The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting 12 ga slugs??Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Fear not. I am not going to suggest or ask why they are not used for DG instead of big bore centerfires. The velocity and energy just isn't there so I am not going to go there. I do in fact have a question as slugs very loosely relate to the large bore centerfires. Why do so many whitetail hunters insist that shotgun slugs need to expand? Expansion clearly retards penetration. If you feel you need more penetration on a large bore centerfire pursuing a selected african species invariably you select a solid. You depend on the initial diameter of the projectile to be sufficient to produce the required wound channel and forego expansion. I have read several times on this board about the use of solids in a large bore on plains game, without issue. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here. | ||
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For many years of hunting WT in Ohio with the current shotgun requirements, I have never heard anyone discuss any "expansion requirements" with 12 ga. or any "slugs". Most here use a Brenneke rifled-type projectile in their smoothbores. My last purchase was the the 3" Mag 600-grain "Black Magic" that have little or no expansion capability, even when shot through 1/4" mild steel (which I have done). That 60+ caliber hole is plenty for ANY WT.  | |||
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Thank GOD! 
I don't know; a .75 caliber makes a big enough hole, further expansion is not really necessary on white-tail.
On a white-tailed deer whose chest is 8"-16" wide, a 12 gauge slug provides adequate penetration at typical slug-gun ranges regardless of whether it expands or not. The only slug I ever recovered was from a raking shot on a running pig. The Foster-style slug flattened and stopped against the off-side scapula and gristle shield. 'Solids' are used on smaller animals in Africa to minimize damage to the cape. 'Solids' George  | |||
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With all respect, I don't think this is true everywhere. I also think it would be a state by state sort of situation and not something federally mandated. I am curious now though because I discussed this matter with Idaho F&G a few years back and was told that there is nothing on their books even referencing the use of FMJ or solids. Of course, I may have been talking with the resident idiot as Idaho Fish and Game so... Best, John | |||
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You may be right, John. I will qualify my statement above to read 'may be illegal'. Thanks, George | |||
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I use sabot slugs that start out at about 60cal and they are soft. Expansion is a plus. I've found a bunch of various types of slugs under the skin on the off side, mostly Foster types. All of them were of relatively soft lead. Lack of full penetration isn't an issue when the slug goes through the shoulder and lungs and has expanded to somewhere between 72cal and twice that. Never have found any Benneke's. I believe that they are cast of a harder material. Being full 72cal, the hole they leave has always been sufficient. The old Federal 50cal sabots were also hard and though I never used them I had to track several deer a buddy had shot using these. They needed to expand and he needed to shoot better. We found them but it was time consuming and touch and go. With soft lead expanding slugs you will see more DRT results than with a rifle or with Brenneke type slugs. I can spoil you too. Don't forget that in Africa the hunter has the benefit of trackers who make about all of us look like the ametuers we are. JPK  Free 500grains | |||
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With all due respect friend.....I've never heard a hunter want expansion from their slugs.....accuracy?...yes....range?..yes...but never expansion. I've hunted with slugs several times and can say that expansion just isn't needed. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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A large number of ammo manufacturers are indeed touting their new slugs expansion capability. Needed or not they perceive a niche they are filling. For example read this on Remington's Premier® Core-Lokt® Ultra Bonded Sabot Slugs This is straight from their webpage.
Here's the link. http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/shotshell/slugs/core-Lokt_ultra_bonded_sabot.asp Big Green isn't the only one doing this either. | |||
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