12-Gauge Slug
The 12-gauge slug turns a shotgun into a legal deer rifle for shotgun-only zones - and modern sabot slugs from rifled barrels reach 150+ yards with authority.
Millions of deer hunters live in shotgun-only zones, and the 12-gauge slug is their big-game cartridge - a 1-ounce projectile carrying more frontal area than any rifle round discussed here. The modern split: smooth-bore Foster slugs for classic 75-yard woods work, or rifled-barrel sabots that turned slug guns into honest 150-yard deer rifles.
What it is
Two systems sharing a hull: full-bore Foster/rifled slugs for smoothbores (~1,600 fps), and saboted sub-caliber slugs for rifled barrels (2,000+ fps) - VERY different capabilities; know which your gun is.
What it hunts best
Whitetails and black bear in shotgun-mandated zones and dense-settlement country where rifle rounds are restricted - check your zone's current rules.
Trajectory & energy
Foster: zero at 50, ~5" low at 100 - a woods tool. Sabot from rifled bore: zero at 100, ~7-10" low at 150 - a different sport. Energy 2,300-3,000 ft-lb; frontal diameter does the rest.
Recoil & shootability
~30-45 ft-lb depending on load and gun weight - genuinely stout; reduced-recoil slugs exist and kill deer just as dead inside their range.
Rifles & ammo on the shelf
Every shotgun becomes a candidate; dedicated rifled slug guns (and rifled choke tubes) widely sold; slugs on every shelf in shotgun-zone states.
12-Gauge Slug Ballistics Chart by Slug Weight
Three Hornady 12-gauge slugs from 300 to 325 grains, all from a 24-inch test barrel.
| Load | Muzzle | 50 yd | 100 yd | 150 yd | 200 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 325 gr InterLock slug (American Whitetail) - velocity (fps) | 1825 | 1651 | 1492 | 1349 | 1227 |
| 325 gr InterLock slug (American Whitetail) - energy (ft-lb) | 2403 | 1967 | 1606 | 1313 | 1086 |
| 325 gr InterLock slug (American Whitetail) - trajectory (in) | -1.5 | +2.5 | +3.2 | 0 | -7.9 |
| 300 gr FTX slug (SST) - velocity (fps) | 2000 | 1816 | 1641 | 1482 | 1341 |
| 300 gr FTX slug (SST) - energy (ft-lb) | 2664 | 2196 | 1793 | 1463 | 1198 |
| 300 gr FTX slug (SST) - trajectory (in) | -1.5 | +2.4 | +2.7 | 0 | -6.7 |
| 300 gr MonoFlex slug (Superformance) - velocity (fps) | 1950 | 1742 | 1552 | 1383 | 1239 |
| 300 gr MonoFlex slug (Superformance) - energy (ft-lb) | 2533 | 2022 | 1605 | 1274 | 1022 |
| 300 gr MonoFlex slug (Superformance) - trajectory (in) | -1.5 | +2.1 | +2.9 | 0 | -7.4 |
Loads: 325 gr InterLock American Whitetail slug, 300 gr FTX SST slug, 300 gr MonoFlex Superformance slug. Numbers from Hornady's published table for each load (links), 150-yard zero; trajectory is inches above (+) or below (-) the line of sight. Read on 26 October 2026; your gun and barrel will differ.
Bottom line
If regulations put you here, modern sabot systems mean you're barely handicapped inside 150. Match slug type to barrel type - the single thing slug accuracy depends on.
Caliber legality varies: many states set minimum calibers, straight-wall rules, or season-specific restrictions for big game, and they change. Always confirm the current regulations for your state, species and season with the official wildlife agency - this page is general guidance, not legal advice. Ballistics figures are typical factory-load approximations; your rifle and load will differ - verify at the range.
Range-day gear, whatever the cartridge
A cartridge only performs as well as the zero and the practice behind it. These are the tools for that part.
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