetrate the "Black Magic." But I think it's yet a few months out. When that hits the streets, it will certainly be a slug to reckon with.

Now if you're one of those "a 20 gauge is all I need for everything" guy, then ignore this post, hop in your car and buy whatever K-Mart still has to offer, it'll work just fine.

Thanks for the heads up as to what the "latest and greatest whats out there" deer
camp discussion/argument will be over this year.
At the end of the day it will be the old tried and true lead foster 12 ga. slug
and the plain old get-R-done patched lead round ball for me.

[Modoc ED]

Hobie, quit fooling around with slow slugs made of soft lead that turns into a pancake on impact stuff. If you want a slug that will penetrate and hammer anything that walks in your woods, get the Brenneke "Black Magic" 3" Magnum 12 gauge slug. Go to their website and look them over, then buy a box or two. You will not be disappointed.

Tim Sundles is working on a slug that will out penetrate the "Black Magic." But I think it's yet a few months out. When that hits the streets, it will certainly be a slug to reckon with.

Now if you're one of those "a 20 gauge is all I need for everything" guy, then ignore this post, hop in your car and buy whatever K-Mart still has to offer, it'll work just fine.

I haven't tried any Brenneke slugs but I've heard good things about them. I also haven't tried the newer Remington Buckhammer slug either but I'm going to give the Buckhammers a try pretty soon. A guy shot a Bull Elk last year up near Lilly Lake in the Warner Mountains right on the CA/OR border (in CA) and he and his guide said the Elk dropped straight down without a sound or twitch. The guy shot the Elk in the shoulder and it went through and through and exited the off side shoulder with no breakup and only a couple of ounces weight loss. Interesting to note that we can use any rifle/any caliber in that area for all hunting but the guy thinks so highly of the Buckhammer that he prefers that to a rifle in the thicker cover in that area.

That Copper Solid I mentioned earlier doesn't pancake but opens up to a nice 5-petal slug with no weight loss and kills quickly and cleanly.

Pancake or no pancake that Winchester Foster Slug is a sure killer too. Fish & Game in Alaska uses them to kill Black Bears around the gargae dumps there.

Yer just going to have to buy a few boxes of 5 slugs and see which one you like. Because they're so expensibe, sight in the favored premium slug (i.e., Copper Solid, Buckhammer, Brenneke, Dixie,) and use the old hold off method when shooting cheaper slugs like the Winchester Foster Slugs or Remington Slugger Slugs.

[mod71alaska]

Dixie Slugs

http://www.dixieslugs.com/

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewforum.php?f=77

[Idiot]

That Copper Solid I mentioned earlier doesn't pancake but opens up to a nice 5-petal slug with no weight loss and kills quickly and cleanly.

I'm going to have to take a look at the Copper slug. However, I'm of the camp, and it seems to be pretty small at the moment - maybe a couple tents or so - that thinks 3/4 of an inch diameter is probably enough of a hole, but that complete penetration of a '77 Chrysler New Yorker is just barely enough. Penetration, penetration, penetration; I don't care if the deer runs two feet before it dies, I want two big holes.

I buy the regular Winchester and Remington slugs offered at Wal-Mart when some rocks need beating. They are a lot of fun, until my shoulder begins to hurt, but, few things make as big an impression as 600 grains of wide flat hard lead smashing into something at 1500 fps. I'm getting worked up just thinking about it.

Have fun Hobie, and the rest of you sluggers. The world of slugs is vast and certainly turns the shotgun into just about anything you want. (just when you think you've got the world of firearms worked out, you open another door and its another world and all new again)

[Hobie]

Thanks for that. A 12-bore rifle is exactly how I envisioned this gun. Not a double but a relatively inexpensive ($115 for base gun and barrel) investment to play with the concept.

[Hobie]

Have fun Hobie, and the rest of you sluggers. The world of slugs is vast and certainly turns the shotgun into just about anything you want. (just when you think you've got the world of firearms worked out, you open another door and its another world and all new again)

Thanks and that's true. I've got examples of many different things so far and it is always fun to play with them. More than one way to skin a cat!

[RangerClay]

My brother has really good luck with the Winchester slugs that were mentioned above in his Winchester 1300.

Me I loooove Lightfields if I was buying sabots. In my smoothbore I use nothing but Brenneke slugs.

[Hobie]

I also have a 24" smoothbore slug gun... A gift it was. I've tried the old BRIs, common Foster slugs and the Brennekes out of that one. The Brennekes are ALWAYS the best from the smoothbore guns. Those Dixie slugs look pretty interesting.

[cshold]

I also have a 24" smoothbore slug gun... A gift it was. I've tried the old BRIs, common Foster slugs and the Brennekes out of that one. The Brennekes are ALWAYS the best from the smoothbore guns. Those Dixie slugs look pretty interesting.

That's a sharp looking slug gun Hobie.
Is it possible to get a rifled barrel for it?

[Andrew]

I have a 24" smoothbore slug gun....

I don't know if it's a standard or not, but, I believe that's an oxymoron. From what I have seen, the term "slug gun" seems to have come about due to the fact that you don't/shouldn't shoot "shot" out of a rifled "shotgun" so it kinda made no sense. JMHO. I am not reprimanding anyone, I just like to add my 2¢.

[rbmcmjr]

I have a 24" smoothbore slug gun....

I don't know if it's a standard or not, but, I believe that's an oxymoron. From what I have seen, the term "slug gun" seems to have come about due to the fact that you don't/shouldn't shoot "shot" out of a rifled "shotgun" so it kinda made no sense. JMHO. I am not reprimanding anyone, I just like to add my 2¢.

"Slug gun" generally refers to the fact that the thing is set up for slugs and has no bearing on the status of the bore. A smoothbore (typically Cylinder choke) with rifle sights and Foster-type slugs was the hot ticket before they started adding things like rifled choke tubes and fully rifled barrels.

[Paladin]

Sorry to say it varies from gun to gun. My Remington 1100 with a smooth bore shoots Winchester 1 oz foster slugs the best and the 870 shoots BRI Sabots the best. You will have to try a few of each type you like and see.

[Hobie]

Sorry to say it varies from gun to gun. My Remington 1100 with a smooth bore shoots Winchester 1 oz foster slugs the best and the 870 shoots BRI Sabots the best. You will have to try a few of each type you like and see.

Of course it is true that the guns prefer certain loads... BUT, which is YOUR favorite?

[shawn_c992001]

Hobie, my slug gun is a Rem. 870 Exp. Mag. I picked up from Steve Taylor over at Robinhood Gun in Covington when it was open. I bought it used for $200, it's just a simple field model, I added a Speed Feed 13 1/2" pistol grip stock and forearm, some fiber optic sights, a coat of camo paint, and a Mossberg 24" cantilever rifled barrel. It spits 3" Rem Buck Hammer and Copper solids into 1 1/2" groups all day. Don't forget you can simply buy a rifled choke tube also if you don't want a different barrel. I like the regular 20" barrel (smooth bore) for turkey, squirrel, etc, and wanted a scoped barrel for slug use.

I need to post some pics of it.

[azzhandler]

hobie, if your looking for a .72 caliber rifle, try some hornady SST slugs, they are about 2000 fps, and 200 yard shots are not much of a challenge, these shoot great in some of my slug guns, and "pattern " in others, shotguns are finicky, what 1 gun shoots good wont shoot out of another exact gun,
Ive probably had my best luck with the regular winchester foster slugs, I have 8 different slug guns and none of them have what Id call "light " recoil.
if your going to mount a rifle scope on it, make sure to get as much eye relief as possible

browning a-5 with a hastings rifled barrel, and a 2x7 nikon scope, is my meat gun
at typical "woods deer hunting " ranges, a smoothbore will serve just as well in bringing home meat

[GANJIRO]

Another vote for the 3" 1-3/8 oz Brenekke slugs, my Winchester 1300 rifled barrel like them.

[Hobie]

Ji, thanks. Most people pushing the Brennekes seem to have been talking smoothbores. I know they work well there but wondered about the rifled barrels.

Azzhandler, I got a box yesterday. Yumpin yimminy, that is a top .45-70 load. Should put them deer down right now.

[CEMENTHEAD]

Hobie, I'll second the Brenneke 3" Black Magic slugs. They're the best slug I've found for my Remington 11-87 Smoothbore AND my Remington 870 Express fully rifled. Both guns will keep 3 of those slugs inside 3.5" @ 100 yards if I do my part and lay off the joe.
Those Dixies are my next to try. My hunting partner uses the 3.5" Triball load and you may not believe it, but 2 carefully sighted shots will keep all 6 balls within 6" @ 75 yards! You wouldn't believe the putdown they inflict on deer and black bears!
Make sure your forearm nut is tight for consistency and mark it with white paint for reference when disassembling. OR sight it in and don't take it apart until after hunting season like I do. Just a little observation over the years of using the 12 bore express rifle.
My .02$. Best of luck with your search for ammo. The 12 bore express rifle is indeed powerful!
Thanks, Tom

[Hobie]

That old black magic seems to work so well....

Thanks Tom!

[86er]

I like the RIO slugs - they have a hard brass pointy tip and are advertised to rotate 10X faster than other slugs making them more stable and more accurate. So far that seems true in the barrels I've sent them down. They are around the same price as "regular slugs" and a lot cheaper than premium stuff with sabots. The other slug I like is the Remington Buck Hammer.