Just a few dumb questions.

[Chappers]

Just to like to start off that i don’t know a lot about shot guns and even less about “slug guns”

Can most 12ga/ 20ga shotguns can used as a smooth bore slug gun?

With chokes, what choke is used?

I have only used rifles and now im thinking of getting a shotgun.
With my rifles i can take down all game around my area, but i always wanted to take a trip to the territory and hunt water buffalos and i don’t think my .308 would be up to the job. I was wondering if you would think a slug gun would be up to job and what gauge?
Also what type of ammo would be useful on such a beast?

I was thinking a side by side or single shot brake action shotgun

Any input and insight would be welcomed

[Noreaster]

Don't limit yourself to rifles, get a slug gun and give it a try! Two types of slugs out there, foster (rifled slug,) and sabot. You use foster/rifled slugs in smoothbore barrels (normally modified choke or improved cyclinder work best IMO,) and you use sabots in rifled barrels. Sabots do shoot better, but are much more expensive. You can use any off the shelf bird gun as a close range (about 60yds and under,) slug gun. You could also get two barrels one with rifled barrel and sights and the other a bird barrel.

Most guns now have screw in chokes and you can use a rifled choke with some slugs (see manufacture charts, Remington has a good one,) and put on some type of red dot or scope in a regular mount or even rifle type turkey sights onto the vent rib. I haven't tried them, but I hear that Federal Truball and Remington Rackmaster slugs used in smoothbore or a smoothbore with a rifled sight are just as good as sabots in a rifled barrel.

As for  water buffalo, I have no idea. Maybe a rifled barrel with partition gold winchester. Way out of my league on that question. Slugs are usually soft lead and don't hold up like a true penetrator load in a 375 or 458 rifle. I met a guy who was torn up by an african buffalo. He only lived because there was a couple of doctors on that guided hunt. No way I'd use a single shot shotgun, maybe a 600 nitro!

[Graybeard]

Shotgun slugs in general do not have nearly the penetration needed for buffalo regardless of the variety. I know a lot of folks swear by them but I think even more swear at them. If you want to take on buff then get an appropriate rifle for the job not a shotgun. They are best reserved for wingshooting and in places that require them in lieu of rifles for deer hunting.

[JimFromTN]

You need to speak with James at Dixie Slugs.  They make about the most powerful hard cast slug but they only work out of rifled barrels.

http://www.dixieslugs.com
http://www.dixieslugs.com/ssanddg.htm

[spruce]

Generally speaking side by sides and over/unders don't shoot slugs to the same point from both barrels.  You may run across one from time to time that prints both barrels to the same point at a given yardage, but even then the path of the two slugs will just be crossing at that spot.

I believe I have heard you can't use semi-auto or pump action shotguns in Australia???  Those are the two most common actions for slug shooting here, followed by single shots and a few bolt actions.

Personally I think shotgun slugs are best suited for thin skinned game in the 150-250 pound class - but even then I'd much rather use a rifle.

[Chappers]

Would you think Brenneke “Black magic magnum” (made for large/ dangerous game http://www.brennekeusa.com/startlink3.html ) would be up to the challenge of a water buffalo also if i get a shotgun that has fixed chokes what will work with this type of shot and would these would work in a shotgun proofed by 1370 bar?

Yes spruce semi-auto is band and the pump action is almost imposable to get because the type of shooters licence you must have. With you talking about a side by side have two different points of impact... i know this is a “how long is a piece of string” question but generally how far apart are we talking?

Yes i could always get a rifle thats a 375 or more but i cant really justify the cost of a rifle ($1500 AU min) that is suited for one type of game animal.
If i got a shotgun it could additionally be used for geese that are in the territory, i would only need to take one firearm with me.

I have ruled out a single shot because its always good to have a backup shot ready with dangerous game.

Still a death wish to hunt buff with a slug or is there a possibility that i could be done?

[spruce]

Reference the different points of impact with S/S or O/U's there's just no way to know (or predict) until you actually shoot it.

You might get lucky (VERY lucky) and the one you buy might shoot both barrels to the desired point of impact,  or if you're unlucky in your purchase it may be way off.

I once owned a S/S "coach gun" (20" barrels) that shot slugs about 12" apart at 25 yards.  To make it even worse it was a diagonal spread with the right barrel shooting low and right and the left barrel shooting high and left! 

[dougk]

Brenneke are very hard slugs look what they did





BUT I would not trust my life to a slug against a Water Buffalo.

Another way to look at is is your life worth the $2k AU for the right rifle?

How often will you be hunting the Water Buffalo?

Doug

[Chappers]

Wow thats some power dougk, and you don’t think they will take down a buffalo?
It looks like the 600g slug at 75m has about the same energy as a 45-70 Gov (300g) at 200m

Is there any type of choke that will not work with a rifled slug?

Also for me i think that hunting buffalo would be a once of hunt or a once in a blue moon.

[JimFromTN]

The more open it is the better.  Go IC if you can't get a rifled choke tube.  Your effective range will be about 50 yds with a bead sight.  If you are willing to get that close before taking the shot, you could go with a slug.  I'd have a tree near by that I could climb and I would have someone there as a backup.  What a rush!!  Talk about extreme hunting. 

[BBF]

When I started reading the top post I thought " Brenneke" the pics are proof of the pudding.

[maglvr44]

Nothing to it! as long as you use a Dixie Terminator! it will literally change your rifled 12ga. shotgun into what I call "My .730 Nitro Special" wound channel very closely resembles a baseball bat stuck in small end first
.73 caliber, 730grain, hardcast @ 1350fps (24" barrel) more than enough for elephants, rhino, grizz, cape buff. etc. etc. There is only one slug that is hardcast and can do this damage and Dixie is it!
Even their 20ga. will do what you want, it makes hot 45-70s look sickly! The 20ga. Xterminator = .62 caliber, 500gr. hardcast, 1500fps (24" barrel).

[JimFromTN]

There is one issue with the terminator and that is that it is strictly for rifled barrels.

[kevinsmith5]

The problem I see here is that several of you seem to think a 45-70 300 gr load would be suitable for water buffalo.  No way no how.  I load 550 gr hard cast flat nosed bullets that are designed for dangerous game and intended to be fired at 1500-1600 fps.  300 gr 45-70 loads are for whitetails.

[45-70.gov]

i  would use  my  308  over any shot gun

with one of those  solid  copper  or at  least  a good strong bullet

but  this might  be a good  option

http://www.ddupleks.lv/EN/articles/show/products

these  were designed in a country that only allows shotguns
look at  this ientire websight

they  are  a STEEL  slug......don't get much  harder
i  think  i will get   some    for  buffalo and  dinosours.....just in case

[Chappers]

well after seeing my options and talking about it, i have found my new project  but ill be overseas for most of 2010 so it looks like this will push back to 2011. (gives me a lot of time to plan)

Looks like the monolit 32 would be a good alternative has anyone used them or can produce some data?

About the shotgun, i been looking at have been side by side shotguns i know that i run the risk of them being inaccurate but it looks like ill have to get VEREY close anyway(also do you think that 28 would have any advantages over 20 smooth bore barrels?).
 
So i have been looking at shotguns like these two,


They are either have full or field chokes and priced around $500 AU, (so if i need to ditch it and scale a tree no big loss) your opinion with what i have come up with so far?

[45-70.gov]

just  pick  a barrel.....which ever one shoots  the best  or has the better trigger or  easyest to reach trigger

then  sight  that one  in.....add  a rifle  sight if you like
that  will be  your  primary barrel
90%  of your shots  will be with  this barrel

the secondary  barrel  is just there for back up

even  if  you  get  2 shots  at  distence...reload the primary

other  than  buffalo   keep  buck shot in the  seconday barrel


getting the 2 barrels to  shoot to same point of  aim  will  COST TO MUCH

never know  you  might get lucky and the will  shoot  the same  place