Mossberg 500 shells for H.D. and Deer hunting

[makorunner013]

I am new to shotguns can someone help me out. What is a good shell to keep in my shotgun for Home Defense and for Hunting. The gun can handle (6) six 2/34" shells or (5) five 3". Keep in mind Florida Deer are small compared to most states. Extremely small, "Doe like in fact" and the shell limit your gun can hold is (4) four shells. My question is what size, 2 3/4" or 3", Deer Slug or Buck Shot and if buck shot what size 0 - 00 - 000 for hunting. What size for Home Defense keep in mind most Floridian criminals are fat. Extremely fat "Tub of Lard Fat" 2 3/4" or 3" Buck or bird shots? Thanks, Rick.

 

[essayons21]

2 3/4" 00 buck is a pretty standard and effective load for those purposes.

 

[Sediment]

I personally keep 7 rounds of 3" Magnum 00 buck loaded in my Mossberg 500 for HD. I don't know the hunting laws in your state, but I often hear people say the legal limit is 3 (or 4) rounds in a shotgun. If I understand the hunting laws correctly you are allowed to have 3 shells max in a pump or auto while hunting. But for the same weapon in the house, not in the field, you can fill it up to max capacity.

In regards to the shot size you are asking. What are your intentions for HD? Is it to stop the threat with the least amount of pain/damage/death possible? Or is it to stop the threat in the least amount of shots fired as possible?

Bird shot is very lethal at close range (15ft or less) at normal HD situations. If that's what you want to use then go for it, but keep in mind that the further away the target is the less effective that shot is.

I use 00 buck for the simple fact I want the most bang for the shot. I intend to shoot to stop the threat, and the fewer shots fired lessens the chance of collateral damage or causing undue pain and suffering.

 

[hardworker]

Well, they sell 3 inch buckshot in boxes of 5 if that helps clear things up

 

[jojo200517]

Hardworker it won't help him much since his holds 6.

It is true the same 00 buck will work for deer and thugs. Birdshot may be good for operational practice of the shotgun at first but its not much of a fatty stopper. Its true anything can be lethal, hell if you held it in the right place and close enough just the wad with no shot at all could kill someone. What you want is something to put the most energy into the target.

Now as far as hunting and shell limits and such just don't forget to put your dowel in when you go.

Up here in SC its not good enough to only have the limit of shells in your gun if another one can be fit in there your up that creek with no paddle. The law here isn't about how many you got in it, its all about how many it can hold when your hunting, even if you are walking out to the hunting spot and its unloaded.

 

[hardworker]

No he said the gun holds 5 3 inch shells

 

[Lou McGopher]

Why try to combine the two? Why not have slugs for hunting, buckshot for home defense?
In Ohio, your shotgun can only be capable holding 3 cartridges while hunting. Any other time it can hold full capacity. If your gun can hold more, you insert a wooden dowel or whatnot to limit how many shells it can hold (the limiter must be of such nature that the gun has to be disassembled to remove it). Not sure how the law is in FL.

So if your Mossberg can hold 5 in the magazine, load it up with 5 rounds of 00 or 000 buckshot. When it's time for hunting, insert the dowel, and load it with 3 slugs.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

Birdshot is a horrible choice for home defense, http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot3_2.htm.

"I saw a gunshot victim, about 5' 10" and 200 lbs, taken to the operating room with a shotgun wound to the chest. He was shot at a range of six feet at a distance of just over the pectoralis muscle. He was sitting on his front porch and walked to the ambulance. We explored the chest after x-rays were taken. The ER doc had said 'buckshot' wound, but this was obviously not accurate.

It was # 6 shot. There was a crater in the skin over an inch in diameter. When the shot hit the level of the ribs, it spread out about five inches. There was ONE pellet that had passed between the ribs and entered the pericardium, but not damaged the heart at all. As you say, 'use birdshot for little birds.'"

 

[makorunner013]

Thank you all. The consensus is 3" 00 Buck. That is what I will use for both. I will get some bird shot for fun time. And thanks for the tip on that dowel/plug law. The F.W.C Officers here are not big on giving out warnings. It's "One Under, Central" with those guys and nothing else. My County Deputy buddies say most of them are Sheriff Deputies and State Trooper "Academy Flunkies" . Which leaves their career choices either with the F.W.C or Corrections.........

 

[bigalexe]

Assuming we are talking about a regular Mossberg 500: Capacity is listed as 5+1 for a total of 6. This of course is 2 3/4" Shells and so it makes sense that the capacity for 3" is 4+1 which totals 5.

Now you say that the capacity limit for deer is 4 shells which I interpret as 3+1 and I know the cap is 2+1 for birds. When the game wardens measure capacity they tend to do it with 2 3/4" because they want to know if you COULD insert over the limit into your gun. So basically what you need to do for hunting is block off the magazine to hold no more than the limit of 2 3/4" Shells, not 3".

Anyway now that capacity is sorted out, for deer you want to be using slugs. Leave the shot at home because you aren't going to get near the range you will with the slug. With a decent aimed shot a single 1oz. 12ga slug is going to knock that deer over without any problems.

For home defense the verdict is 00 buck in 2 3/4" shells. You won't need more than 1 shot of that load to knock down a human target, and using 2 3/4" lets you cram more shells in the gun for follow up shots in the event that you miss or have multiple targets.

You probably noticed I said a lot about 2 3/4" Shells. That is because 3" is really unnecessary for your tasks. You don't need the extra shoulder beating to get the job done, your load selection in 2 3/4" is more than adequate to do what you want it to. The only place that 3" really sees common usage and is needed is when it comes to turkeys and birds. The 3" helps there because it gives you more shot to try and hit those tiny heads on the big birds.

 

[highorder]

Say NO to 3" shells.

Your wallet and shoulder will thank you.

2-3/4" will do everything you want for HD. For deer hunting, Brenneke slugs.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

i got some of those winchester PDX1 12 gauge shells. i had 00 buck in my mossberg previously.

not sure about a 1oz slug for home defense though.....

 

[Afterfire]

I do not trust buckshot for distances over 15 yds, I've patterned it out of multiple shotguns in 12ga, on deer sized targets and it performs very unpredictably at distance.

I am ok with just wounding some loser trying to hurt me or my family so long as it stops the threat, but I do not like wounding animals, and I have seen a deer take a 1oz. slug to the chest and keep on truckin, what do you think a 200gr pellet will do?

FOR ME buckshot at home, slugs when I MUST be lethal.

 

[Hunterfisher808]

Never shot a deer with my 500 but pole axed mountain boars using Rottweil Brenneke slugs....super accurate stuff!

 

[hardworker]

I do not trust buckshot for distances over 15 yds, I've patterned it out of multiple shotguns in 12ga, on deer sized targets and it performs very unpredictably at distance.

You must have your chokes all screwed up. Talk to any hunter, 50 to 60 yard shots are done every day on deer with buckshot. Deer are much tougher than people. I've seen deer killed at 92 yards with buckshot. Much further than you'll ever have to shoot in HD.

 

[foghornl]

MY Maverick 88 patterns best with Remington #4 Buckshot, and PMC brand 2-3/4" slugs

YOUR mileage will vary..pattern test to find out what works in YOUR shotgun.

 

[jojo200517]

Maybe i'm doin something wrong but I never met a 500 or maverick 88 12 gauge that I couldn't get 5 in the tube and 1 in the chamber whether using 2 3/4 or 3 inch.

Just went and checked and could get FIVE 3 inch shells in the tube in either of my guns and once the 5th one is in the tube it still had about 1/4 inch or so of room to push up off the cartridge stops.

Everyone else run and check too, I have handled 4 or 5 other 500's that friends have and they would all take five 3 inch shells in the tube too.

If ya really worried about the spring or something just swap one of the 3 inch shells in the tube for a 2 3/4 inch one and then you can with no doubt get 5 in the tube.