Buckshot goes where? Deer

[Todd1700]

Wow. Lot of varied opinions here. I used buckshot back in the days when most people around here hunted deer with dogs. Here is what I can tell you.

1. Pattern your shotgun to see what it's doing. Yes you can pattern it. It's not just a matter of how far a buckshot pellet is lethal. It's also a matter of how far it will hold a dense pattern. Try different chokes and loads because you will see big differences in various combos.

2. Despite wild claims of long kills you better keep your shot's inside 45 yards. Buckshot is very lethal at close range but runs out of steam fast.

I killed a lot of deer with it back in the day. It's nothing fancy but it works. Most deer lost using buckshot are typically due to shot's taken at too long a distance or by people hitting the woods without ever test firing a single shell to see how their guns pattern it.

 

[Yarddog]

Wow. Lot of varied opinions here. I used buckshot back in the days when most people around here hunted deer with dogs. Here is what I can tell you.

1. Pattern your shotgun to see what it's doing. Yes you can pattern it. It's not just a matter of how far a buckshot pellet is lethal. It's also a matter of how far it will hold a dense pattern. Try different chokes and loads because you will see big differences in various combos.

2. Despite wild claims of long kills you better keep your shot's inside 45 yards. Buckshot is very lethal at close range but runs out of steam fast. .

^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bingo This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Y/D

 

[Stumpknocker]

There's a company called DixieSlugs that makes a 3-ball buckshot round:

From their website (http://www.dixieslugs.com/):

What is Tri-Ball 3"?
Tri-Ball 3" is a development at Dixie Slugs for 12 ga. 3" Magnum! It has 3-.600" hard alloy cast round balls/buckshot, gives a velocity of 1050+/-'/". It is classed a buckshot, albeit very large buckshot. The three balls/buckshot will pattern 3 1/2" (center to center) at 25 yards and still be well within the kill zone at 40 yards or beyond, depending on the choke. There is no load like it anywhere! It is designed for smoothbore barrels with choke diameters from .685"/ .690" (avg. Full Choke) and under, however it will work well in the Trulock .660"/Remington Turkey (.665") choke tubes. It has been reported that a .675"choke seems to be ideal. These choke tubes will produce an average of 6" pattern (or less) with the three balls at 40 yards. It is legal in buckshot only areas.

 

[Doc/John]

OO Buckshot or rifled slug

I have used both with equal success....Got one last season on a dead run at 65 yards with buckshot.

Generally, 75 yards is about the shot max to try. You should have about a 15 to 20 inch kill circle at 60 yards.

The thing about buckshot is that unless you are really close, there is little to no blood trail; however, if it is a good shot, they generally don't go more than 50 yards.

 

[.45Guy]

Buckshot has always worked well for me, however my circumstances are a bit different. When filling nuisance tags, and knowing where they bed, ranges are kept to a minimum.

 

[shaggy430]

We have a special shotgun only WMA hunt close to where I live in TN that I try to get drawn for every year. I use an 870 with a modified choke and a B-Square scope mount with rifled slugs and I can get 3 shots touching at 50 yards. That's plenty accurate for me. I don't feel the need for a rifled barrel with that kind of accuracy.

Here are some examples of a saddle mount. They are well worth the money and can be taken off and on in about a minute.

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...Id=14069&categoryString=657***8705***11683***

 

[FLAvalanche]

Hunting is a lot like sex

Bullcrap!

I've passed up on sex for other things many times. I've never passed up on hunting...

 

[Myles]

I've used #4 Buck within 40 yards and been happy with it. Then again, if it's longer than that, you should have a rifle or swap in a slug.

 

[HOOfan_1]

I use 12 gauge 3 inch magnum #1 buck, shot two with it. One at about 40 yards, the other at about 60. Aimed at the same vital zone I would have with a rifle. Never lost a deer shooting it with buckshot, neither deer made it more than 15 yards before falling down dead.

Isn't it interesting that some states expressly forbid buckshot, while in some localities, buckshot is the only legal method for shooting a deer with a firearm? Someone making the rules in one of those localities has to be wrong.

 

[shawnbeachside]

prior planning prevents p%$$ poor performance

A 12 gauge shotgun is a great deer gun. Preparation is the key to success. If you want to shoot slugs thru the rifled barrel it is imperative that you try several variations, several manufacturers make slugs (sabot or not) in different weights, and at different velocities. In most cases they will all group differently out of the same gun! Pick one that works for you, usually energy is sufficient to kill a deer out to 125 yds, hitting it is the hard part. Pick a lighter weight slug at lower velocity for less recoil.

If you decide to go with buckshot you MUST pattern your gun with various sizes and brands of shot, and with different chokes! I.E. my remington 1100 shoots 2 3/4 inch federal premium, which are 9 copper plated and use the flight control wad, into a pattern approximately 20 inches at 40 yards. The same gun and barrel shoots winchester , unplated and no wad cup, into a 38-40 inch group at the same distance. I also get better performance with large shot out of a imp. cyl. choke than full.

Pattern your gun and keep in mind that buckshot pellets are lightweight and loose their energy quickly. 50 yards is the farthest I would try a shot on a deer with it.

 

[oklahoma caveman]

Daniel Boone psoted

A archer would not think of just buying a plain old recurve bow and some plain old wood shaft arrows

I did. I hunt with a plain ole recurve bow and sometimes plain ole wood/cane shafts. And it works for me.

Now back on topic...

Listen to the folks that are telling you to pattern the buckshot and keep your shots under 40 yards. Yes it can work at longer ranges, but the odds of a quick clean kill go down at the longer ranges. If you do not want to wait till they are archery close then use slugs and find a load that you can shoot accurately

 

[CoastieShep]

00 buck from a 12ga? Won't that blow the deer through a sliding glass door and over a balcony? Or through the door, across the hallway?
Sorry, had to post it. I have no experience with buckshot, so I find this thread interesting.

 

[Dutterer]

... I've never heard a parallel like "hunting is a lot like sex"...

Very impressive logic!