Sabot slugs

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: EatDeer

I use the standard winchester rifled slugs in my 20 gauge.  My buddy has started using the sabots, he shoots a mossberg 12 gauge, and uses 2 3/4 inch rem. sabots due to the lesser kick back of the smaller load. He has the gun scope sighted to shoot out 200 yards. I'm kinda conserned about how ethical that kind of shot is while hunting deer with a shotgun? He says he can shoot through a car battery at 200 yards, and can hit the targets every time. Seems to me that kind of shot is too far for ethical deer hunting with a shotgun. I'm not trying to talk down to anyone who uses the new bullets, I'm just digging for information that could allow me to switch over to the new sabots. I guess after next weekend I'll know how well the sabots really perform after he shoots a deer.  

 
I've been using the Winchester Partition Gold sabots for quite a few years now, and have found that they are the most devastating sabot slug I have ever seen as far as tissue damage. They hit so hard that they cause hydroscopic shock damage. The furthest deer I've killed with them was 145 yards, and it mushroomed perfectly (I recovered the slug) with great results.
 
I do know first hand of a deer that was killed at 210 yards with one, and she went right down as the slug struck where it was supposed to go.
 
Now.......I would never sttempt a shot that far with that or any slug. Not because the Partition Gold won't perform at that range, but because I can't confidently do my part consistantly at that range with a shotgun, and quite frankly I don't think anyone can. As you said, they are STILL shotguns, even though the 12 gauge Partition Gold is still supersonic at 175 yards, and still has over 1000 ft/lbs of energy....plenty for killing a deer.
 
But it's not for lack of bullet (and that's what it is really) performance!

[mag30079]

I like the winchester ammo, I use winchester slugs out of my smoothbore. I'll definently give them a try.
I think after the season I gonna take my gun to a gun smith and have him level and bore sight. For 25 bucks it's just not worth the headache. I gave it a try this time because I went to a large chain sporting store and had bad service. I'll trying the mom and pop place this time.

[Woods Walker]

I shot three deer (all does) this weekend during the first 3 day half of our Illinois firearm season.
 
The first doe I shot at 150 yards making that the farthest kill I've even made with the Winchester Partition Gold sabots from my Browning A-Bolt slug gun. She was also the BIGGEST doe I've ever shot, and most likely ever SEEN, as the body girth tape measurement I took before I gutted her said she was 191 pounds live. Believe me, she is HUGE!!!!
 
The sabot destroyed half the lungs, and left big puddles of "cranberry jelly" lungs on the ground and in the bed of my truck.
 
Same for the other two.

[Patriot]

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

I shot three deer (all does) this weekend during the first 3 day half of our Illinois firearm season.
 
The first doe I shot at 150 yards making that the farthest kill I've even made with the Winchester Partition Gold sabots from my Browning A-Bolt slug gun. She was also the BIGGEST doe I've ever shot, and most likely ever SEEN, as the body girth tape measurement I took before I gutted her said she was 191 pounds live. Believe me, she is HUGE!!!!
 
The sabot destroyed half the lungs, and left big puddles of "cranberry jelly" lungs on the ground and in the bed of my truck.
 
Same for the other two.

 
Hey WW,
Did you get any photos?  Would love to see 'em.

[Woods Walker]

I will get some photos of the doe, as she's hanging in my barn now and I will cut her up Wednesday. I can't promise that I'll get them posted here, because I've tried to post photos of some of the bucks I've killed but I can't get them to post on this site. [:(]

[Squirrelhawker]

I was just reviewing this thread and another tip I forgot which is most likely well known is, that when you make your scope adjustments, before you shoot, take the gun and lightly tap the buttplate on the shooting bench a couple times to settle the scope. When you turn the adj screws you're turning little micro gears. If you're between teeth or there is tension in the gear train, the recoil will settle the scope for you but sometimes move the point of impact.

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: Patriot

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

I shot three deer (all does) this weekend during the first 3 day half of our Illinois firearm season.
 
The first doe I shot at 150 yards making that the farthest kill I've even made with the Winchester Partition Gold sabots from my Browning A-Bolt slug gun. She was also the BIGGEST doe I've ever shot, and most likely ever SEEN, as the body girth tape measurement I took before I gutted her said she was 191 pounds live. Believe me, she is HUGE!!!!
 
The sabot destroyed half the lungs, and left big puddles of "cranberry jelly" lungs on the ground and in the bed of my truck.
 
Same for the other two.

Hey WW,
Did you get any photos?  Would love to see 'em.

[beagleman23]

I've tried a vast variety of slugs in my guns(currently a Browning ABolt 12ga and a Remington 1100 20ga) and have found mixed results.  Lightfields seem to shoot well out of almost everything I've tested but I do not like the way they perform on deer.  Remington Buckhammers shoot out of my ABolt kicking hard but do not shoot well in my 1100.  Hornady's shoot the best out of my son's Benelli and OK out of my 1100.  I shoot Federal Barnes expanders out of both current guns because the group well and perform exceptional on deer.  I have not tried the Winchester line lately as they did not shoot in a Rem 1100 12 ga I had or my son's Benelli.
   But the best advise comes from my gunsmith which is whatever the brand, keep the barrel clean(boresnake and solvent every 4-5 shots) and cool(5-15 mins between shots depending on outside temp) as we are asking a lot from a little piece of plastic(sabot) traveling between 1600-2000 FPS.  Good luck.

[vipertech]

For years I shot Winchester 2 3/4" 1oz sabots (can't recall the model name. Super X maybe?) from my 870 12g without any issue.  I tried the Winchester Partition Golds, Remington, Brenneke, and Federal sabots but the Winchester 1oz sabots seemed to give me the tightest groups. 

This past season I could not locate the same brand of Winchester sabots.  I believe they stopped making them. So I tried some of the Hornady SST 2 3/4" 300gr sabots since Dicks was running a sale.  I got better groups with these than I ever did with the Winchesters I had been using.  I bought a bunch of the SST's for my sons 870 12g as well.  He uses open sites on his gun and was able to get fantastic groups with the SST's. 

Both my son and I were successful this year using these rounds. 

[Xplorer]

ORIGINAL: fasteddie

I shoot Federal & Winchester foster slugs in my Winchester 1200 pump . I have been told several times that I shouldn't shoot rifled slugs in a rifled barrel but it has worked for several years . I inherited something from my folks that helps me clean the barrel . It's called elbow grease !
I read an article several years ago about remington slugs . It claimed that Remington slugs were a bit smaller diameter than any others and tended to "rattle down the bore" . I don't know that for a fact . I don't shoot anything that is Remington for personal reasons !

 
 I used the Hornaday SST's when I 1st bought my new slug gun. Shot 3 boxes worth up to 100 yards. Was all over at 100 yards, like upwards of 8". Had 2 boxes of Winchester rifled slugs 2 3/4 1oz that I used to finish sighting in the scope & was down to 3" groups with those. When I talked to someone at the gunshop where I went to purchase some more ammo, was told to NEVER use slugs in my rifled barrel. I had heard that before. Am I gonna screw up my gun with those? Should I find another sabot that my new gun likes? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks