mossberg 385t and buckshot?

[FL-NC]

I have a full choke Mossberg 385t bolt action 20 gauge that was bought at a yard sale for $40 in the 80's. Its a weird gun to me (2 shot detachable mag) and has been used for things like squirrels or pest control over the years, but that's it. I was thinking about using it with buckshot for deer in the Florida jungle I'll be hunting in down the road from my house this year (all ****s very close in this stuff). Would buckshot be ok to fire in a full choke gun like this? I was under the impression that large shot should be fired from IC.

 

[mgmorden]

Buckshot should be fine out of a full choke barrel. Depending on pullet size sometimes a wider choke will produce a tighter pattern - my understanding is that too tight of a choke will slightly "bounce" the pellets off of each other as they exit. IE, in most 12ga guns I've found 00 tends to pattern better out of a Modified choke than a full.

Still, its perfectly safe to fire buckshot out of a full choke, and actually the first deer I ever killed was taken with an NEF Pardner 20ga full choke with #3 buckshot. My dad's preferred buckshot gun for decades has been an 12ga 870 Wingmaster with a fixed full choke.

FWIW, though the "traditional" buckshot load for 20ga is #3, it's my understanding that some companies are now making 20ga #1 buckshot too. I'd pattern both of those and if #1 patterns well I'd go with that.

 

[RMc]

very close in this stuff

Indeed so! Take a look at this Florida deer hunt for an idea of just how close. Forward to 3:05 for the take down.

hwww.youtube.com/watch?v=yvDMN4PlcZA