00 Buck Preference
- Thread starter Martyk
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MCgunner
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There is a WMA here that's open for 2 months for hog hunting, no baiting, buckshot only. I got some Federal because it's the only buck I could find in 10 gauge and I could only find 00, no 000. However, with modified choke, it tosses a tight enough pattern that at 50 yards, I always seem to have a couple of hits on a hog's head. It shoots 13 of 18 pellets into a 30" pattern circle from 50 yards which is 72 percent. At 40 it gets a couple more in that circle for over 80 percent. I mean, I could shoot 3" 12 in my Mossberg 500 or my double, but a few more pellets never hurts. I've not shot anything, but paper with it, yet. We'll see how buck does on a hog, I hope.
CajunBass
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Yes. Quite a few I suspect. I've never killed a deer with anything else. As a matter of fact I've never seen but three deer killed with anything but buckshot. Two with rifles and one with a shotgun slug.
I always used 3" Number 1 buck. Usually Remington but I've used others too.
I'm not MC, but a WMA is a wildlife management area. At least it is in Virginia, and I suspect it's the same in Texas.
MCgunner
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Guadalupe Delta WMA Heinz Bay unit. It's near Tivoli, Texas off Hwy 35 on the way to Corpus about 20 minutes from my house. Tough hunting out there, but plenty of hogs. I figure I spend enough time out there, I'll get a shot at one. Sure wish I could at LEAST use my muzzle loader, though. 00 just seems pretty poor on a big hog. There's a Dixie tri ball thread going in the shotgun forum. Yeah, I thought about that stuff, but e-med TPWD about it and they told me it's not considered buckshot by the game wardens.
I have decided this season I'm going to tote my .45 Colt in my day pack in case I have to blood trail one in the heavy cover. I don't wanna get ate. I had to do that once and it's scary as hell. I got charged by a 200+ lber and put him down with a .357 to the head and spent the next five minutes getting over the shakes. Wow, whadda rush, LOL! You're back in that thick stuff in little tunnels on your hands and knees and swinging a long gun is impossible.
I'm not sure 00 would even leave a blood trail, though. That stuff just ain't really up to hog hunting IMHO. It'll likely take a head hit to put one down quick, at least a good sized one.
hardluk1
member
Never owned a shotgun that throwed 0 or 00 . Alway ended up with 1 buck of different brands and length and a full chock barrel over 30 years of buck shot. Buy different buck shot and get some banch time,only way to know for sure. Two guns just alike may not like the same ammo.
stiab
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00 buckshot gets a lot of attention, I think because everybody has heard of it, but most of the 100 or so serious shotgun deer hunters I have known prefer using #1 buck. It's the right combination of size and pellet count for NC sized deer from 90 to 150 lbs.
CajunBass
Member
You've got that right. Especially out of a standard shotgun. 00 may shoot ok out of a cylinder bore gun, but at least back in the day when I was doing serious deer hunting, almost nobody used a cylinder bore gun. They used full and modified choke guns and most everyone used No. 1 for just the reason you cited. The best compromise between shot size and shot count.
To the OP. You might want to look at 000 for hogs. 000 was popular also in my circle of deer hunters and I must admit that stuff killed like lightening. It snapped bones like matchsticks. If I had to use buckshot for hogs, that's what I'd go with (assuming my gun would shoot it). 000 in a 3" shell. I suspect most shots at hogs would be close.
351 WINCHESTER
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I never had good results with any buckshot/choke combo. After hitting 3 deer solidly and loosing 2 I quit deer/hog hunting with buckshot.
stiab
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Are you sure they were hit solidly? No disrespect intended, but there seems to be a contradiction there. I know from personal experience that a proper shotgun with the appropriate sized buckshot is deadly on deer, but there are also other variables involved. These include shooting distance (40 yards or less), gauge (no smaller than 12), user's scattergun experience (on rabbits and wingshooting), and other factors that may exclude the suitability for some shotguns and some hunters. Sorry you did not have a good experience, but many have.
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chevyforlife21
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we cant hunt deer with buckshot here either
X-Rap
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Buck has been restricted for deer hunting for many yrs in Mn. I remember seeing Buck Shot on the shelves of my grandpas hardware store and asking if that was for shooting Bucks. He said it once was but had been banned due to poor performance verses rifle or slugs.
That had to be 40 yrs ago, similar story in Iowa as well.
That had to be 40 yrs ago, similar story in Iowa as well.
CajunBass
Member
I on the other hand have never lost a deer I shot with buckshot. The only one I didn't drop on the spot, staggered a few yards after I jammed my gun (short shucked it) and the guy on the next stand finished it off.
You do have to limit your range, 40 yards is about max. I've never had a one shot kill, but I've only had to shoot but one more than twice.
My go to gun and load for buckshot has always been Number one buckshot out of a modified choke barrel. The gun didn't really matter. Personally I like the 3" loads, but I doubt it really makes much difference, 2 3/4" short magnums work just as well. A lot of people use full choke but I never saw where it did much different than modified.
00 buck was almost unheard of where I hunted. I can't remember but one old timer who used it. He killed deer. 000 as I said was gaining popularity just as I was quitting deer hunting for bass fishing back a few years ago. The only time I ever shot at a deer with it, I put the entire load into the side of a poplar tree that jumped inbetween me and the deer, but man it had a pretty pattern.
Oh. And the OP asked about brand. I never saw much difference. I used Remington more than anything, but that was because the little country stores, and places like Wal-Mart sold Remington. I actually like Winchester better, but believe it or not the only reason was the markings on the shell stay on better with Winchester Shells than Remington. Over time the writing on a Remington will wear off and you have to write on them with a magic marker. I've got some Winchester Buckshot that's probably at least 20 years old that you can still read the markings on just fine. I never liked Federal shotguns shells. About the only real reason is I think they're ugly.
I never said I was logical. As far as I know, they work just fine. The markings do wear off pretty easy too.
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BADUNAME37
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Gotta watch out for those jumping poplars!I on the other hand have never lost a deer I shot with buckshot. The only one I didn't drop on the spot, staggered a few yards after I jammed my gun (short shucked it) and the guy on the next stand finished it off.
You do have to limit your range, 40 yards is about max. I've never had a one shot kill, but I've only had to shoot but one more than twice.
My go to gun and load for buckshot has always been Number one buckshot out of a modified choke barrel. The gun didn't really matter. Personally I like the 3" loads, but I doubt it really makes much difference, 2 3/4" short magnums work just as well. A lot of people use full choke but I never saw where it did much different than modified.
00 buck was almost unheard of where I hunted. I can't remember but one old timer who used it. He killed deer. 000 as I said was gaining popularity just as I was quitting deer hunting for bass fishing back a few years ago. The only time I ever shot at a deer with it, I put the entire load into the side of a poplar tree that jumped inbetween me and the deer, but man it had a pretty pattern.
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