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Do you hunt with buckshot?
If so what do you hunt and what size buckshot do you use?
If so what do you hunt and what size buckshot do you use?
Do you hunt with buckshot ammo?
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115 Posts
you can hunt anything with buckshot, there are actually 9 different sizes, from Tri-ball (dixie slug), which is three balls each weighing about 3/4 ounce, all the way down to #4 buckshot which, in a 2 3/4in shell, is 27 pellets, each measuring approx. 6mm. Here's a link that might help with your selection. Hope it helps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell
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9,643 Posts
Have hunted with it in the past, and am likely to in the future when the conditions are right. Not a shotgun only area, but sometimes...when hunting the deep swamps/brush were ranges are very short or no shot at all and the game tends to be spooked and moving...buckshot is just about perfect. Think my longest kill was at a little more than 30yards, with 20-25 being more common.
Will test the shotgun with 000,00, and 0. Whichever one seems to give the better patterns in the barrel at hand is the round I'll use. I'd prefer OOO or OO, but sometimes the barrel has other ideas.
Will test the shotgun with 000,00, and 0. Whichever one seems to give the better patterns in the barrel at hand is the round I'll use. I'd prefer OOO or OO, but sometimes the barrel has other ideas.
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397 Posts
I live in New Jersey which has been a buckshot state for
almost my whole life. It just became slug allowed in the
last 10 years or so. I'm not quite sure. Anyhow, my friends
and I have hunted with buckshot for a long time. I have seen
scores of deer killed with buckshot and lot of them wounded
with buckshot. My only advice is to pattern your gun with different
sizes. Use the biggest gun you can handle. I had a hump back browning 3 inch
which would pattern 00 with all the balls in a two foot circle at 50 yards. That
was exceptional. I sold it when slug hunting became legal.
Zeke
almost my whole life. It just became slug allowed in the
last 10 years or so. I'm not quite sure. Anyhow, my friends
and I have hunted with buckshot for a long time. I have seen
scores of deer killed with buckshot and lot of them wounded
with buckshot. My only advice is to pattern your gun with different
sizes. Use the biggest gun you can handle. I had a hump back browning 3 inch
which would pattern 00 with all the balls in a two foot circle at 50 yards. That
was exceptional. I sold it when slug hunting became legal.
Zeke
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5,318 Posts
I live and hunt in central NJ, and have quit using slugs in the area's I hunt. The reason is that there are simply to many houses, even in the rural areas, and buckshot does not go as far, especially on a limb shot, or similar deflection.
Buckshot is very effective, even out to 50yds with the right combination of choke and loads. I have an 870 with a Pattern Master tube in a RemChoke slug barrel with sights. It will put 9/9 00 pellets inside a 18-20" circle at 40 yds. Even at 50 yds it will have 4-5 in a 10" circle. I use Federal and Winchester premium 2 3/4" most of the time. It will do nearly the same with the 10 pellet 3" 000. I use those loads from an elevated stand. During drives, or standing from the ground I use 1 buck, and limit the yardage to 30yds or so. 4 buck is not on my list, as it lacks the energy for good penetration past 30yds, in my experience.
The trick is a good choke tube, and sights. You have to aim carefully as the pattern is actually quite small. The Pattern Master is by far the best of the $200 worth of tubes I've tried. The next best was actually the Remington Extra Full. Oddly enough, the Pattern Master is no where near as tight as a regular Full choke tube, and has an unusual geometry of ports, and little bumps in the choke.
I'm primarily a bowhunter, and I rarely shoot bucks during gun season unless it's wounded. But I usually shoot 4-6 does a year, and a large percentage of the shots I take are total bang/flop's.
Buckshot is very effective, even out to 50yds with the right combination of choke and loads. I have an 870 with a Pattern Master tube in a RemChoke slug barrel with sights. It will put 9/9 00 pellets inside a 18-20" circle at 40 yds. Even at 50 yds it will have 4-5 in a 10" circle. I use Federal and Winchester premium 2 3/4" most of the time. It will do nearly the same with the 10 pellet 3" 000. I use those loads from an elevated stand. During drives, or standing from the ground I use 1 buck, and limit the yardage to 30yds or so. 4 buck is not on my list, as it lacks the energy for good penetration past 30yds, in my experience.
The trick is a good choke tube, and sights. You have to aim carefully as the pattern is actually quite small. The Pattern Master is by far the best of the $200 worth of tubes I've tried. The next best was actually the Remington Extra Full. Oddly enough, the Pattern Master is no where near as tight as a regular Full choke tube, and has an unusual geometry of ports, and little bumps in the choke.
I'm primarily a bowhunter, and I rarely shoot bucks during gun season unless it's wounded. But I usually shoot 4-6 does a year, and a large percentage of the shots I take are total bang/flop's.
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On Target TMan
TMan:
You certainly understand the need to get multiple vital hits and knowing the limitations of your load through pattern testing of different loads and chokes. This is no different than a rifleman testing several loads and bullet weights for the best accuracy!
I think the primary reason for the negative view so many have of using buckshot for deer hunting is the common practice of buying whatever buckshot ammo is on sale at the "Mart" and "pattern testing" on deer! That approach is essentially the same as mounting a riflescope and going hunting without sighting-in.
Please share more about how you went about finding the best load / choke combination for your hunting conditions.
TMan:
You certainly understand the need to get multiple vital hits and knowing the limitations of your load through pattern testing of different loads and chokes. This is no different than a rifleman testing several loads and bullet weights for the best accuracy!
I think the primary reason for the negative view so many have of using buckshot for deer hunting is the common practice of buying whatever buckshot ammo is on sale at the "Mart" and "pattern testing" on deer! That approach is essentially the same as mounting a riflescope and going hunting without sighting-in.
Please share more about how you went about finding the best load / choke combination for your hunting conditions.
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Narrowing the search?
"Will test the shotgun with 000,00, and 0. Whichever one seems to give the better patterns in the barrel at hand is the round I'll use. I'd prefer OOO or OO, but sometimes the barrel has other ideas." Ribbonstone
Ribbonstone:
What buckshot load characteristics will you look for to narrow your search before you begin pattern testing?
"Will test the shotgun with 000,00, and 0. Whichever one seems to give the better patterns in the barrel at hand is the round I'll use. I'd prefer OOO or OO, but sometimes the barrel has other ideas." Ribbonstone
Ribbonstone:
What buckshot load characteristics will you look for to narrow your search before you begin pattern testing?
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1,370 Posts
10 gauge 000B questions.
How did you decide on a 10 gauge and what manufacturer puts out a 000B load for the big 10? What kind of pattern results do you get?
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502 Posts
I cast .311 lead RBs and load them in to 12 gauage shells and use those for Coyotes and once in a while ground hogs.
Plus I cast .690 RB for my 12 guage as a punkin' ball.
Jerry
Plus I cast .690 RB for my 12 guage as a punkin' ball.
Jerry
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1,370 Posts
Patterns and accuracy?
Please tell us about your loads, patterns and in the case of the .690 RB, accuracy.
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5,318 Posts
Well, a long time ago, I found out that there is a lot of difference between Buckshot loads, and there is not really a 100% best. I have two 870's, one with factory iron sights and a RemChoke that patterns buckshot to the same POI as Remington Sluggers, and most turkey loads. My scoped 870 has a fully rifled barrel, and a Nikon scope. When I put a shot barrel on it, without adjusting the sights, it shoots a 10" size pattern a foot low at 25yds.
I also have a 22" Turkey ventilated rib barrel that has preferences even with the same chokes I use in the Slug barrel. It throws super patterns with 2 3/4" loads from Winchester with Xtra Full or Super Full, but is almost useless with 3" loads of any buckshot I've tried so far. ??
Your "grab some at the Mart" statement is very true. Most shotguns are brand and size sensative, and plated shot almost always shoots differently than unplated. Plated is not always better. When you find a box that shoots really well, and that may change from year to year, buy several boxes, or even a case.
When my supply gets low on a particular size, I head on down to the shop, buy a couple boxes of 5 in whatever size I'm low on, and take them to the range. Then it's a matter of shooting them at 25 and 50 yds, and determining the best one by shooting a couple through various chokes, and keeping notes. As new products show up, I give them a go in the interest of science. The bottom of a large pizza box is ideal, and I save every one through the year. Label the box with the load and date, I use the shoot 'n see 6" spots.
Oddly enough, my Remingtons have never shot Remington Buck of any type, usually does well with Winchester, but rarely shoots badly with Federal, especially through the Pattern Master tube. The off brands are for home defense with a improved cylinder barrel.
But it's very important to check center of pattern, and uniformity of pattern for any load you choose. Some loads will simply not shoot well. I've found a couple that kept half the pellets on a 18" peice of cardboard at 25yds, and not a single pellet at 50yds, and others that had max width patterns at 50yds of 18". The Pattern Master tube shoots the 3" loads the best, the Super Full Rem Choke shoots 2 3/4" loads the best. My Primos Turkey tube that is outstanding with a dose of 5's, is useless with Buck in any barrel I've tried.
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Join in!
How about it Buckshot fans, join in with your experiences in finding and using the "best" load.
How about it Buckshot fans, join in with your experiences in finding and using the "best" load.
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1,846 Posts
I have had excellent patterns with the Winchester Super-X loads in 3". 12 pellets of 00. I use a cheap Remington turkey choke in my 870, and it patterns beautifully. I put 7 out of 12 in the chest and front legs of a coyote that was facing straight at me at about 40 yards,. I think that is pretty good.
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Wow, I knew there were slug and muzzleloading only states, but I didn't know there were buckshot only zones. Having killed 40 or 50 deer with .30-06s and 7mags mostly, it just sound wierd.
I have killed several deer with a bow and I rabbit, bird, and turkey hunt with shotguns, so I think it is kind of cool. Just didn't know those restricted places were out there for deer hunting.
I'd get a 10 ga!
I have killed several deer with a bow and I rabbit, bird, and turkey hunt with shotguns, so I think it is kind of cool. Just didn't know those restricted places were out there for deer hunting.
I'd get a 10 ga!
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1,370 Posts
What is the minimum acceptable pattern performance?
What is the minimum acceptable buckshot pattern for your hunting?
What choke, and buckshot load do you use? Did you pattern test several different brands/types of buckshot before deciding on a "go-to" buckshot load?
Slim 60,
What is the minimum acceptable buckshot pattern for your hunting?
What choke, and buckshot load do you use? Did you pattern test several different brands/types of buckshot before deciding on a "go-to" buckshot load?
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