Elk hunting with a 12 guage... questions!

[SeatoSummit88]

Hey everyone,

  This year I am elk hunting in a different way; going to be in an area that is limited to bow, muzzle or shotgun.  I already have a trustworthy Remington 870 express.  I have never hunted with slugs, so I am out of my element.  Would I be looking for a fully rifled barrel replacement?  Currently I am shooting 12 gauge  2 3/4 loads (target,bird shot).  I have heard of sabot and standard slugs... which one would you recommend? or is that dependent on the type of barrel I would purchase?  My end goal is to find a replacement barrel and the correct slugs so that I may have the option to reach out to 100 yards or even a tad further.  I understand the shooting complex of shotguns vs. high powered rifles, however, I don't want to mis-match a barrel to the wrong ammo.  I am expecting close range with the elk we are hunting, but I want to be sure I have something that can reach them if they take off or get spooked and keep a distance!   thanks for you input!!!

[Special T]

Buckshot for head shots.if your barrel has a removable choke dont use slugs. There may be some slugs that are ok but as a general rule they arnt. You could get a rifled barrel if you cant find a slug to work in your current barrel.

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[Bob33]

Definitely go with slugs for elk. I've killed three with a 12 gauge and slugs. If you have a rifled barrel it is likely your accuracy will be improved. I have a rifled barrel on an 870, and put a 2-7x scope on the gun. I am confident I can ethically hit and kill an elk out to 125 yards under most conditions.

[SeatoSummit88]

Thanks SpecialT, I appreciate the advice. I have found slugs that will work for my current barrel.  I think I do want to try and find a rifled barrel, for better accuracy.

Thanks Bob33,  I appreciate the advice as well. Good to hear you have killed elk with a 12 gauge.  What do you think a new replacement rifled barrel will run me, $200-$250?  So with purchasing a rifled barrel, do I need slugs or sabots?  and what grain would you recommend for elk? 

[MountainWalk]

Lightfield full bore size slugs. Seems like most shotty slugs are pretty soft. Why shoot 50cal when you can launch 72cal slugs?

[luvmystang67]

Get a rifled barrel and saboted slugs.  You can do well.  >100 yards is definitely possible if you practice.  Those slugs are expensive though.

[12Gauge]

Buckshot for head shots.

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This is a horrible advise because it is illegal. 

Special T you may have missed it, OP says he is hunting elk,  regulations calls for slugs only for elk.

Buckshot is ok for deer. 



Smooth bore use rifled slugs;  rifle barrel use sabot.
 

[JimmyHoffa]

Buckshot for head shots.if your barrel has a removable choke dont use slugs. There may be some slugs that are ok but as a general rule they arnt. You could get a rifled barrel if you cant find a slug to work in your current barrel.

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Is buckshot okay on elk?  Thought it had to be 10 or12 gauge slugs

[Bob33]

Thanks SpecialT, I appreciate the advice. I have found slugs that will work for my current barrel.  I think I do want to try and find a rifled barrel, for better accuracy.

Thanks Bob33,  I appreciate the advice as well. Good to hear you have killed elk with a 12 gauge.  What do you think a new replacement rifled barrel will run me, $200-$250?  So with purchasing a rifled barrel, do I need slugs or sabots?  and what grain would you recommend for elk?

Yes, in that price range. If you can get within 50 yards or so, a smoothbore barrel with no choke might work fine but a rifled barrel will be better in most instances. I shoot sabots in mine. I killed one elk with a 400 grain Winchester Platinum tip, and two with Remington Core Lokt Ultras that are 385 grains.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/shotshells/slugs/premier-core-lokt-ultra-bonded-sabot-slugs.aspx

[steeleywhopper]

saboted slugs in a rifled barrel and rifled slugs in smooth barrel. I would drop the coin for a rifled barrel with a cantilever scope mount. Got one on my 870 and it flat gets it done. Have taken deer out to 167 yards with Hornady sst slugs. I run a 2x7 power scope on mine.

[Special T]

Buckshot for head shots.

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This is a horrible advise because it is illegal. 

Special T you may have missed it, OP says he is hunting elk,  regulations calls for slugs only for elk.

Buckshot is ok for deer. 



Smooth bore use rifled slugs;  rifle barrel use sabot.

Show me. Is this a new developement?

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[Bob33]

Sabots are plastic sleeves that enclose a slug. Shooting one through a smoothbore will most likely result in the equivalent of a knuckle ball. They need rifling to impart a spin to the sabot/slug combination before they leave the barrel.

In fact, some rifled barrels are slightly overbore and don't impart enough spin either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_slug

Saboted slugs are lead-cored, full copper-jacketed or solid copper projectiles supported by a plastic sabot, which is designed to engage the rifling in a rifled shotgun barrel and impart a ballistic spin onto the projectile. This differentiates them from traditional slugs, which are not designed to benefit from a rifled barrel (though neither does the other any damage). They can take the usual variety of shapes, but for maximum accuracy are typically bullet-shaped (ogive). The slugs are generally significantly smaller than the bore diameter, increasing the ballistic coefficient, and use the sabot to seal the bore and keep the slug centered in the bore while it rotates with the rifling. Saboted slugs, when fired out of a rifled barrel, are generally far more accurate than non-jacketed slugs out of a smoothbore, with accuracy to 300 metres (330 yd) approaching that of low-velocity rifle calibers.

[12Gauge]

Buckshot for head shots.

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This is a horrible advise because it is illegal. 

Special T you may have missed it, OP says he is hunting elk,  regulations calls for slugs only for elk.

Buckshot is ok for deer. 



Smooth bore use rifled slugs;  rifle barrel use sabot.

Show me. Is this a new developement?

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Page 85 of the hunting regulations, under shotguns.

Not sure if it is new development, but it's the same rule as last year.

[Special T]

Guess its a good thing I never hunted the battle ground unit for elk!

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[WAcoyotehunter]

You can shoot slugs through a choke tube just fine.  Use regular rifled slugs and if you have screw in choke tubes use improved cylinder or open. 

Sabots are ok through rifled barrels, in a smooth bore barrel use rifled slugs.  Thousands of deer hunters use them every year in the Midwest with good results.