20 guage slug for moose

huntinstuff said:
I know there will always be guys who try to do more with less and vice versa. My point is with the availability of so many other "better" choices (more velocity and accuracy) why would one pursue a moose with a 20g.?

Sure, as I stated before, it will kill a moose. No doubt about it. But consider your sighting system and your slug choices before you venture out.

There are better choices.

Im sure a well placed 410 slug will do a moose in too, but I think you owe the animal and yourself a better configuration.
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Ya but what is a better choice? A .30-06 will kill a moose but is not a .458 a better choice by your logic? A 279 grain well constructed bullet going 1,900 fps seems a pretty good choice to me......obviously providing it's delivered accurately and within range but that applies no matter what firearm you select. Bigger is not necessarily better and there are no varying degrees of dead. A 20 gauge can do the job quite efficiently and ethically...isn't that all we need ask of a gun?
 
why the shot gun at all-is it in a ''shot gun only'' area? While many deer are killed with shotguns-I'm not aware of moose being restricted to shotguns-if I was looking for a weapon for shooting a moose -I'd pick a 303 over a 12 guage any day,you can get a bubba'd 303 for under $100
 
ratherbefishin said:
why the shot gun at all-is it in a ''shot gun only'' area? While many deer are killed with shotguns-I'm not aware of moose being restricted to shotguns-if I was looking for a weapon for shooting a moose -I'd pick a 303 over a 12 guage any day,you can get a bubba'd 303 for under $100
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Why not a shotgun though...might be fun! I've killed loads of game with muzzleloader, shotgun and crossbow in general rifle areas for no other reason than I wanted to. Remember, hunting is supposed to be fun! Some of these little projects/challenges keep it that way :D

Or maybe it's the only gun he owns...no shame there either!

The question was will it do the job and the answer is yes....within it's performance envelope of course and with the appropriate projectile.
 
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bps540 said:
i have a buddy who is considering his 20 guage 11-87 for moose but is concerned if it's 'enough' gun depending on range(100 yards give or take).
he plans on using copper solid slugs.
any thoughts?
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In BC,it is illegal to hunt moose with a shotgun. Even with a slug it is still not legal or enough gun. Check your local hunting regs and tell your buddy to get a grip and get an appropriate firearm for the job.
 
CV32 said:
My usual complaint with slugs and moose is that some hunters have a tendency to over estimate their accuracy and range with slugs. Yeah, I know, some hunters do it with rifles too, but the potential for "error" is bigger and I don't see many hunters sighting in their shotguns and slugs at the range.
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Accuracy is a "sore" point - there's plenty to forget, from season to season, about recoil vs. accuracy. ;) Then again, I'm talking the 12 G. :)

Brutus said:
This may seem alot, but this shotgun was designed for police engagements. I suspect it was meant to be spot on the dime, at 25 yards, using slugs, with it's LAPD 'wedge' type sights.
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Who cares? It was an Ithaca 37 - one of the coolest shotguns ever made! But, yea...a slug is just a big, dumb hunk of metal. If you can master its awesome powers, good on you. If you underestimate...well, read the above quoted passage.

a j cave said:
he can get a 12 for as little as $50 a much better choice.
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Again, my only coment (surprised I have only one? ;)) would be about achieving accuracy with such a 12 guage, esp. for a newcomer to slug-hunting (sorry, that's the "vibe" I got about the friend, it may very well be incorrect). The lessened recoil and controllability of a semi 20 guage does not compare well to the shooting of a $50 hunk of 12 guage.

huntinstuff said:
Good point. My friend Chad shot a beautiful whitetail with a $30 12g I sold him......
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So that's what happened to those "cute" 12 G truckguns! :);):)
 
303carbine said:
In BC,it is illegal to hunt moose with a shotgun. Even with a slug it is still not legal or enough gun. Check your local hunting regs and tell your buddy to get a grip and get an appropriate firearm for the job.
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He's not in BC.


david doyle said:
PM me if he wants a nice 303 no 4 sporter with a great bore. I'll sell it cheapish to save a gut shot moose.
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Why would you gut shoot an animal with any firearm?
 
You know given that it is legal to do so, I believe this could be an 'do-able' harvest.
Mind you the shooter should know his limitations,
(Quoting Clint here I am sure) sighting arrangement, scope or second choice good iron sights, a rifled barrel, with a flat as can be trajectory, & sabot rounds (or Brenneke) of adequate construction/strength.

Nothing wrong with this formula, as long as the shooter is up to this task, and takes an ethical shot.
 
sheephunter said:
Ya but what is a better choice? A .30-06 will kill a moose but is not a .458 a better choice by your logic? A 279 grain well constructed bullet going 1,900 fps seems a pretty good choice to me......obviously providing it's delivered accurately and within range but that applies no matter what firearm you select. Bigger is not necessarily better and there are no varying degrees of dead. A 20 gauge can do the job quite efficiently and ethically...isn't that all we need ask of a gun?
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I see your logic. Bigger isnt always better. I personally think many hunters use way too much "gun" for the game they pursue.

I just noted that in his post, the author stated that his friend was concerned it might not be enough gun.....

That is what gets my spidey senses tingling. It's the fact that the guy intends on hunting with something he is unsure of, thus the original question "is the 20g enough"?

I agree with you. Facts are the 20g slug will do the job, but will it in this particular circumstance.?????

I guess in a roundabout way I am trying to dissuade this fella from taking to the field with a firearm/calibre/guage he is unsure of.

Methinks I was "attacking" this thread from a different angle:D
 
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