Moose with a 20G sabot?

[Ithaca]

Newbie here... first post.

I'm a middle aged hunter in shotgun-only deer country. I sold my rifled H&R 12G last season because I convinced myself that a 20G sabot is just fine for deer. Bought a TC ProHunter (very happy so far). Then, I pulled a moose tag for Maine this Fall!!!

Is a 3" sabot 20G enough for a moose out to 100yds? This is the north Maine Woods, not Montana with long shots.

I could invest in a rifle barrel for the TC, but the hunt will be stretching my wallet a bit as it is. I don't want to make compromising shot on a moose though...

Thoughts?

Thanks!!!

[richhodg66]

I'm sure it would, but I think I would find a rifle somewhere if this was a limited opportunity to hunt a moose.

[BMW Rider]

Having had the privilege to shoot a couple of beautiful moose in northern Maine (both over 800#/48" spread), you will never predict the range. Never assume it will be close, there are plenty of opportunities for long (>300 yards) shots everywhere in the north Maine woods. It's a once in a lifetime hunt, so why be foolish mess around to limit yourself to under a hundred yards, get a rifle capable of doing the job at 0-600 yards and be comfortable with it. You owe this too the animal(s) you are planing to harvest; invest in a capable firearm. It will be less than the price to fly to your once in a lifetime hunt, IMHO.

[merlin101]

Monies tight, we can all understand that, I bet if you ask around somebody you know has a rifle they'll loan out.

[tinhorn97062]

20ga slug in the boiler room will get it done. Go hunt and post back with your kill.

[NyFirefighter357]

Being in a shotgun only area I have rifled shotguns and understand there performance. I've uses both 12ga & 20ga. The SST Shotgun Slug delivers accuracy and you'll achieve sub-2" groups at 100 yards. 20 GA 250 gr FTX® delivers an impressive 1200 ft/lbs of energy at 100yrds. . With a 150yrd zero you have about 1300FPS with about 980 FTLB of energy in a ballistic tip 45cal pistol round at that range.

The Remington Premier AccuTip 20 Gauge 3" 260-Grain Bonded Sabot Slugs are 58cal with a MV of 1900fps with 95% weight retention. They have a listed 100yrd FTLB of 1193.

With all that said, researching moose hunting the "rule" is at least 1500FTLB of energy at the target. This extremely limits your shots to under 100yrds.

Yes it can be done but your limiting yourself a lot for a "once in a lifetime hunt"

I find my buddies 300win mag has less recoil than my 12ga rifled bolt action Marlin Slug master. Ask around somebody you know has a rifle they may be willing to let you use.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/moose_cartridges.htm

[Petander]

I've hunted moose for 25 years now. Shot about ten myself but our club gets 8-12 every year.

I've also tested 20 & 12 slugs quite a lot,cast and others. Accuracy,chrono,penetration... I would not use any shotgun for any moose hunt, there are proper expanding jacketed bullets and accurate rifles for them.

When the moose is approaching,you don't want to worry about your equipment or skills. I've tracked a few, usually shot bad because of lack of confidence. Tracking can take days with lots of people and dogs involved. You don't want that.

My choices have been 45-70 & 300 WM mostly. Never wounded one myself,knock,knock...

[Ithaca]

Well, there seems to be some consensus about sticking with a rifle. It's not surprising, and as some said, this may be a once in a lifetime opportunity... so why limit myself. I appreciate the advice! I'll start asking around or looking for a used TC barrel in .270 or 30-06 and see what I can come up with.

[psweigle]

A 20 gauge slug will do the job just fine within 100 yards.
The calibers you mention are a much better option. It's a once in a lifetime hunt, so I would search to borrow a rifle and get lots of practice with it.

[Tripplebeards]

30-06 with 180 grain core locts will accurately shoot through a moose as far as you can see.

I’ve used 3” Remington accutips out of my savage 220. Bang, flop on white tails.

[kycrawler]

Pawn shops around here you can buy used Savage axis for $175 put some decent rings and glass on it and go hunt. New axis or rem 770 with a cheap scope are $250 ish at Walmart here new rem 700 adl with cheap scope are $379

[Petander]

30-06 with 180 grain core locts will accurately shoot through a moose as far as you can see.

Yep and much less to worry about trajectory / leade at normal ranges.

[Petander]

I’ve used 3” Remington accutips out of my savage 220. Bang, flop on white tails.

Hornady 350 FN @ 2150 here. 45-70.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I have loaned rifles of the .30-06 kind and a few of the magnum kind to friends that pulled a Michigan elk permit to use. Ask a friend or 2 about using a rifle they have with some ammo. Later on you can repay the favor however you decide on.Robert

[dk17hmr]

Being an encore I'd personally just pick up a rifle barrel of in something that will shoot a 180gr bullet in the 2800fps+ range.

No reason a 20 gauge wouldnt work just fine though. Ballistics are on par with 50 caliber muzzleloader.

[fatnhappy]

It ain't a love tap. This area of NY used to be shotgun only, my county still is as a matter of fact.

I can't imagine it would be hard to borrow a 06 or .308 though.

[quilbilly]

As dk17 just said, Balistics are on a par with a 50 cal PRB. Our forefathers seemed to manage just fine with 50 cal PRB's and the 20 ga saboted bullet makes a bigger hole. Go forth and get your moose. Just keep the shot under 125 yards and put that big slug in the right place by taking your time with tat one shot.

[Geezer in NH]

No offence but I killed my Bull in Maine with a 54 flintlock. Have a video of stem blowing out both sides of the chest just before he collapsed. Range 35 yards. If 75-100 would have been same results.

In NH my state shot a 700 plus pound cow (SHE WAS CALLED 8 YEARS OLD BY BIOLOGIST) Again 54 round ball flintlock watched the ball skip off the pond/swamp water behind her. She went 10 yards into 8-12 feet of water died and floated nose only. That water was cold that week in October.

Shoot the moose in the lungs it will die. The guide in ME did not like my flintlock but learned a lot from it.

[Tripplebeards]

I’ve seen Ruger Americans on sale for as little as $279

BTW...I want to go!!!

[MT Gianni]

Encore barrels are really cheap in 7 Remington and 300 Winchester magnum. Few want to shoot them just for recreation. Load them down to a little over 30-06 velocities and you save $100 on the bbl.