Slug Guns vs. Straight-Wall Rifles

Straight-wall rifle cartridges have been around for more than a century, but it wasn’t until fairly recently that many Midwest and East Coast hunters were allowed to take rifles chambered for them deer hunting. Traditionally, densely populated states like Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana required deer hunters to use slugs from shotguns, as those projectiles have limited range compared to necked centerfire rifle cartridges. But some of those states began loosening their regulations a few years ago and allowing some straight-wall rounds to be used, too. Traditional favorites included the .45-70 and some rifles chambered for revolver rounds, like the .44 magnum. But the popularity of straight-wall rifles really surged when Winchester introduced the .350 Legend in 2019.

With many former shotgun-only states now allowing straight walled rifle cartridges, manufacturers are stepping up with new options. Image by Justin Moore/Danger Soup

The new cartridge could shoot 150- to 180-grain bullets to a little over 2,000 feet per second, and it worked in bolt-action rifles, single-shots, and semi-automatics too. The .350 Legend’s recoil is very mild, especially compared to a .45-70 or shotgun slug, and the cartridge has become extremely popular (even outside of straight-wall states). Rifles are now available from most major gunmakers, and all of the major ammo makers are factory loading .350 Legend. The cartridge has inspired other new straight-wall cartridges too, including the newer .400 Legend and Remington .360 Buck Hammer.

A quick trip to the range proves the improved range and accuracy of straight walled rifle cartridges over shotgun slugs. Image by Justin Moore/Danger Soup

Because of this boom in straight-wall rifles, many whitetail hunters in traditional slug gun states are making the switch from shotguns to rifles. Should you be one of them?

What Is a Straight-Wall Cartridge?

Straight-wall cartridges like the .350 Legend are not tapered like bottle-necked centerfire rounds. That design translates to lower pressures, velocities, and limited distance compared to necked cartridges like the .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor, which also use more aerodynamic, smaller-diameter bullets that fly faster and shoot flatter. For comparison, a 143-grain bullet from a 6.5 Creedmoor, sighted in 2 inches high at 100 yards, drops only about 8 inches at 300 yards. A 180-grain bullet from a .350 Legend, sighted in 2 inches high at 100 yards, drops about two and a half feet at 300 yards.

Straight walled cartridges like the .360 Buckhammer offer more range and increased accuracy over shotgun slugs. Image by Justin Moore/Danger Soup

But straight-wall cartridges typically offer increased precision over shotgun slugs, which is a significant reason why so many Midwest whitetail hunters are jonesing to shoot their next buck with one. There is also less recoil associated with many straight-wall cartridges than shotgun slugs, making them accessible to a wide range of hunters.

Straight-Wall vs. Slug Gun Ballistics

When trying to decide if a straight-wall rifle cartridge or a slug gun is better, the first thing to do is see what’s legal and what isn’t in your state. The requirements often include maximum case lengths, which means most straight-walls are legal, but not all of them. A few options, though, are the most popular including the .350 Legend, .360 Buckhammer, and .45-70. A quick study of the ballistics of those cartridges compared to shotgun slugs tells you most of what you need to know.

.350 Legend: The .350 Legend is loaded with .357-caliber bullets, and was designed to at once produce less recoil but higher muzzle velocities than standard .45-70 loads. If you are shooting a .350 Legend offering with a weight of 170 grains and muzzle velocity of 2,200 fps and zero it at 100 yards, it drops 8.9 inches at 200 yards and 32.8 inches at 300 yards. At 100 yards, the 170-grain bullet delivers 1,281 ft/lbs. of energy; 882 ft/lbs at 200 yards; and 609 ft/lbs at 300 yards.

.360 Buckhammer: Remington’s new .360 Buckhammer is rimmed and designed specifically for lever-action rifles, though it works well in single-shot platforms, too. It carries more whallop than the .350 Legend, and even a bit more than the classic .35 Remington. With a .360 Buckhammer, you can expect a 180-grain bullet to leave the muzzle at just under 2,400 feet per second and retain almost 1,000 ft/lbs of energy to 200 yards. The Buckhammer recoils a bit more than the Legend, but it’s still a mild kicker overall, especially compared to a slug gun.

.45-70 Government: The .45-70 was used by the U.S. military in the late 1800s and is closely associated with the settlement of the American frontier. It was initially a blackpowder cartridge, and was phased out of military service in the 1890s due partly to the advent of smokeless powder. But hunters found the .45-70 to be useful for big game such as bears, moose, and elk. The cartridge has seen a resurgence in recent years thanks to in part to the new straight-wall regulations. Traditional .45-70 loads had a .45-caliber lead bullet weighing 405 grains, but most deer hunters opt for lighter, faster jacketed bullets. Zeroed at 100 yards, a 300-grain .45-70 bullet at 1,850 fps drops 11.9 inches at 200 yards and 41.6 at 300 yards. It delivers 1,731 ft/lbs. of energy at 100 yards; 1,307 ft/lbs. at 200 yards; and 1,003 ft/lbs. at 300 yards. The .45-70 is also versatile and can be loaded substantially heavier for approved firearms.

Rifled Slug: Before Karl Foster invented the “Foster-style” or rifled slug in the 1930s, shotgun slugs were simply round balls of lead. Foster’s innovations gave the projectile improved accuracy. Small cuts were made into the side of the slug, which many hunters think causes the slug to rotate, but they actually stabilize it in flight so it shoots flatter. Rifled slugs are hollow at the base, which also adds to their stability. If you have ever seen a shuttlecock flying through the air in badminton, it’s the same concept. Rifled slugs have a limited effective distance of 75 to 100 yards. Most hunters are going to zero a rifled slug at 50 or 100 yards and not shoot much beyond the latter distance. A 1-ounce (438-grain) 12-gauge slug has a muzzle velocity of 1,610 fps from a 2 ¾-inch shell. When zeroed at 100 yards, the drop is severe, 25.2 inches at 200 yards and more than 90 inches at 300. It delivers 1,260 ft/lbs of energy at 100 yards; 839 ft/lbs at 200 yards; and 640 ft/lbs at 300 yards.

While saboted slugs offer increased velocity and accuracy over rifled slugs, neither can match that from most straight-walled rifle cartridges. Image by Federal Ammunition

Saboted Slug: A sabot is basically a sleeve that cups a smaller diameter, more aerodynamic projectile inside the shotgun shell. The first sabots date back to the 17th century, when engineers used sabot-like casings to improve cannonball accuracy. Today’s saboted slugs are more stable, accurate, and ballistically superior to rifled slugs, especially when fired through rifled shotgun barrels. The rifling improves accuracy and the effective range, so that slug gun hunters can get rifle-like precision from their shotguns. Zeroed at 100 yards, a 2¾-inch 12-gauge sabot slug with a weight of 300 grains and a muzzle velocity of 2,000 fps drops 11.6 inches at 200 yards and 42.6 inches at 300 yards. It delivers 1,795 ft/lbs of energy at 100 yards; 1,199 ft/lbs at 200 yards; and 841 ft/lbs at 300 yards.

Making the Switch to Modern Straight-Walls

Modern straight-wall cartridges offer multiple advantages for hunters looking for effective ballistic performance. True, a 12-gauge saboted slug carries more energy than a .350 Legend, but the advantages pretty much stop there. The .350 Legend is flatter shooting and produces noticeably less recoil than either a 12-gauge rifled or saboted slug, making them easier and more enjoyable to shoot. The rifles tend to be inherently more accurate than even the best slug guns, too.

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While rifled slugs have a maximum effective range of about 100 yards, the .350 Legend can be extended to beyond 200 yards, offering whitetail hunters a decisive advantage. Straight-wall rifles tend to be lighter than rifled slug guns, making them easier to carry and maneuver, and you can take your pick of bolt-action, lever-action, single-shot, and semi-automatic platforms. So in the end, yeah, maybe your old slug gun is still working just fine on whitetails. But a new straight-wall rifle will be undeniably better.

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