#1 buckshot loads using a full choke

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columbia_shotguneer

New member
To start this thread out, I'd like to mention that my uncle has much confidence with Winchester 3" #1 buck out of two of his hunting shotguns using a full choke. Claims of a good pattern inside 50 yards with #1 and #4 buck but chooses the #1 for better takedown of deer and small boar. I borrowed an old browning pump of my father's, 28" fixed full choke and I recently purchased a H&R pardner single-shot with a 32 in fixed full choke, also. Tried both out at 40 yards on a 20 inch cardboard box and the patterns were all over the place. some even hitting the dirt in front of the target. Tried aiming a bit higher with both and barely got some on the upper section of box! Note: My slightly older pardner with a mod choke throws a much uniform pattern all the way out to 50-60 yards. I have searched many threads and full choke has been a well recommended choke for #1 buck, is this nonsense? Thanks for any responses.
 
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mete

New member
"patterns all over the place " Are you talking about a pattern being very large or the point of aim changing from shot to shot?
 
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columbia_shotguneer

New member
When I shoot the #1 buck at 30-40 yards it throws the buckshot in the outer perimeter of the target(full chokes), maybe one or two pellets are seen 6-8 in. of the center. Good point suggesting it could be (my) point of aim or how the (shotguns) might be off the center point of aim but I had a steady benchrest and multiple shots to see where I'm holding it. Thanks so much for your reply.
 
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LSnSC

New member
Ive always had better luck with a modified choke and buckshot. Try loads with a lower pellet count and see if the patterns improve. When you push alot of big pellets through a full choke some can be deformed causing flyers.
If you have a fixed choke the only option is less or smaller pellets.
Also I dont know how big your target is but we use a paper plate for a target. Thats the approximate size of a deers vitals.
 
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hogdogs

Staff In Memoriam
Many factors to consider. Not the least of which is pellet construction materials. Is the alloy is a harder one or is it "dead soft" lead?

In dead soft, the distortion to the pellets could make many into "fliers".

Another thing to remember, ammo will behave differently gun to gun and some guns shoot some ammo better than others.

A full choke in one gun will measure different than a full from a gun of different or even same maker.

Brent
 
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C0untZer0

Moderator
Wow - I finally found someone who uses #1 Buck for hunting hogs....

There was half a thread that asked about this and most people posted "No".


Here is the half of the thread - it's about hog loads in general but also #1 and #0 Buck...

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=451543

Does your uncle go for headshots on the hogs using #1 Buck ?
I am wondering if anyone has success with it for shoulder shots.
 
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Old Grump

Member in memoriam
In my experience with full choke and anything larger than #3 birdshot gives me large irregular patterns but I only have two guns with full chokes so your mileage may vary. IM works best for me.
 
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columbia_shotguneer

New member
Same here OG, my full choke H&R only seems to like #4 buck. Haven't tested any birdshot in it as of yet. Zero, my uncle only hunts domesticated breeds of hogs(thinner shields) that are now wild.
 
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hogdogs

Staff In Memoriam
Zero, my uncle only hunts domesticated breeds of hogs(thinner shields) that are now wild.
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Only takes a few generations and physical traits begin to change in feral hog breeds.

And in your area you have the spanish hogs from the 1500's, feral Hampshire, Duroc, yorkshire a few other domestic breeds and some russian influence. So unless yer uncle is tracking down lost ear tagged hogs from the non-existant hog farms, he is huntin' the same hogs I hunted and trapped and a Hampshire belted colored hog (Hampshires were designed to be THE thin skinned breed) could easily sport the same 2.5 inch shield as a russian colored hog.

He is free to use what he wishes but those ferals have, for the most part, been feral and in/out/cross breeding since the late 1980's at the worst pork price collapse where price to the farmer went as low as $.08lb. That was when the last pork producers in that area closed the doors and sold off to land developers at the begginning of that massive fla growth spurt.

Brent
 
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C0untZer0

Moderator
It sounds like #1 Buck in your uncle's gun patterns much differently.

I would think that if you're throwing a 7" pattern at a hog - if you're going for a head shot you're just hoping to luck out and one of those pellets gets him in the brain pan, and if your doing a shoulder shot - I think you'd just be hoping to tear em up enough that the hog doesn't run too far.

It must work for your uncle because he is taking down game right?

The next thing I would do - I would actually check bore diameters with a bore gauge.
 
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columbia_shotguneer

New member
Hogdogs, That's some great info on hogs, I just figured that the spotted hogs he kills are thinner shield never thought of them as being feral. Zero, I may look in to buying a measuring tool. In all I am steering away from #1 buck, at least in a full choke, maybe use a modified.
 
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hogdogs

Staff In Memoriam
The red pigs are duroc genes, the white pigs likely have yorkshire type genes, white shoulder belt is your hampshire genes. The spotted hogs are a mix. But a cool lookin' pig is the one we call Blue colored. when you get one with strong russian/eurasian genes... you will know it...

BTW, can some one also help me with quotes? I dont see how to do this.
Click to expand...
Easy... I copy the portion from a post I want to quote...
Then in the reply box you type in, you will see this...
quote.gif

Click it and you get [ quote][ /quote] Click in center tween the two and you have a blinking cursor there. Now just right click and choose paste.

If you wish to break down the section to address it in a separated way...
BTW, can some one also help me with quotes?
Click to expand...
"Cut" the section you DO NOT want in the first quote from the area tween the quote brackets and...
I dont see how to do this.
Click to expand...
hit the quote symbol again and when cursor is there hit paste again...

Via PM I can get you squared away further if needed as PM box works that way too...

Brent
 
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hogdogs

Staff In Memoriam
As for shot size, I would only use 00 buck if that was all I could get. I would prefer slugs though.

I would never intentionally hunt hogs with less than 00 buck but I cannot stress enuff that the single blob of lead weighed in ounces rather than grains gives me much comfort.

Brent
 
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columbia_shotguneer

New member
[As for shot size, I would only use 00 buck if that was all I could get. I would prefer slugs though.
/QUOTE] I am picking up some 000 buck tomorrow from a local store to try patterning. In the past 00 buck has patterned well in modified chokes I've tried, maybe 000 buck will too. Also, thanks for the tutorial on quoting, Hogdogs.
Click to expand...
 
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