watching the outdoor channel, Mark, that cuts up deer ect., was on Block Island, using a Savage 220 20 slug gun with good success, any one using, I know not much use here in Tx., the deer are on the small side, Mark ended up with 56 portions ( I think thats correct )

I've used the 212, good guns. Looking at ballistics and reading a lot about it, in terminal performance, there shouldn't be much difference between the 12 and 20. Both are way more than you need to kill deer.

Does that mean there were 56 pieces of deer to pick up after the shot? I guess field dressing wasn't needed.

I will one day own a left hand Savage 220. I did a deep dive into slug guns a few years back, and the consensus was that 20 gauge was the way to go. It gives up very little to the 12 gauge in performance with less recoil. I had a Mossberg 12 gauge slug gun and you just about needed a mouth guard to shoot it. Probably the most unpleasant firearm to shoot I’ve owned, including brass butt plate muzzleloaders and several magnum rifles. The 220 heads been reported as a very accurate slug gun with ammo it likes.

All I have read is the 20 ga usually penetrates better than the 12 due to smaller diameter slug.

I'm currently in VA, where many counties are shotgun-only and the 220 is king. I wanted a 220, but ended up buying a 212 off a buddy from Austin at the right price. The 212s/220s are very accurate slug guns. There's an auction house in Baton Rouge that is clearancing a bunch out at sub-$300, so far. I recommend the Hornady Custom Lite loads in 12 or 20, respectively. They tend to perform very well and don't beat you up. A 300gr. sabot out of either is pretty comparable, the 20ga. just does it with less recoil.

At some point I'll chuck mine in the lathe and true up the receiver, bolt lugs, and barrel nut, and report back if it makes any difference. I'm just curious...

Never heard anything but good about the 220, and it's currently next on my list of guns to pick up.

yes, they are shooters

I would like to offer what I used and found when I was restricted to shotgun only on military bases.

I did the 220 rifled sabot thing and got frustrated with the price, accuracy of some, and availability. I bought the 220 Turkey smooth bore, installed a modified choke tube, and 4x scope, shooting regular foster slugs zero’d at 25 yards. It will touch holes at 125 yards.

I have killed over a hundred animals with it and my first scope check of the year is usually a piglet at 110 yards.

I have my ballistic sheet around here somewhere that I will post (posted). I have scribbled Moss 500 but its the same. I use this MPBR because it suits my type of hunting but you can certainly adjust. This one is for the Rem High Velocity Slugger 1800 fps but the slower ones ain’t far off. You also have the option to use Brenneke slugs and even buckshot.

The way I have it setup I can really thread the brush close range and a backbone hold at 150 yards.

Well crap. A gun I don’t have. This could cost me some$$

I also set mine in the old style black plastic stock, don’t care for the new style adjustable. I’m a simple person.