Realistic range for buckshot on deer

[DannyLandrum]

Hunting for whitetails behind the house (gun season started today) in a shotgun / handgun/ muzzleloader / archery only area.

Going with 00 Buck with an improved-modified choke, 12 ga 2.75". How far can I ethically shoot and be confident that at least 80-90% of pellets will hit the neck - about 20 yards is all I'd imagine? Maybe 30 if I change from neck to vitals? Guess I'd better pattern them first.

Is it a bad idea to shoot lead buckshot through an extra-full turkey choke? I don't have a full - only IC, M, IM, and xtra-full.

Or should I put an IC choke in and grab a slug, to get myself out to 50 yards (the shot will not be any longer than that on these dumb deer, but might be longer than 30 yards).

I've always wanted to try to harvest deer with buckshot but want to maintain a high degree of ethics.

 

[JeffG]

Hunting for whitetails behind the house (gun season started today) in a shotgun / handgun/ muzzleloader / archery only area.

Going with 00 Buck with an improved-modified choke, 12 ga 2.75". How far can I ethically shoot and be confident that at least 80-90% of pellets will hit the neck - about 20 yards is all I'd imagine? Maybe 30 if I change from neck to vitals? Guess I'd better pattern them first.

Is it a bad idea to shoot lead buckshot through an extra-full turkey choke? I don't have a full - only IC, M, IM, and xtra-full.

Or should I put an IC choke in and grab a slug, to get myself out to 50 yards (the shot will not be any longer than that on these dumb deer, but might be longer than 30 yards).

I've always wanted to try to harvest deer with buckshot but want to maintain a high degree of ethics.

No two shotguns/choke/load combination will behave the same. You have to pattern your gun with the load and choke. and judge from there. Lead buckshot should be fine in your turkey choke. I can't stress enough, to pattern your load and choke in measured ranges on paper, and analyze the results. Once you have the results you want, don't change anything. Not the load, choke, pellet size, or brand of ammunition. Just advice from my experiences.

 

[jmr40]

IC in the guns I've fired buckshot in was good for about 25-30 yards. Modified might be a little better, might not. It depends on the individual gun and load. You can kill deer farther, but in my experience beyond 25 30 yards it becomes more luck than skill. That is about the limit for most archers and handgun hunters. I say most, because I know there are people that can do it at double that range, but most can't.

I wouldn't shoot buckshot through a full choke, let alone extra full. Tight chokes work on smaller shot sizes, but not as well with buckshot or with the larger waterfowl loads.

When I started hunting as a teen I used buckshot because I only had one gun, a SXS choked IC and modified. I never killed one, before I was able to buy a rifle, but even then I wasn't impressed with buckshot. Slugs, however will do the job. They weren't practical from my SXS shotgun, but I've shot some decent groups on targets out beyond 50 yards just using the bead on a pump or auto. With a rifle sighted barrel I've shot some 4" groups at 100.

 

[cheygriz]

During my tenure as a law enforcement instructor, I participated in several penetration tests of buckshot. We tested 000,00,0 and #4 buck against heavy wool overcoats, parkas, down filled vests, and Carhartts.

I personally would not feel confident using any buckshot loads past 25 yards.

 

[DannyLandrum]

Thanks. I'll pattern first - but sounds like to err on the ethical side, the answer is roughly 15-20 yards for a neck shot (smaller target), and 20-25 for a body shot, if you have a good tight pattern. I'm looking for no tracking (neck shot), so I don't have to get permission to chase them onto the neighbor's land. I'll consider it a challenge, just as with archery, to get them in close.

 

[mustanger98]

I know some guys get better results with buckshot, but my testing is very limited and IMO not good for deer hunting. This is just me, but from what I've heard, I'd come a lot closer to using a tightly patched ball in a smoothbore muzzleloader, but even that I'd have to test.

 

[243winxb]

Ammo first- Must be plated shot. Must contain a plastic buffering agent. To much choke (turkey) will blow patterens. Start testing with mod or im to full. Range 50 yards.

Premium factory shells will come buffered and plated.
https://winchester.com/Products/Ammunition/Shotshell/Double-X/SB12300

should I put an IC choke in and grab a slug,

yes, but only if you can put sights on the shotgun. There are some available. https://www.midwayusa.com/shotgun-sights/br?cid=19478

Or buy a Mossberg 500 cantilever rifled barrel combo.

 

[caribou]

Ive downd quite a few Caribou, average out to 30 yards with 12G 3'' Mags, 15 pellets 00,
50 yards is the furthest Id use them. Sometimes you have to let them get a bit away , sos the shot isnt just a big slug....
My family uses them on Seal as the boat and animals are never still so a pattern of shot is better than an accurate rifle bullet.

Thats a slap upside the head on Caribou or Bearded Seals, and 100% kill. I never did check out the pattern, but via a Browning A5, or a Rem870 with decently long barrels, the ''oomph'' is there.

 

[Browning]

Hunting for whitetails behind the house (gun season started today) in a shotgun / handgun/ muzzleloader / archery only area.

Going with 00 Buck with an improved-modified choke, 12 ga 2.75". How far can I ethically shoot and be confident that at least 80-90% of pellets will hit the neck - about 20 yards is all I'd imagine? Maybe 30 if I change from neck to vitals? Guess I'd better pattern them first.

Is it a bad idea to shoot lead buckshot through an extra-full turkey choke? I don't have a full - only IC, M, IM, and xtra-full.

Or should I put an IC choke in and grab a slug, to get myself out to 50 yards (the shot will not be any longer than that on these dumb deer, but might be longer than 30 yards).

I've always wanted to try to harvest deer with buckshot but want to maintain a high degree of ethics.

Besides a question of what choke you use there's also a question of what brand you use. Remington, Federal, Winchester or whatever. Some brands are tighter than others.

In my experience Remington 'Low Recoil' (8 pellet) 00 Buckshot and Federal Premium 00 buckshot (9 pellet) with a flight control wad are some of the tightest patterning buckshot. It's definitely going to beat out the bargain brands.

I have some targets somewhere from when I tested out the various brands for home defense.

Slugs will obviously get you further out though. Maybe that's the answer.

 

[Patocazador]

The answer is 35-40 yards with a full choke and 2 3/4" (12 pellets) magnum 00 buckshot. With improved modified knock about 5 yards off that 40 yard maximum.

 

[red rick]

I would pattern your gun at 40 yards . Using 2 3/4 00 bk I would try the im and m chokes with several different brands of buckshot . Usually a turkey choke is to tight for buckshot . I use an extra full buck kicker choke in my 3" gun and a custom full choke in my 3 1/2" gun , they are made for buckshot and deer .

 

[Captcurt]

I have only taken a couple of deer with Buck Shot but have patterned several loads with several chokes. I use a 1300 Winchester with a 21" smooth bore slug barrel with sights and a modified choke. IC worked almost as good. The best load in my gun was 3" Federal Premium 00. I wouldn't hesitate to take a 40 yard shot.

 

[DM~]

40 yards is no problem, BUT ONLY AFTER you pattern your shotgun and find the choke/ammo that works in YOUR gun! This is VERY important!

DM

 

[Dibbs]

IME, Buckshot doesn't start to pattern very evenly as it spreads. It may help to place a distance marker
or two outside your stand, at your max effective range. I set up markers for the first holdover range
at my deer stand, for rifle season.

 

[cheygriz]

Remember that penetration is even more important than patterning.

 

[243winxb]

A 00 buckshot is .33" in diameter and less the 60 grs. 1 pellet has killed deer, but more is better, for sure.

Doing the math on pellet energy may show how many hits are needed for a clean kill. Where/what it hits, is even more important, as we all know.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Hunting for whitetails behind the house (gun season started today) in a shotgun / handgun/ muzzleloader / archery only area.

Going with 00 Buck with an improved-modified choke, 12 ga 2.75". How far can I ethically shoot and be confident that at least 80-90% of pellets will hit the neck - about 20 yards is all I'd imagine? Maybe 30 if I change from neck to vitals? Guess I'd better pattern them first.

Is it a bad idea to shoot lead buckshot through an extra-full turkey choke? I don't have a full - only IC, M, IM, and xtra-full.

Or should I put an IC choke in and grab a slug, to get myself out to 50 yards (the shot will not be any longer than that on these dumb deer, but might be longer than 30 yards).

I've always wanted to try to harvest deer with buckshot but want to maintain a high degree of ethics.

Test your load. I usually feel confident at 35-40yds with 2 3/4 00 buck.
3" for the most part just added recoil.
Deer size varies from state to state.

 

[mcb]

Never hunted deer with buckshot but have played with buckshot for other purposes. Take a look at buck shot that uses Federal's flight control wad. That wad is pretty remarkable and will add 5-10 yards to your effective pattern range. Worth a try in your shotgun, don't over choke it the flight control wad likes a more open choke.

 

[LRDGCO]

IM choke is fine for buck. Tighter will likely lead to pattern deformation with buck shot. Have hunted deer in Europe with shot and the rule of thumb was 25 meters. Pattern at 25, 30 and 35 yards to see what works in your gun.

If slugs are an option, it is a better one. Brenekke hardcast seem to be pretty widely effective. Still wants testing to POI and distance accuracy but in most cases will give you sufficient accuracy out to 50 yards and makes good kills. IC choke.

 

[readyeddy]

I think you can use slugs in your improved-modified choke.

I did research on whether I could use slugs in my full choke gun, and about half of the people said it was a bad idea.

For all other wider chokes, it was the consensus that slugs were safe.

 

[1KPerDay]

I think you can use slugs in your improved-modified choke.

I did research on whether I could use slugs in my full choke gun, and about half of the people said it was a bad idea.

For all other wider chokes, it was the consensus that slugs were safe.

It's important to distinguish between soft lead "rifled" foster slugs and hardened brenneke type slugs. The "rifled" foster type are designed to swage down through chokes. The hardened slugs not so much.

 

[Bandit67]

Another vote for slugs. I have killed many deer with my 870 with modified choke and Remington sluggers out to about 50 yards. Only had to trail a few of them. Slugs only make one hole but it's a big hole.

 

[T.R.]

The length of an average mobile home (trailer) is 60 feet or 20 yards. That is the maximum distance that I would shoot a deer with Buckshot.

TR

 

[Loyalist Dave]

IM choke is fine for buck. Tighter will likely lead to pattern deformation with buck shot. Have hunted deer in Europe with shot and the rule of thumb was 25 meters. Pattern at 25, 30 and 35 yards to see what works in your gun.

If slugs are an option, it is a better one. Brenekke hardcast seem to be pretty widely effective. Still wants testing to POI and distance accuracy but in most cases will give you sufficient accuracy out to 50 yards and makes good kills. IC choke.

Police shotguns are Cylinder bore, no choke, and so is my old-school slug barrel, though the slug barrel has rifle sights while the police barrels have a plain, front bead. So 25 yards was the best with the cylinder bore, even when using the expensive "controlled pattern" loads. You could probably extend to 30 yard with IC choke, but I wouldn't choke the barrel further with 00 buck.

Remember that penetration is even more important than patterning.

Gonna have to disagree with Cheygriz on this, but only slightly. You must balance accuracy of your pattern WITH penetration. My disagreement is that all the penetration power in the world doesn't help if you miss the deer, eh? A great pattern that is way off from your point-of-aim (means you have barrel problems or your screw in choke is "screwed up" - pardon the pun ), doesn't help you either. So pattern your shotgin at a distance where you can rely on penetration.

I'm not allowed where I lnow live to use buckshot on deer, so..., I tried Foster slugs from Winchester, Remington, and Federal, and none gave good groups. I then tried the 1 ounce Brenneke slugs..., amazingly tight groups out to 50 ayrds, so that's what I shoot from my Remington 870. Now I'm sure the other slugs from the other brands were quality ammo..., they just didn't shoot well from my barrel, while the Brenneke were impressive.

LD

 

[Sarge7402]

If you find them Federal makes a LE 00 buckshot load (
LE13200 or
LE127 00)
that when we shot them about 10 years ago went into a group of about 8" at 25 yards from a slug (no choke) shotgun barrel