[SHusky57]

Fired perpendicular [oops- the OP meant PARALLEL- lpl] to level ground, how far will 12 gauge rounds go before they fall to the ground? Does the choke make any difference?

1: 00 Buckshot
2: Slug
3: Birdshot

[REAPER4206969]

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t8/REAPER1911-A1/howfar.jpg

[Bud Tugly]

The chart and graph near the bottom of this page partly answer your questions:

http://shotgunsportsmagazine.com/downloads/shotgun_statistics.pdf

The graph shows range with the barrel elevated at a 30 degree angle so it isn't exactly what you asked. Under those conditions it looks like every time you go one size larger in shot size you add about 15 yards to the absolute range.

[SeekHer]

Reaper, nice chart but at probably a 45 degree angle as is indicated in the "Shotgun Sports" magazine chart

The question was parallel to the ground...

I'd have to say around 25 to 40, 45 yards for bird/buck (heavier farther) and about 55, 60 for slugs...

Not hard to check out, just place in a vise or on a good BR rest and shot some at the range!

[Virginian]

Actually, what he said was perpendicular to the ground, and in that scenario you need to know the wind speed, and I would recommend a WWII style helmet. I think what he meant was probably closer to 45 degrees.

[Bud Tugly]

Assuming he meant PARALLEL TO THE GROUND and taking the nerdy scientific approach, you can calculate the time it would take for the pellets to hit the ground from the formula: distance = 1/2 acceleration x time squared, where acceleration due to gravity is 32 ft/ second squared. If we figure the gun is about 5 feet above the ground when fired then the formula becomes:

5 = 1/2 x 32 x time squared

time squared = 5/16 = .3125

time = square root of .3125 = .56 seconds

So it will take the pellets .56 seconds to hit the ground when fired parallel to the ground from a height of 5 feet. If the muzzle velocity of the shotgun is around 1200 ft/sec then the pellets would travel .56 x 1200 = 672 feet before hitting the ground.

This all assumes no air resistance, so the lighter pellets in bird shot would travel much less than 672 feet while buckshot and especially slugs might actually come close to it. Just guesstimating I'd say 300-400 feet for most birdshot, around 500 feet for 00 buck, and maybe 600 feet for slugs.

[SHusky57]

I meant parallel.

Basically why I am wondering:
a) you are responsible for every pellet
b) one of your pellet misses target
c) how far will pellet go.

[Jim Watson]

Since you are "responsible" for every pellet, you should not limit yourself to a horizontal shot. Even a little elevation adds a lot to the range. Refer to Reaper's chart for the maximum. Which is attained at well under a 45 degree launch angle, we live in air not a vacuum, and that makes a big difference. No 7 1/2 will carry out about 240 yards past the typical Trap or Skeet shot, for example. That is both by calculation and field test that I witnessed.

[Bud Tugly]

Well, you'd better assume that your pellets can travel several hundred yards if you're shooting PARALLEL to the ground. Since we normally shoot shotguns elevated above the parallel, the range is considerably farther than that, especially for slugs and buckshot.

The rule that you shouldn't fire your gun unless you know what's BEHIND your target should always apply.

[Bud Tugly]

Years ago some friends and I were grouse hunting and happened to be walking along the shore of a remote lake. Apparently some folks were duck hunting from the opposite shore since we saw lots of ducks and heard gunshots coming from that side.

We heard pellets whizzing through the tree branches above us and the lake was at least 1/4 mile wide, so their shots carried at least that far. I suppose they had lost most of their energy by that time, but I still wouldn't want to have been hit by them.