Just out of curiosity. Which gun would be more effective at harvesting a deer say 100 yards. CVA .444 or my Remington 870 12 gauge sabot slugs?
Which gun?
- Thread starter BackwoodsRebel
- Start date
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
Having hunted Michigan with rifles over the years I'd say hands down 12 gauge from my experience. My buddy used a 444 for a few years but lost to many deer with it. Most of the shots where we hunted were within 80 yards. jmo
Not to knock your buddy but IMHO it was the poor shot placements that caused the lost deer. A 444 Marlin is just like a 45-70 and will kill every animal in the lower 48 states with the proper bullet and shot placement at 80 yds. Just my experience with the 45-70 rifle and 44 mag in pistol and rifle. I've taken 22 deer with the 44 mag pistol longest shot being 50 yds. and a 444 Marlin is close to twice the energy of the 44 mag pistol. I've also taken several deer with the 44 mag rifle in the past. One was a 'Texas heart shot' at 40 yds. The lead bullet entered 1" to the right of the butt hole and the exit was in the lower neck with complete end to end travel through the large doe. I believe I would have gotten almost the same results at 80 yds.
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Thanks. Good to know! .444 is going to be my stand gun. Now I just have to see how far I can shoot accurately! Using hornadys super proformance.
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
How far is a 44 rifle good out to? If its only 80 yards then I'd go with a shotgun for sure.
The deer my buddy did kill with his 44 went a long way after being shot in the vitals. We were not impressed with the damage done by the 44.
Everyone has there opinion on what to use. Mine is hands down a shotgun with a rifled barrel and whatever sabot the gun shoots best.
Lumber head 75
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A 444 rifle will shoot just as far a shotgun as long as you know the correct yardage with both guns. No deer will survive a proper shot placement through the vitals with either a rifle or shotgun. Damage from a shotgun is larger but proper shot placement is more important. Dead is dead and you can't over dead a animal. It's up to the hunter to take the proper shot and correct tracking afterwards.
I gotta disagree with you here. Yes, dead is dead... But IMO shot placement doesn't trump the damage and shock factors. A round that enflicts more damage and shock is going to give you more room for error. Sure, shot placement is important. But deer aren't static critters. They move, shit gets in the way, people flinch... No situation is ever perfect. If it was, we'd all be taking head shots instead of heart/lungs. A .22 will kill a deer just as dead as a shotgun slug. That doesn't mean a .22 is an equivalent round.
Lundy
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You guys are not seriously comparing the ballistics of a Savage 220 slug gun with Accutips to a .444 Marlin at distance and saying that the 220 is better are you??
Not really comparing apples and oranges, The 220 is more like an inverted banana in trajectory when compared to the .444. The .444 is a point and shoot out to 200 yds with no deviation from zero exceeding 2-1/2", high or low and is still maintaining over 1500 Ft lbs of energy when it arrives at 200 yds, more than twice what the Accutips or any other 20 ga slug can deliver.
The Savage 220 with the Accutips slugs is the best 20 gauge slug gun going, no doubt about it, but it is till just a 20 ga slug gun that runs out of juice down range, no way to change that fact, it is just the science of mass, velocity, BC and gravity.
To the OP, If you are looking for a good deer gun that will kill deer under 150 yds any will work for you but a 12 ga is far better than a 20 at distance provided they have equal accuracy capability.. If you are looking to push that out to 200 yds and want the flattest trajectory, highest energy delivery load the .444 Marling is an easy, easy, clear cut winner.
Not really comparing apples and oranges, The 220 is more like an inverted banana in trajectory when compared to the .444. The .444 is a point and shoot out to 200 yds with no deviation from zero exceeding 2-1/2", high or low and is still maintaining over 1500 Ft lbs of energy when it arrives at 200 yds, more than twice what the Accutips or any other 20 ga slug can deliver.
The Savage 220 with the Accutips slugs is the best 20 gauge slug gun going, no doubt about it, but it is till just a 20 ga slug gun that runs out of juice down range, no way to change that fact, it is just the science of mass, velocity, BC and gravity.
To the OP, If you are looking for a good deer gun that will kill deer under 150 yds any will work for you but a 12 ga is far better than a 20 at distance provided they have equal accuracy capability.. If you are looking to push that out to 200 yds and want the flattest trajectory, highest energy delivery load the .444 Marling is an easy, easy, clear cut winner.
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Lundy you know more about guns and ballistics than 95% of our members so I'll take your word for it. I just love my 220... so I think it's better than EVERYTHING. lmao
Lundy
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I get that, everyone always thinks their gun or bow is better than the other guy but then always seems to think the other guys wife is prettier than his
Hahahahhaaaaa so true!I get that, everyone always thinks their gun or bow is better than the other guy but then always seems to think the other guys wife is prettier than his
I like my trip 4's with my reloads but it sure can ruin a lot of meat. as for a shotgun, I prefer my 20 gauge 870 over the 12 gauge. Lighter to carry, shoots flatter than the 12. I also have a contender in 430 jdj, the same thing as a trip 4's