Ammunition Questions?

For the 30-06 I have had excellent results with 165gr boat tail soft points. On the shotgun I don't hunt with slugs so I don't know.

30-06 is a large Caliber for Deer. You could use a 150gr. Bullet by any name brand manufacturer; I prefer Federal. Anything larger is overkill and will bruise the meat and shatter bones. Although you can get cheaper, or army surplus ammo, I would not recommend using it, because it may be corrosive, and the bullets could be steel-core, whereas the bullet would not mushroom, and just pass through the animal and continue. Use a 180gr. (or larger) Bullet if you ever decide to go for Moose.

As for the Model 12, I would use Slugs. Rifled Slugs will still spiral out of the Barrel, and with the Model 12 you have a reasonably long Barrel, allowing for a more precise trajectory. I would judge distances the same way as with your Muzzleloader. Being of a Bow/Muzzleloader background I think you could appreciate the logic. A slug is 1 large particle. It will hit with a large impact and make a clean kill, not spatter the deer with pellets leaving it injured. If you miss, the deer is still OK, and you only have to feel bad about being a lousy shot lol . Basically, you will bag a deer if you deserve it.

Note of Interest: The model 12 is rare in the way it fires. You can hold the trigger back (don't release) and it will fire every time you pump and close the chamber. Hence, 1 trigger-pull for 5 shots (or more). This is great if you need followup shots, because you can just continue aiming and pump away.

Personally, I think if you can't hit it with the first 2 shots, you don't deserve it.; but that's just me.

For deer in the .30-06 you really don't need more than a 150grain bullet. The 150 will offer the best trajectory (flattest shooting) while still giving you the mushrooming/fragmentation you need to effectively down your animal.

For the 12 gauge, try a few brands of 2.75" rifled slugs and forget the buckshot. Find the slug that works best for you and stick to it. I personally find nothing wrong with the "cheap" Winchester slugs. Buckshot wastes too much meat at close range and isn't as effective at moderate shotgun ranges. Do not use sabot style slugs in your smoothbore! Sabots are made for rifled barrels and will not get any "spin" on them while traveling thru a smoothbore - this is what "rifled" slugs are made for!

The Springfield is in refrence to the Springfield Armory where the first rifle (Springfield Mod. 1903A3 ) chambered for the 30/06 was produced. The .30 is the calibre ( .308 of an inch ) and the 06 is the year it was adobted by the US Government, 1906.

For the 30-06 I prefer the 180 or 220 grain bullets. For the Shotgun I use Remington Sluggers.*

any 2 3/4 inch buckshot...maybe a single ought...for the 06 Id say any good quality brand name 150 grain or 165 grain load...Remington or Federal..