Which 12 ga. Slug for Bear Defense?

Which 12 gauge Slug for bear defense?

  • Federal 12 ga. 1 1/4 oz. Slug @ 1520 fps

    Votes: 28 71.8%

  • Federal 12 ga. 1 oz. Slug @ 1610 fps

    Votes: 6 15.4%

  • Federal 12 ga. 7/8 oz. Slug @ 1800 fps

    Votes: 5 12.8%
  • Total voters
    39
Mauser Oberndorf

Mauser Oberndorf

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Location
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Hi Everyone!

I realize that the bear defense topic has been discussed in detail and that everybody is tired of hearing about it.
However, it is that time of the year where you wanna start packing the 12 gauge again. I was wondering if you guys would be able to give me some feedback, on which rifled slug to load in the shotgun.

Out of a 12 gauge 2 3/4", there are 3 options that I am considering:
#1 Federal 12 gauge 1 1/4 oz. Slug Muzzle Velocity 1520 fps
#2 Federal 12 gauge 1 oz. Slug Muzzle Velocity 1610 fps
#3 Federal 12 gauge 7/8 oz. Slug Muzzle Velocity 1800 fps

Basically my point is, should I hit him with something slow and heavy (1 1/4 oz.) or something lighter and almost 300 fps faster (7/8 oz.) or something inbetween (1 oz.), or does it not matter?
I would think that the lighter, faster slug would penetrate more than the slow, heavy one would, but how important is that? Is penetration more important or is weight?

Thanks for your help.
 
Last edited:
Mauser Oberndorf said:
I would think that the lighter, faster slug would penetrate more than tha slow, heavy one would, but how important is that? Is penetration more important or is weight?

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

All things being equal I'd say the slower and heavier one would penetrate better.
 
Brobee did some great trsting not too long ago. He showed that the Brenneke slugs outperformed most others by a big margin.
 
I think the Brenneke's would be the best choice. The one's I pack are 3" with a 1 3/8 oz. slug @1500 fps. But I've seen quite a few people who can't handle the recoil of any 3" slug so I guess it boils down to choosing the heaviest load that one can proficiently handle firing in rapid succession.
 
Yeah the 1 1/8 ounce 2 3/4 inch Brenneke will outperform any of those Federal loads handily when you shoot them into animals...
Lighter foster style or even attached wad foster style slugs going faster do not work better than heavier slugs on big game.;)
The 1900 fps coreloct or partition rifled slugs from a rifled barrel are much better at accuracy and penetration.:cool:
I am going to do some testing with the Remington buckhammers... they are made for rifled barrels and rifled tubes but they look like they might work in a smooth bore.:confused:
 
I am a 2 3/4 winchester guy, because in my particular pump they hit at POA at 25 yds. and at 50 they group very well. And I can stayon target very easily.

Might also be that I have a cut down buttstock that whacks hell out of cheek and I am a bit a wimp like that LOL.

I also like the ease of ejection with the 2 3/4. The last dose in the tube though is always a 3 inch magnum SSG.

If I getr around to I am going to give the Brenneks a try cause they are suppose to be the right thing to use.
 
I tested a bunch of slugs and I found Brennekes to be th ebest. I used to advocate the 3" sugs for max power, and I still think that they are a great choice, but now I opt for the 23/4 slugs.

A little less recoil can be a good thing, and he 23/4" provide that, and still perform well.

Any slug is pretty damn good, of course, but the Brennekes certianly are a top choice. They are very accurate, and hard hitting, deep penetratiing, and they hold to gether better than regular Foster stye slugs which seem to pancake fairly rapidly on hard surfaces, compared the the brennekes.:)
 
manboy said:
i think you'll find that if you shoot the bear in the head with any of the above slugs he will die.
Click to expand...

Heck, if you shoot them in the head, a 223 will work. ;)

P{repare for when everyting goes wrong, and pray everythign goes right. Hopefully, you on't ever need to find out what slugs work best.:)
 
Well, there are also these 1 oz. Federal Premium Truball-System Slugs for 12 ga. 2 3/4". They're a bit more expensive but are supposed to be a lot more accurate.

Thanks for all the input, guys. I'll probably give the Brenneke Slugs a try. Who carries them here in Canada?
 
Wouldn't
Force = 1/2 Mass X Velocity²
Come into play? Therefore increasing mass is a linear increase in force (assuming the velocity is the same) but a velocity increase is exponential. It would seem to me that the lighter slug at a faster speed has more energy, assuming all slugs would have these masses and velocities at the time of slug impact, therefore more ability to do damage and knock down power.

0.875 OZ = 24.8058 Grams / 2 = 12.4029 Grams = 0.0124029 KG (half mass)
1 OZ = 28.3495 Grams / 2 = 14.1748 Grams = 0.0141748 KG (half mass)
1.125 OZ = 31.8932 Grams /2 = 15.9466 Grams = 0.0159466 KG (half mass)

1800 Feet/S = 548.640 M/S = 301005.850 M/S² (velocity squared)
1610 Feet/S = 490.728 M/S = 240813.970 M/S² (velocity squared)
1520 Feet/S = 463.296 M/S = 214643.184 M/S² (velocity squared)

Therefore:
7/8 OZ slug - 0.0124029 KG * 301005.850 M/S² = 3733.3454 N
1 OZ slug - 0.0141748 KG * 240813.970 M/S² = 3413.4899 N
1 1/8 OZ slug-0.0159466 KG * 214643.184 M/S² = 3422.8290 N

A 7/8 OZ slug has 9.3% more energy than a 1 OZ slug and 9.1% more energy than a 1 1/8 OZ slug at the velocities mentioned in the poll question.
 
Holleyman said:
Wouldn't
Force = 1/2 Mass X Velocity²
Come into play? Therefore increasing mass is a linear increase in force (assuming the velocity is the same) but a velocity increase is exponential. It would seem to me that the lighter slug at a faster speed has more energy, assuming all slugs would have these masses and velocities at the time of slug impact, therefore more ability to do damage and knock down power.

0.875 OZ = 24.8058 Grams / 2 = 12.4029 Grams = 0.0124029 KG (half mass)
1 OZ = 28.3495 Grams / 2 = 14.1748 Grams = 0.0141748 KG (half mass)
1.125 OZ = 31.8932 Grams /2 = 15.9466 Grams = 0.0159466 KG (half mass)

1800 Feet/S = 548.640 M/S = 301005.850 M/S² (velocity squared)
1610 Feet/S = 490.728 M/S = 240813.970 M/S² (velocity squared)
1520 Feet/S = 463.296 M/S = 214643.184 M/S² (velocity squared)

Therefore:
7/8 OZ slug - 0.0124029 KG * 301005.850 M/S² = 3733.3454 N
1 OZ slug - 0.0141748 KG * 240813.970 M/S² = 3413.4899 N
1 1/8 OZ slug-0.0159466 KG * 214643.184 M/S² = 3422.8290 N

A 7/8 OZ slug has 9.3% more energy than a 1 OZ slug and 9.1% more energy than a 1 1/8 OZ slug at the velocities mentioned in the poll question.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the math lesson Doogie....:rolleyes:
You need to go and shoot some holes in animals with some slugs....:p
 
That's an interesting way of looking at it Holleyman.
However, I think there are still many other factors that affect the poerformance of these slugs, such as the distance of the shot, the density of the bear, etc. But I guess judging from your calculations, at the muzzle, the 7/8 oz. slug yields the most force in comparison.
 
As Big red says, that is just math....

I htnk if you calculate the energy of a 22-250 you migth find that it has more 'power' than a 45-70, but that doesn't make it a better bear stopper!!:)

Big slow and heavy penetrates better, aqnd you want penetration. Energy figues are secondary.;)
 
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