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Which Slugs Do You Use?

b0huntr147

b0huntr147

Member
I live and hunt in Nebraska but the area I hunt continuously has more and more houses popping up and most of my shots are limited to 150 yards and closer. I bought a rifled slug barrel for the Benelli Nova to use as my new deer hunting gun.

Do you guys have any suggestions on slugs to use? When I was younger I used to shoot rifled slugs from my Benelli and killed a couple of deer that way when I only has 10 acres to hunt. I have been looking into the Hornady SST sabot slugs, I will also be taking the gun to Texas with me on a hog hunt at the end of the month.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I hear a lot of complaints about the Hornady SST's, buy I've shot them for years out of my Browning Gold with great results. Never had a deer make it out of eyesight. My son has also shot 2 deer with the same slugs in 20 gauge. I'd say they're worth trying.
 
Each barrel/gun will have it's own likes & dislikes as far as accuracy goes. Buy a box of a bunch of different types/brands and spend a little time at the range and see what your weapon likes. I've had good luck with the solid copper slugs (Remington or Federal) in a couple of my slug guns. Have fun!
 
I'd try the Hornady's, some Remington, and either winchester or Federal and see what the gun likes. My go to use to be copper solids before I switched guns
 
My son has been shooting the 20 ga SST's. We are very very happy with the accuracy. We have not lost any deer but if you don't hit heavy bone we have found the exit hole to be identical to entry hole. Meaning small with not a lot of blood.

I can't say for sure but I think the 20 ga.SST bullet is the same as their .50 cal muzzy bullet and I had the same experience with those. I also read somewhere that Hornady makes the TC shockwave and you will find a ton of people complaining about lack of expansion with those.

Only other slug we have tried is Light field and it would not group well out of his gun.
 
I shoot hornady sst but threaten to switch every year. Very accurate but they just punch holes. I'm in the unethical deer drive game tho so I like to see them drop. If you are just stand hunting they should work for you but just don't expect much of a blood trail. Last year I bought some American whitetail hornady slugs hoping for more expansion. They shot well out of my gun but I never got the opportunity to try them in the field. Good luck
 
Remington now--tried the Hornady---with one 165 inch big buck getting dropped in his tracks, then gets up and runs away 30 seconds later and I never saw him again---:oops:

Could have been just a bad shot, but scope was on him at 30 yards. Oh the memories.
 
I have had great luck with Federal Trophy Copper the last 2 years. I used to shoot ssts but they just don't do much damage.
 
Everyone person has a favorite, including me, but none of that matters. What your gun likes is all that matters, assuming the slug performs when it hits. (I have never hunted with SST's because they did not group for me but they are the only one I periodically hear about having poor performance.) If you try a few brands you should find one that groups to under 3" at 100 yards and maybe much better. I currently use Remington Accutips but have used copper solids and a Winchester load that is no longer available with good success.
 
Yeah, definitely try different ones to see which one ur baby prefers. I use Remington accutips and have had great results! Great expansion and usually expend all there energy inside the animal unless a really close shot.
 
Previously used Remington Buckhammer with great success. Then they quit making them. Now Lightfield Boar Buster. Very similar construction, but a little slower. Accurate, punch BIG holes and bleed deer out real quick. Got a fire sale type deal on them from Cheaper Than Dirt a few months back. My Winchester SX3 doesn't shoot copper sabots worth a damn.
 
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I know they're pricey, but after it's zeroed in I'd buy a box of several brands and pick the one that groups best.
 
I always liked the Federal sabots for accuracy but my son & I tried the Hornady SST's this year since I had a hard time finding the Federal's. I did not hunt with the SST's but my son did, the results on the deer he took were impressive. Dropped within 30 yards and both front quarters and the lungs were wiped out, never seen that kind of result with a slug.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I've got some Cabela's gift cards so I'm gonna see what they have buy several different brands you guys mentioned and hit the range. I'll hopefully have a story for the harvest report in a few weeks.
 
Federal Trophy coppers BY FAR are the top performing slug when it comes to lethality.
Hornady SST's do not have much weight retention and barely expand.
Remington Accutips have ZERO expansion, but retain a lot of their mass.
If you want to drop deer, even with poor shots, go with the trophy coppers.
I have seen deer gut shot, just lay down and die in the field from the MASSIVE internal damage they cause from expansion.
I have also seen a deer gut shot with them, and only make it 50 yards.
Every single deer that I have seen shot with good shot placement, either drop in their tracks, or barely make it 30 yards.
 
revup said:
Federal Trophy coppers BY FAR are the top performing slug when it comes to lethality.
Hornady SST's do not have much weight retention and barely expand.
Remington Accutips have ZERO expansion, but retain a lot of their mass.
If you want to drop deer, even with poor shots, go with the trophy coppers.
I have seen deer gut shot, just lay down and die in the field from the MASSIVE internal damage they cause from expansion.
I have also seen a deer gut shot with them, and only make it 50 yards.
Every single deer that I have seen shot with good shot placement, either drop in their tracks, or barely make it 30 yards.
Click to expand...
Personally had great results with Remington accutips , I picked several from harvested deer and they had awesome expansion without exiting unless real close shot. I'd definitely give them a try and they're reasonable price wise for sabots
 
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