Question:
I'm getting along in age and carry an old Browning Auto 5 which must weigh in
at over 9 pounds. My arms are 3" longer after a day of hunting. With the
success I've had with this gun, I hate to give it up. But, I eventually have
to look for something alot lighter because of my arthritis and was considering
20 gauge.
Using magnum 3" slugs, is this enough for whitetail? Which models weigh the
least? I do expect to do a little quail/phasant hunting so I'd like not to
get just a slug gun. any ideas?
Answer:
I have taken many deer with a 20ga and slugs. I used to hunt deer
exclusively with a Mossberg 20 bolt action shotgun, and it proved plenty
gun for the whitetails I hunted. If you are used to slug hunting, and
it appears you are with the Browning, you should have little trouble. I
always enjoyed my days out after deer with the 20ga, and I typically
kept some #6 handy for when the deer were playing scarce and the grouse
and pheasant weren't. I have not hunted deer now for a few years, but
would not hesitate to do it again given the right opportunity. I never
did get into trying the SABOT slugs, I hear they could have increased my
accurate range a bit. Thing is, most of my deer were taken at less than
40 yards. No problem at all for the 20.
