Buckshot question

[johnf]

I've been told by a lot of shot hunters that the effective range of buckshot is about 70-100 yards. After going out and patterning my gun, I find that really hard to believe.

I was shooting winchester 2 3/4" 000 buck loads from 25 and 40 yards with IC an full choke. At 25 yards using the full choke it kept all 8 of 8 pellets in a 10" pattern 4 of which would have definately taken a deer down, and with the IC about a 14" pattern. At 40 yards the IC only had 4 pellets on the page and the Full had 6. Is this normal for that shot size and shell length? Should I move up to 3' shells. The 2 3/4 had significantly less recoil than the slugs that I was shooting so I can handle the extra punch. I can't see that anything more than 30 yards would be very effective using the shot size and full choke. I can't imagine an ethical person taking a shot longer than that with buckshot.

I did however manage to keep all the slugs that I shot dead center and about 3 inches low at 40 yards out. Should I just forget about the buckshot and stick with the slugs now that I know how it's patterning, or try some bigger loads? The original plan was to have a slug in the barrel followed by buck shot. I think the new plan is a slug followed by more slugs.

[WABS]

My opinion is to forget about the buckshot and go strictly with the slugs. I think your testing demonstrated the limitations of buckshot quite accurately. You hit them with a slug and there is no doubt.

[too_pointer]

I'm not a buckshot fan either. If you follow up a slug with buckshot, more than likely that deer is even further away than your first shot. My opinion is just to use slugs. It is way to easy to wound and lose deer with buckshot.
too_pointer

[deldeer]

take the time to pattern your gun with slugs, you owe that much to the deer. try different slug brands, you will find the right combo. (in my opinion they should ban the use of buckshot for deer). good luck!!

[johnf]

I've tried federal and winchester 2 3/4 1 oz riffled hollow points. All of the federals stuck in my gun. I got the winchesters shooting consistantly in the same spot at 40 yards (my longest shot where my stand is) I know if I am at the top of the sholder, I'll take it down with 1 shot easily. I'm not planning on buying any more buckshot. Maybe next year when I have more time I'll try to patterns some larger loads.

[johnf]

If the book says shotgun but doesn't say what kind of ammo, I wouldn't assume anything. I would try to get something in writing befor I would shoot a slug, but if legal, I would shoot slugs over any shot size.

[slugshooter]

I use slugs and I wouldn't use anything else in a shotgun for deer hunting. Brenneke works best for me and I feel that they have a stopping power that is unequaled, but, shoot what works best for you and your gun, I use rifled slugs, the brenneks are pretty accurate, I took a doe last week from 50 yards with a rifled slug and just a bead sight, no rifled barrel, no open sights. If your hunting area affords you 100 yard shots with your shotgun then I would get a rifled barrel and a scope, but for me, a 50 yard shot is about the max I'll be getting, most of the time the shots are right under me for the most part, 10-15 yards.

[shotupdeer]

I use buckshot in very heavy cover, where shots are limited to about 30 yds. Anything beyond that is too far imo. Buckshot can and will work for killing deer, you just have to know its limitations, and be able to pass a shot up easily.

[ZooBear]

Call the local game warden. I think you can use slugs.

[slugshooter]

I don't doubt Buckshot works, I have seen Deer taken down with Buckshot, I guess what it all comes down to is the area you hunt, how it works in your gun and personal preference. I have a buddy who used Buckshot once at the same land we are still hunting. I don't think the shot was very far, anyhoo, he shot at a Buck and hit him but when it came time to tracking him he couldn't find any blood or anything, well, the next week that same Buck came into the same area but was real wary and was even conscious of where he got hit the first time, kinda checking it out to make sure he didn't get "stung" again, this time he had a slug and took him down, he swore off Buckshot after that incident. Me, I like hitting a deer with a slug and knowing that he is either going to drop right there or not go far, oddly enough, the bucks I've hit with a slug have dropped right there, but the Doe I shot ran about 50 yards before dropping.

[brad dryden]

I would just use slugs they are more accurate and you dont have to worry about filling a deer full of balls like hitting the guts or what not.

[AJ]

Buckshot is not mandatory in Buckingham county. You can use slugs. My county Prince William states buckshot only in a shotgun, but you can use a muzzleloader.

Buckshot is generally effective at archery distances. The shooter must pattern the gun with dofferent loads and chokes to find out what works the best. The pellets do have enough energy to kill cleanly at greater distances, but the pattern density goes down too unacceptable levels too quickly with standard equipment. Taking a 90 yard shot with buckshot is just plain stupid.

Buckshot's effective range can be increased with special chokes and loads. These are not cheap. Nitro Company makes some outstanding Hevi Shot and lead buckshot loads designed to go with the Rhino choke tubes. Wad Wizzard has had some great reviews for the best patterns with buckshot.

Often big game shotgun shooters use the slug first and buckshot for follow up shots figuring the pattern will help make a successful shot. This is wrong thinking. The accuracy level is the same if its a slug or a shot pattern. To place a few pellets in the kill area the shot must be on target, so a slug will work just as well. I have talked with many buckshot users and a common statement is slugs are not acurate enough on running deer. the fact is the shooter is not accurate enough on running deer for slugs to be effective.