slug or buckshot?

[bobcat]

As I said, slugs are best through a more open choke than your modified, but I don't believe they will hurt anything. But really, if you're maximum range is only 30 yards, the buckshot should be just fine.

[Bean Counter]

Slug + open bead sights: like a man!

[steve04]

00 works just fine. My cousin shot a forked horn at 20 yards and dropped it in it's bed as it was getting ready to stand up.

[Bob33]

Both will kill a deer at 30 yards.  Only a slug will kill effectively at longer distances.  Why limit yourself?

[Kain]

I plan on hunting whidbey this season (drew second deer tag) going to be using my shotgun its a 12ga 28 inch barrel with screw in mod choke installed. I am wondering if I should use a slug or buckshot? and is it even ok to shoot a slug with my barrel? I have never done it will be in tree stand not planning on shooting more than 20-30 yards. Any advice would be great!

Should work just fine in your shotgun.

From a box of Remington Slugger Magnum Rifled Slug Packaging.

Rifled Slugs may be fired through any choke; however, improved cylinder provides best results.  These slugs will also perform well in fully rifled barrels and barrels fitted with rifled choke tubes.

Caution: These shells must not be used in guns with Damascus or twist steel barrels,...

[Stickerbush]

  thanks again!

[dawei]

If you're only shooting up to 30 yards, I'd probably use buckshot. Even #4 buck would work good at that range. You might want to buy a few different loads and pattern them to see which ones your gun likes best.

Not trying to nit pick but in WA state you can only use #1 Buck and larger (0, 00, & 000). #2, 3, & 4 Buckshot is not legal (for Bear, Cougar, & Deer).

[bobcat]

Not trying to nit pick but in WA state you can only use #1 Buck and larger (0, 00, & 000). #2, 3, & 4 Buckshot is not legal (for Deer).

Yeah, someone else already pointed that out. I actually meant to say #1 buckshot but mis-typed for some reason.

[Wile E. Hunter]

To address your concern about choke.... Growing up hunting deer largely with a shotgun with rifled slugs, I killed over half of them with a Mossberg 500 with a 30" full choke barrel with just a beed for a sight. Like most kids, that's what my Dad gave me to use, so that's what I used. I've read the boxes of slugs where they say open chokes yield the best results, but as I got older, we began testing various slugs, and various guns. Our findings were that the choke didn't seem to make that much of a difference. We fired all kinds of ammunition, too. We fired Remington, Rottweil Brenneke, Federal, Winchester, etc.. We also shot rifled slugs, and the sabot slugs once we got fully rifled barrels. The results were kind of interesting. The 1 oz. Winchester rifled slug shot better than ANY of them. No matter which gun, barrel length, choke, rifled/smooth bore etc. These things won't matter much to you at 30 yds, though. At 30 yds. any of them will work just fine. It only begins have importance beyond 75. Out at the 100 yd mark, the Winchester has a distinct advantage. Anyway, I hope this helps. I'd have absolutely NO CONCERN WHATSOEVER about shooting a rifled slug through a modified choke. Best of luck!

Wile E.

[Curly]

Not trying to nit pick but in WA state you can only use #1 Buck and larger (0, 00, & 000). #2, 3, & 4 Buckshot is not legal (for Deer).

Yeah, someone else already pointed that out. I actually meant to say #1 buckshot but mis-typed for some reason.

When I read what you typed, (below) I just took it that you were saying that even #4 buck would work at 30 yards.......  I didn't take it that you were advising to use #4 buck, but I could see the confusion there to someone not knowing the min size req'd.

If you're only shooting up to 30 yards, I'd probably use buckshot. Even #4 buck would work good at that range. You might want to buy a few different loads and pattern them to see which ones your gun likes best.

[bobcat]

I just took it that you were saying that even #4 buck would work at 30 yards

Yes it would but if I were using it I'd go for a head shot. Honestly I don't know why #4 buckshot is not legal, when a 25 Auto handgun with a 4 inch barrel can be used legally for deer or elk.   

[Special T]

I would go for the buck shot with a head shot if you know your gona be close. I had a bad experiance tracking a deer with a longer shot with buck shot... I did find it but there was snow on the ground.

[Caseyd]

I've hunted out of a treestand on whidbey.

I used 00 buckshot

[Wile E. Hunter]

Head shot=Bad idea. 

[Special T]

I no longer hunt with a shot gun, so why is it a bad idea? A 30+ caliber or 2 hitting the head and/or neck not gona dropp them? I could see not using a head shot if you were horn hunting, but???