Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Slug Gun or Muzzleloader

Meat hunting does for me equal shotgun vs. MZ



SBE with a double thick Shaw barrel

What is the trigger like on the shotgun? How does it balance? What distance will you be shooting? My Encore Muzzle loader with 90grains of BH209, Hornady 250 grain bullets, black sabots, Zeiss 3-9 x 36MC diavari will put 3 under 2 inches at 100 yards, but I don't shoot it a lot. The BH209 cleans up without water and does smoke but not as much. I used 777 for years and it was awful as was pyrodex. BH209 is the way to go. The Encore kills with one shot, and hits where I aim. The balance is forward making it easy to hit with off hand. I have killed only 14 deer with a muzzle loader and none with a slug gun so I am not an expert on slug guns. I used buckshot as a kid. If I had it to do over again I would buy the CVA model break open gun that takes rifle barrels as well over the Encore.

I'd say a slug gun, if for no other reason than faster re-loads.

...and I'm not exactly unfamiliar with fine Muzzle loading arms, either.

I'll tell ya' one thing.

This "Muzzy" designation I see being used here is about the stupidest thing I've seen or heard this year, thus far.

GTC

right up there with "shotty"

I'd venture those using it wouldn't shy away from calling you "dude," either.

GTC

Maybe once.

Shotgun for me, if all we're talking about is practicality. Have taken deer at 200 and my biggest black bear with a shotgun, and my wife has taken deer and moose. I fail to see how a "modern muzzleloader" would do better, and there's be more hassle in at least two ways.

While I fully appreciate why the modern muzzleloader exists, if I'm going to hunt with a muzzleloader it will have a side-lock with a hammer, a wooden stock and open sights, and be filled with black powder and round or Minie ball. I have two of those, plus a couple of scoped and accurate rifled-barrel shotguns. Why would I hunt with a modern muzzleloader?

Looks like a case of over penetration to me.

For stand hunting in areas where 200yd+ shots are possible, my choice is a MLer hands down. I personally use my Savage ML10II when we hunt IA as it's accuracy and ballistics are greater than any shotgun out there. My TC Omega also has great accuracy and trajectory with Barnes 250g TMZs @ 2115fps MV over 110g BH209. A shotgun and modern sabots can't compare to the trajectory nor accuracy of today's modern MLers, projectiles, and propellants. That said, there's always that advantage to the shotgun of multiple shots and the lack of cleaning.

I've shot slug guns with many diff types of newer sabots and personally found each gun to have a definite preference for the type of ammo it preferred. It can get pretty ridiculous in price while searching for the pet load. With the preferred ammo, I've shot some that were capable of groups in the range of 2" at 100 while others struggled to make 3-4" groups. If you plan to run a 12ga, get ready for some brutal recoil with some of today's sabot loads. Like others have mentioned, the 20 is just as capable with today's loads. Not to mention the recoil is far less.

State restricts me to shotgun or ML for deer, I've used both the past 20yrs. Since a Savage with smokeless powder is legal here it has been the only gun I have hunted with. Yes, you only get one shot but I've never needed another since taking it afield. It cleans up just as easily as a slug gun and has a great trigger. It also doesn't cost me $3.00 or more per shot like premium sabot slug ammo.

one thing i didn't read is possible yardage for shot while hunting.Being born and raised in shotgun territory.I will prefer a shotgun over muzzleloader mainly for faster loading.I was raised shooting a 16ga and have taken alot of deer with it but.

Question is this your only shotgun????

if so think you might ever hunt small game,turkey or waterfowl???

Now muzzleloaders are just flat fun and i believe and more gratifying when hunting meat

So it all comes down to preference if you don't already do blackpowder you might want to stay shotgun if you want a experience you might get into blackpowder.If thinking bp More then likely you know someone that is into ask them if you can shoot with them i've never seen a friend turn down some range time

It's interesting to read through the comments by people who live in parts of the country where deer are hunted with shotguns. Here in the West, it's a lot different, and we don't get exposed to those viewpoints.

Here, the main reason for choosing the muzzleloader hunt is that the whole style of the hunt is more relaxed and pleasant, and there aren't so many people out in the woods.

It's all relaxing and fun when hunting,I hunt bow,shotgun,rifle and pistol
I'd say there are almost as may people hunting during MZer season around here now as general gun

Only benefit from my slug gun is follow up shots after I downed this one 3 more doe and 2 large buck came out and passed me this Dec. I'd already filled both buck tags or I'd of been cussin

After almost 4 years of a few of us trying thru the Wisconsin Conservation Congress our whole state is now rifle legal. You other guys might be well advised to work to get this changed in your states as well. My property was in this shotgun only area. We have since sold our three NEF 20 ga.Tracker II slug guns and am happy to see them go. They were accurate, and easy to hunt with and carry, but they were a shotgun.

The recoil from a slug gun makes it hard train new and young shooters and with the testing done at the Picatinny arsenal for the state of Pennsylvania, found the shotgun no safer as well.
The ammunition is also cost prohibitive for young shooters to practice. I just will not go deer hunting anywhere anymore that my only choice of arms is a shotgun. Good luck to you hunters stuck in a shotgun area. I do use a Sidekick muzzleloader at times so as to extend my season, but my first choice is rifle.

I'm another Savage model 220 20ga testimonial. With my Nikon Slug Hunter BDC scope, one hole at 50 and 1" at 100 yards. Moved over to 200 yards and popped a 3" group. Using the 2 3/4 Remington Accu-Tips its as deadly as a center fire. I highly recommend them to anybody who will listen and not run away.

The problem is, none of you guys is shooting the best muzzleloader ever made.

My Savage Muzzleloader will outshoot any other muzzleloader or shotgun carried in the woods for hunting. It cost me about $.70 per shot and gives me 1.5" groups at 200yds. 45grs of IMR 4227 easily gets a 250gr XTP to 2100+fps and 2300fps is a cakewalk. The 300gr Barnes can readily hit 2100-2200fps for things bigger than deer if shots pushing 300yds may be needed.

It always goes bang when the trigger is squeezed, doesn't blind you with smoke or make you taste it, and cleans as easily as any centerfire rifle.

I would NEVER hunt with a shotgun if my muzzleloader was available, and allowed.

While I have a savage 220, I usually use my older Ithaca 37, 20 ga, as most of my shots are only 40-75 yds. Standing deer have been DRT, but on moving deer a followup may be needed. So, the shotgun may be the choice, if a followup shot is needed. Hoping they pass the bill allowing straight wall handgun cartridges in rifles in my area.

Because the "modern muzzleloader" of which you speak isn't a Savage. Encores, Apex, and any other "modern Muzzleloader" are old technology. If they can't burn SMOKELESS powder, they really are not modern.

Good to see you post, GreenHornet!