Recommendations for 'best' 20 gauge slugs

fugawi

fugawi

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
31   0   0
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I always carried a few 12 gauge slugs (for bear defense) along with shot shells when I hunted grouse with my 12 gauge. But I've become a wimp and now use a 20 gauge O/U.

So what would be some 'best' recommendations for a 20 gauge slug that might male a black bear 'wince'

Thanks.
 
I got some of the challenger rifled slugs for my 20g and thy do hit like a hammer ..very happy with them so far and thy can be shot out of any choke combo Dutch
 
fugawi said:
So what would be some 'best' recommendations for a 20 gauge slug that might male a black bear 'wince'
The best would be that will work best in your particular gun (barrel/choke combo) at a given distance. I'm afraid you would need to try a variety in order to find out the most effective brand. I would try Brenneke first among others.....Win Rackmaster generally works well.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Any concerns firing slugs through cylinder, improved cylinder and modified chokes on a 20 gauge?

I seem to recall reading at least one post sometime ago about using 00 buckshot instead of slugs. Something about damaging the chokes/muzzles. Thinner barrels perhaps?

Not sure how effective that would really be in a 20 ga.
 
fugawi said:
Yes, I see fellow nutters sometimes recommending Brennekes. I don't know them. What's up and why the reputation? Thx.
Click to expand...

Well if you look briefly into their history, the Brenneke design has been around since about 1932. The German answer to the failings of the previous 'pumpkin ball' that was available then.

Heck, once upon a time they even made a Stahl tip (Steel tipped) version for German settlers of East Africa. That one is long gone now. The Brenneke Classic slug and it's slightly heavier Magnum slug are currently used by Alaskan State troopers and Alaskan Wilderness firefighters for destroying moose and large bears. Not much can penetrate as deeply at close range as this excellent design, except maybe for large caliber rifles with premium ammunition. During the spring salmon run May of 2000, no-one in Juneau Alaska could keep these on the store shelves. I mean that literally.
I personally believe this is the best large animal defensive ammunition you can purchase over the counter for 12 gauge. Many would agree with me here, I'm quite sure of that.
Some of the newer Brennekes are the heavier Black Magic and the civilian vehicle penetrating Special Forces Magnum. Brenneke USA also markets the K.O. as a slightly less expensive version.
There are some I'm missing, I'm sure. But these few I mention are the most notable ones.
A few lesser known nice features:
-less felt recoil then a softer Winchester foster slug
-accurate at 25-50 meters in a slug shooting shotgun, even a bit more perhaps
-can be safely shot through any shotgun choke according to their info
-once upon a time only available in 20-16-12, now there is even a 410 Brenneke slug from Brenneke USA (anti-bad people?)

Brenneke history in a nutshell.
 
Last edited:
Brenneke type sabot slugs penetrate better and kick less than the heavier Foster type slugs. Saboted slugs will generally have more accuracy potential, too. Foster slugs are actually fairly poor penetrators.
You won't be shooting much more than 10 meters and you won't have time for carefull aiming, just point centre mass and shoot. Given that I wouldn't waste time doing a bunch of accuracy testing... if you know what I mean. :)

Foster slugs don't have the penetration of saboted slugs but they do have some serious knockdown power. They expend all their energy in just a few inches of penetration. It's like being hit with a sledgehammer. Personally for pure defensive use at close range it's hard to beat the old foster.

I've used slugs on bear and bear size animals quite a bit and find the foster slug knocks them off their feet better than a saboted slug, but doesn't necessarily kill them or even keep them down. It does give you time to reload. The sabot slugs penetrate and kill much better, but the animal might still run 50-75 yds before it goes down, even with a hit that penetrated to the vitals. For hunting I'd take the saboted slug without thinking about it, but for pure knockdown and charge stopping I'm not convinced the saboted slug will be as effective as a big old foster. OTOH, either one will be more effective than your birdshot.

Hope some of that makes sense...
 
Considering this is a discussion primarily about the 20 gauge and not the 12, myself I would consider accuracy even more important in this regard.
The OP also pointed out this is for his O/U shotgun, so I doubt that he would even consider purchasing saboted slugs for his smoothbore.

My opinion only.
 
all the above is proba;y true but I have been hunting deer with slugs for 30 years and yes I have some brenneke rotweler slugs as well .any 20 lead slug will blow right thru a deer out to 60 yards and then some .right thru all the way out the other side .sure you can pay 20 $ for 5 brenneke slugs but it is not needed .5$ for 5 challenger slugs will stop any bear at charging distance. sure harder slugs will go deeper .but thru and thru is deep enough .if it makes you feel better to spend 5 or 6 $ per shell then that's fine but it does not mean the target will be any more dead Dutch
 
^What you say is true. But again I point out, the OP is concerned with BB not deer. Have you taken a charging bear with your 20 gauge? Would like to hear the results if you did.
Hunting a fragile grass eating bambi and stopping a charging bear I would suggest are world's apart.

respectfully
 
Last edited:
you are right but both are hide meat and bones .and I never meet a bear with a skull or ribs that could stop a slug at close range .thy are not covered in armour .Dutch
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom