20 Gauge shotgun for deer

[New2Elk]

I know a lot of people use a 12 gauge for deer. Anyone have a lot of experience using a smooth bore 20 gauge shotgun with slugs for deer? What effective range would this have? I'm guessing it's heavily dependent on the shotgun as well as the ammo but just wanted to know if 20 gauges are used a lot for deer.

[nelsonob1]

50-70 yards depending on slug type and shooter. the model of shotgun doesn't really factor. whether 12 or 20, the range will be the same - one leaves a bigger hole but they are both very effective at that range.

[winger7mm]

A guy I know smacked a real nice one with an 8" drop tine in southwest Iowa this past season. 241yrds. Not sure what he had for a 20gauge but he was shooting accutip slugs. Scoped shotty aswell.

[pointer]

My boy killed his first deer with his smooth bore 20 gauge 80 yards put one in her neck dropped like a sack of hammers

[AB2506]

Buy a Savage Boltt action 20ga. With a good scope and the right slug, you can probably shoot a deer out to 200yds.

I think one of the moderators would be a good resource to tap. He has hunted the Strathcona season and used both the 12 and 20 in the Savage to good effect.

[JTRED]

I can't remember which of the magazines I read the article in but it was about how effective the 20g is as a slug gun. As I recall the 45-70 and 20g share many similarities in energy and ballistics(when the 20g uses rifled slugs). Making it more effective than the 12g, when combined with a scope shooting decent groups at ranges past 150-200m. I wish I could find that article again it was really informative, made me want a 20g

[New2Elk]

Thanks for the info. I was originally looking at getting just a regular 20 gauge that the kids could use for grouse and rabbit and I'd maybe use with slugs at short range for deer near Edmonton. Considering the ranges people are getting using rifled barrels, that might be interesting as well. Anyone have any recommendations on any of the combo shotguns that come with both a smooth and a rifled barrel?

[elkdump]

Go big, get the 12ga-FH , smooth bore

750 gr monolithic slug , moderate load about 2700 fps ,

Moderate ME = about 15,000 ft pd. ME

Should be good to ho for WT and Mulies, Even bear protection in a bind,,,

[Jeff336]

I grew up with a single shot cooey 16 gauge it was great. Never tried slugs but good for everything from birds to Bears just change up the loads. The 20 would be great. Lots of guys at home use them. Just practice lots and patten it. I'm sure different brands will give you what you want

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by JTRED

I can't remember which of the magazines I read the article in but it was about how effective the 20g is as a slug gun. As I recall the 45-70 and 20g share many similarities in energy and ballistics(when the 20g uses rifled slugs). Making it more effective than the 12g, when combined with a scope shooting decent groups at ranges past 150-200m. I wish I could find that article again it was really informative, made me want a 20g

This, not a slug gun hunter myself but anyone I know who has tried both seems to prefer the 20ga as a slug gun.

Although a lot of guns lay claim to the title "The Gun That Won the West" the gun that outnumbered all others by a huge margin, particularly in Canada, was the trade gun. It was essentially a flint lock 20ga musket, and was popular because it could be used to kill anything from rabbits to bison. Due to its versatility it lays claim to having the longest production run of any gun in history, remaining essentially unchanged for around 300 years, and was still being produced and used in the early 1900's.... to put that into perspective, it was popular before the Pennsylvania rifle was ever invented, and still in use after the Winchester repeater had risen to popularity.... pretty hard to argue with a track record like that.

[.257Weatherby]

A quick check with your ammo manufacture of choice will revel a huge amount of info.

The velocity and drop for one.

Compare the two and see where your skill level is.

!2 gauge or 20 gauge placed in the boiler room will put a world of hurt on any buck.

Check your Provincial Regs to see what the minimum bore is legal.

I know Alberta is the Province you reside in, but us foreigners to pop in from time to time to see what others are doing/using

Rob

[polskiogorki]

X2 on the 12ga unless you can't handle the recoil

[catnthehat]

I've killed deer with a 20 and a12 and neither died quicker than the other .
The 20 was lighter to pack around, though. !
Cat