# 12 Gauge For Big Game?



## Levergun 94 (Apr 7, 2020)

My Uncles used to use shotgun for deer etc because of restrictions back in the old days but I never had to.
How versatile is the 12 gauge Really for big game?
I'm in AZ right now but I don't know the laws and restrictions here on it yet, but what are Your experiences, and what game have you taken with shotgun hunting?

A decent Remi is within the budget, and with all the barrel options out there it seems one might be what I'm needing right now.
And I could still pick up a rimfire for small game.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Apr 7, 2020)

Shotgun is mandatory then centerfires after that.
My biggest buck was killed with a 12g 00


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## 280 Man (Apr 7, 2020)

Growing up a shotgun was all I ever hunted with. Ive killed many, many deer with a 12 ga and countless hundreds of rabbits, squirrels, doves, quail, (back when they were plentiful).

Within the range a shotgun was designed for buckshot is DEADLY!! Of course there's rifled barrels and modern day slugs, not "punkin balls" that turn a 12 ga into a capable killer out to 150-200 yds given "you" can do it!


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## NCHillbilly (Apr 7, 2020)

A 12 gauge loaded with #1 or 00 buck or a slug is very effective on deer.


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## georgia_home (Apr 7, 2020)

Yep. Never did much small game, but feathers sure flew, deer. And hogs. Cant go wrong with a shotgun for hunting. At home in the home too.

Lots of good models out there, if you can find a good combo, a long barrel and short barrel, that’s great. Got a 870 express combo back in the day 28” / 18.5” smoothie. Same for 1187, 28” and 18.5” rifles when funds became more plentiful. I used the 1187 for most GA hunting.

On the budget end, mossberg routinely advertises their combo for a pretty good price at several stores in the SW. it’s spartan, utilitarian, but it’ll shoot well enough. Mossberg has dropped many animals.

Mountain hunting is doable for a shotgun, BUT definitely not it’s strong suit, as with a rifle. It will be able to do the job, you just gotta work a little harder, be sneakier. Just gotta know and respect the limits.



280 Man said:


> Growing up a shotgun was all I ever hunted with. Ive killed many, many deer with a 12 ga and countless hundreds of rabbits, squirrels, doves, quail, (back when they were plentiful).
> 
> Withing the range a shotgun was designed for buckshot is DEADLY!! Of course there's rifled barrels and modern day slugs, not "punkin balls" that turn a 12 ga into a capable killer out to 150-200 yds given "you" can do it!


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## blakely (Apr 7, 2020)

The first 8-point I  killed was when I was 14. I shot him at 85 yards with a 3" load of 000 buck from a Marlin model 90 stackbarrel. Back then, I didn't know any better than to take the shot. 

Followed him up with a 6-point a little while later. That was as good a morning as a 14 year-old could have. And to think, I didn't want to go that day but my dad made me go with him.


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## 280 Man (Apr 7, 2020)

blakely said:


> The first 8-point I  killed was when I was 14. I shot him at 85 yards with a 3" load of 000 buck from a Marlin model 90 stackbarrel. Back then, I didn't know any better than to take the shot.
> 
> Followed him up with a 6-point a little while later. That was as good a morning as a 14 year-old could have. And to think, I didn't want to go that day but my dad made me go with him.



I had Rem 870 wingmaster 3 inch magnum with a 30 in full barrel that I hunted with. I killed a big ol 8 pt when 16 at roughly 65 yds. I was shooting 3 inch triple ought buckshot.

I held just tad high on his shoulder, pressed the trigger and he folded up like a cheap suit! I put 7 of 10 pellets in that bucks shoulder and lung area!

As most know, shotguns with buckshot are killing machines!


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## Deerhead (Apr 7, 2020)

280 Man said:


> Growing up a shotgun was all I ever hunted with. Ive killed many, many deer with a 12 ga and countless hundreds of rabbits, squirrels, doves, quail, (back when they were plentiful).
> 
> Within the range a shotgun was designed for buckshot is DEADLY!! Of course there's rifled barrels and modern day slugs, not "punkin balls" that turn a 12 ga into a capable killer out to 150-200 yds given "you" can do it!



X2  280!  All I used growing up was my 12ga.  Kept the freezer full.  If there was a season for it I hunted it with my 12ga.  I did not have a rifle until I was an adult.  OO buck shot works well on deer.


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## kmckinnie (Apr 7, 2020)

I killed my 1st 100 deer with a 20ga double barrel. ?
Number #3 buck.


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## blt152 (Apr 8, 2020)

Being from Ohio I can honestly say a scoped slug gun is accurate and deadly on deer to 200 yds. With the rifled slug barrels and the saboted ammunition of today a slug gun is my choice when deer hunting brushy woods. I have never shot a hog yet but I believe a slug gun would be the perfect choice of firearm to hunt one with. Plenty of knock down power for sure.


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## bfriendly (Apr 12, 2020)

Yeah, ya gotta have a shotgun.......think I may carry some buckshot for jumping deer which I am usually doing if I see one. plus you got doves too!!


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## 1eyefishing (Apr 12, 2020)

Not knocking any of the answers on here because a shotgun can do the trick. But if I am hunting for big game specifically and especially out West where the shots are normally going to be greater than 50 yds, I think the least handicapping weapon for me to have would be a rifle.


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## biggdogg (Apr 13, 2020)

I bought a Marlin 512 Slugmaster several years ago for hunting the Illinois shotgun seasons. It has turned into one of my favorite guns. I haven't been to Illinois in a few years, but that gun still spends plenty of time in the stand. If it is standing inside of 200 yards, that gun will do the job.


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## chase870 (Apr 13, 2020)

You can kill anything in North America with a 12ga shotgun. I would not be afraid to hunt moose or elk with it provided I could get within range


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## Bobby Bigtime (Apr 13, 2020)

The 12 gauge shotgun is hands down the most versatile firearm one can own. A barrel cylinder bored will shoot slugs surprisingly well. I have taken deer out to 80 yards with the basic foster type slugs. The Mossberg 500 is really hard to beat from a reliability and economical standpoint. Combos with both slug and bird barrels can be had reasonably.


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## Mattval (Apr 14, 2020)

Killed my first deer with a 20 ga #3 buck.  Went to a 12 ga for for almost 20 yrs now I am back to the 20.  It is just so much lighter to carry turkey hunting.


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## Bobby Bigtime (Apr 14, 2020)

My 20s are loved as well, And will also take deer. I carry one sometimes in a shotgun only deer area, but I have not taken one yet with a 20. The load selection available in 12 is more encompassing. I have a 16 gauge that was passed down to me that took a moose in Canada many years ago have three of those imperial brand slugs left from that box. He wasn't actually hunting moose with the 16, but It was kept by the door of a fishing camp for problem bears. Its a Winchester model 37


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## 280 Man (Apr 14, 2020)

1eyefishing said:


> Not knocking any of the answers on here because a shotgun can do the trick. But if I am hunting for big game specifically and especially out West where the shots are normally going to be greater than 50 yds, I think the least handicapping weapon for me to have would be a rifle.



Shotguns were never intended to be long range, county line to line propositions, even with rifled barrels! They were intended, for the most part to be up close and personal type weapons or for areas that wouldnt allow rifles, However they can be quite deadly out to ranges that are surprising with the proper equipment and practice!

If it were my money and tag for a trip "out west" I would maximize my opportunity to be successful and unless you are going to have shots that are relatively close, say out to 150 yds, and that's still a poke with a slug I personally would be carrying a rifle!

Good luck with whatever you decide


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## Budda (Apr 19, 2020)

I kilt more deer wit my 12 gauge slug gun then anything else.  Even kilt a few bear and one elk to


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## hambone76 (Jun 14, 2020)

12 gauge slugs will cause your blood-tracking skills to wane since recoveries will often be short. 
I’ve killed quite a few deer and even a 300+ pound boar hog with slugs. Most of them dropped in their tracks.


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## TJay (Jul 10, 2020)

A lot of Alaskan guides carry shotguns loaded to the hilt with slugs when in bear country.


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## king killer delete (Jul 10, 2020)

First deer I ever killed was a mix of 00 buck and slugs. Shotguns have improved and a 12 ga sabot slug out of a rifled barrel can be very accurate killer. Allot of big deer are killed in South Georgia with buck shot every year.


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## ktc286 (Jul 10, 2020)

Shot this guy in Illinois last year with a Savage model 220 20 gauge @ 174 yards with a 3" Remington Accutip sabot slug and a Nikon slug hunter scope.  He ran no more than 10 yards after the shot.


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## 1eyefishing (Jul 10, 2020)

I have a Remington 870 Special Purpose with a Hastings rifled slug barrel. It has a cantilevered scope mount and a Leupold shotgun/ML scope on it. It performs beautifully. Slam- dunked a few with it. I bought it for special occasion's were I would need it but haven't used it in a decade or so. Used to hunt COE land with it where rifles were illegal. 
 I thought about taking it to the mountains for bear hunting but it is way too heavy to tote in the big hills.  I bought a 45-70 instead (to complement my .308 carbine length bolt action).
 Personal choice I guess, but in general, I find it I would rather hunt BG with a rifle where it is legal.


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## GA_SPORSTMAN (Sep 6, 2020)

I have a single shot 12 ga with a long barrel . It dosent have remoeable chocks but has a tight barrel . What type of slug with work


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## kmckinnie (Sep 6, 2020)

Levergun 94 said:


> My Uncles used to use shotgun for deer etc because of restrictions back in the old days but I never had to.
> How versatile is the 12 gauge Really for big game?
> I'm in AZ right now but I don't know the laws and restrictions here on it yet, but what are Your experiences, and what game have you taken with shotgun hunting?
> 
> ...



I would check with wild life officers out there for what is aloud 1st for what your hunting. 
It wide open in that area. 
12ga is very  Versible from slug barrels to buck shot to bird shot. 
A good slug barrel will get out to 100 plus yards. Can scope with that. Change barrels. Then it could use buckshot. Or bird shot just use the right choke. There’s great dove hunting out there. 

Good luck and keep us posted.


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## strothershwacker (Sep 6, 2020)

Growing up a poor hillbilly kid if we had meat at the supper table it almost always came from the end of my dad's 12ga Winchester single shot. (Even fish sometimes ?)He wore an old green field coat with bird shot in one pocket and buckshot in the other. He kilt a pile of deer with it. Some at unethical yet legendary distances. I think we ate everything except buzzard & skunk. One year he ran upon a cedar that'd make a good Christmas tree. Instead of coming and getting an ax or saw, he just cut it off at the ground with that ol' Chester. Dads gone now and so is that old gun. I'd trade every gun I got to have that old Winchester back. If a man only owned 1 gun, it'd need to be a shotgun.


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## flconch53 (Sep 17, 2020)

GA_SPORSTMAN said:


> I have a single shot 12 ga with a long barrel . It dosent have remoeable chocks but has a tight barrel . What type of slug with work


If it is a full choke I would stay away from slugs. I saw more than a few with bulged barrels when I had my shop.


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## GA_SPORSTMAN (Sep 17, 2020)

Thank you .I have some 00 buckshot. I am hoping it will work.


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## flconch53 (Sep 18, 2020)

Buck shot would be much safer


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