12-gauge shotgun with slugs.Originally Posted by SwampDweller
12-gauge shotgun with slugs.
I would choose the bolt gun.
ETA:
But I’d rather have a shotgun than either.
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A compromise which was reached reluctantly, the answer for me from zero to 50 eventually became this, even though recoil becomes more problematic as I age:
One thing has not changed for me in over 50 years... when it comes to speed and "fluidity" WRT operation of a manually operated repeating long gun: pump > lever > bolt. I may not like it, but there it is.
YMMV
Last edited by gato naranja; 11-29-2022 at 08:35 AM.
gn
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I briefly owned a Ruger American Standard in 308 with a flush-fit mag. It was accurate and balanced well but nothing about the mag design or execution inspired confidence. The Predator seems like a better setup in that regard.
It's also nearly impossible to load single rounds through the ejection port, which is kind of a deal breaker across the board.
Okie John
“The reliability of the 30-06 on most of the world’s non-dangerous game is so well established as to be beyond intelligent dispute.” Finn Aagaard
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OP the most durable and reliable lever gun doesn't come out of a factory box, but there are a lot of solid gunsmiths that will turn the factory gun into what you're looking for, thanks mainly to the SASS guys/gals.
If you really want to tote around a solid lever gun it'll make a trip to see one of those guys, all the factory models have their quirks & weakness'.
In pistol chamberings like the .357 you mentioned "most" folks will favor a '73 variant or a '94 Marlin (as a starting point) but several other models will work.
If you talk to a lever gunsmith and let them know you're not shooting low level ammo (SASS) but want some horsepower, you'll end up with what you want.
Bolt guns, cycled quickly and at high round counts also show their quirks. (Except the Lee-Enfield, it has no hi-speed quirks). There are several bolt guns that are solidly reliable and with good hunting reputations that really annoy me when they are cycled fast and often. The same situation as the lever guns.
Something you or others might find of interest that I put in my notes years ago, think comment Mas made in writing somewhere about 20 gauge slugs being somewhat equivalent to 454 Casull or pair of 44 magnums though that might just be my foggy memory, got me thinking about 454 vs 20 gauge slug comparison.
Anyway I looked at 20 gauge Sabot loads since they tend to use bullets one could use for 454 (IIRC this was back when you could get a 260 Nosler Partition for 454 or 20 gauge Sabot) and 20 Gauge Sabot is basically same ballistics as 454 from levergun or similar barrel length.
So @GJM liking semi auto 20 gauge with Brenneke's makes a lot of sense to me.
Or in other words that is me saying in a convulted way a 20 gauge with slugs is comparable to 454 levergun, just in pump or better in a semiauto.
20 Brennekke's have better sectional density than 12s, which is why folks tend to prefer them for bear defense. But the only 20-gauge slug that has great accuracy at 50y is the Federal Tru-Ball variant which only comes in a 1600fps form. From experience, those things have some oomph on the backside, particularly because 20 gauges tend to be lighter actioned guns as well.Something you or others might find of interest that I put in my notes years ago, think comment Mas made in writing somewhere about 20 gauge slugs being somewhat equivalent to 454 Casull or pair of 44 magnums though that might just be my foggy memory, got me thinking about 454 vs 20 gauge slug comparison.
Anyway I looked at 20 gauge Sabot loads since they tend to use bullets one could use for 454 (IIRC this was back when you could get a 260 Nosler Partition for 454 or 20 gauge Sabot) and 20 Gauge Sabot is basically same ballistics as 454 from levergun or similar barrel length.
So @GJM liking semi auto 20 gauge with Brenneke's makes a lot of sense to me.
Or in other words that is me saying in a convulted way a 20 gauge with slugs is comparable to 454 levergun, just in pump or better in a semiauto.
But you have plenty of low recoil 12-gauge options and sectional density doesn't seem to matter much on hominoid-type creatures.
Gato, if you have not been exposed to the Haught technique to mitigate shotgun recoil please find a way. It can be effectively learned in a single day class. @TCinVA teaches it well, as of course does any Mr. Haught you might run into.
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Slugs are NOT staying in a body. They WILL over penetrate.
I had an ER nurse in a class. I noticed she kept taking all head shots. Her response when asked why, "'I've seen too many people who have been shot in the chest putting up a fight in the ER." Point taken.
Yeah slugs are not what I'd consider for home defense unless I lived on acreage and had no one in the house in other rooms.
As for the "shotgun" answer to my previous question, of course a shotgun would be a better choice, I'm just talking lever vs Ruger American bolt action if one had to choose. For instance, if you could only take one long gun with you traveling and were going somewhere where a manually operated weapon might be more wise.
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