Twenty-Gauge Super Slugs

by
posted on May 25, 2011
2011525112355-d12860_f.jpg

Until recently conventional wisdom held that using a 20-gauge shotgun for deer hunting was a bad idea. The 20 gauge was something ladies and kids used only for its reduced recoil, and the Foster-style slug was the only option. The 20-gauge Foster slug has a ballistic coefficient of around .060, which is about as low as a conical lead projectile can get. Even though it leaves the shotgun with more than 1,600 ft.-lbs. of energy, by the time the slug passes the 100-yard mark it is down to about 625 ft.-lbs. And it drops like a brick—not exactly the performance of deer-hunting legends.

Things have changed, though, and it could be argued that there are some very good reasons to use a 20-gauge slug gun for deer hunting. I put that theory to the test at Graystone Castle in Texas with my friend Joe Coogan and the rest of the “Benelli On Assignment” television crew. When I had a good, 100-yard broadside shot at a buck with tall, almost straight-up antlers, I eased the Benelli M2 shotgun into position. I sent a 5/8-ounce piece of technology through its ribs. If you saw the show, you might remember that you can actually see the slug flying though the air and hitting the deer. It is pretty dramatic footage.

The Federal 20-gauge shotshell was loaded with the Barnes Tipped Expander slug. Federal lists the muzzle velocity at an impressive 1,900 fps from a 30-inch test barrel. From my Benelli’s shorter, 24-inch barrel, it comes surprisingly close with 1,809 fps at the muzzle. That means the slug hit that buck with 1,337 ft.-lbs. of energy, which is more than some 20-gauge Foster slugs have at the muzzle, and it’s about double the energy the Foster carries at 100 yards The buck simply toppled over.

Although the old Foster slugs often struggled for “minute of backstop” accuracy past 50 yards, when I was sighting in, this Benelli M2, which had a rifled barrel, was shooting groups with the Federal ammunition that had some of the rifle guys looking twice. In fact, this setup has the accuracy and external ballistic performance to make it a 200-yard deer gun. Sighted 2 inches high at 100 yards, it strikes 9 inches low at 200 yards and still has 1,000 ft.-lbs. of energy. That kind of performance was unheard of from a 20-gauge slug just a few short years ago. It has all trickled down from the big dog, the 12 gauge, and has completely changed the rules about shooting 20-gauge slug guns for deer.

Many of the newest slugs use polymer tips for higher ballistic coefficients. They are streamlined, lighter in weight, have a higher velocity than the 20-gauge slugs of old and, as a result, mean that the “Twenty-Bore” is no longer a deer hunting compromise. Today’s 20-gauge slug is an efficient and powerful deer hunting tool. Let’s take a look at a few of the recent innovations in 20-gauge slug ammunition from the big-name companies.

I tested the four slugs for terminal performance in both water and Perma-Gel at close range. The slugs impacted with nearly their full muzzle velocity. Both of those testing mediums are a little tougher than the standard ballistic gelatin, yet somewhat softer than big game with its bones and other variables. Expanded diameter was measured twice, 90 degrees to each other, and then averaged.

Latest

Fn 509 Cc Edge Xl Review On Rocks
Fn 509 Cc Edge Xl Review On Rocks

Review: FN 509 CC Edge XL

With increasingly more and more micro-compacts coming to the market in the last 10 years, consumers are beginning to go the other way, searching for more shootable options to carry for protection, and FN has answered with its 509 CC Edge XL.

New For 2025: Watchtower Firearms Bridger

Watchtower Firearms' latest introduction pays homage to famed explorer Jim Bridger, and this bolt-action has a few innovative features designed to make it the "ultimate backcountry hunting rifle."

Preview: Caldwell Lead Sled 3

Whether you’re zeroing your new scope or trying to find the best load for your rifle, recoil-reducing rests like the Lead Sled 3 from Caldwell offer a solid testing foundation.

Gun Of The Week: Taurus 692 Executive Grade

Welcome to American Rifleman’s “Gun Of The Week,” where our staff editors examine the firearm industry’s latest offerings. And for this episode, we have a multi-caliber, switch-cylinder revolver from Taurus on the range. Meet the 692 Executive Grade.

The Armed Citizen® Feb. 14, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Elmer Keith & The Evolution Of The .38 Special

Elmer Keith considered the .38 Special to be "too small for a man-stopper or service cartridge," but his work improved the capabilities of the round, and today's offerings are even more capable.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.