buckshot size

[T-Ray]

what buckshot do you pattern best out of a remington 870 express and with what choke? i want to take some with me during my dove hunt when the two seasons overlap. max shot would be 35-40 yds.

 

[rantingredneck]

Hate to tell you, but there's no free lunch. You're gonna have to pattern your gun. It will likely be very different from my gun or anyone else's.

That being said, I tend to prefer 00 buck for deer hunting. Try your full and modified chokes and several different loads and see what works best for you.

 

[castnblast]

use 3" and like the previous post, you need to pattern your gun. I'd aim for the shoulder. Some will go in the neck, some will go in the lungs. '0 gets you a few more pellets, which is better i/m/o...

 

[T. O'Heir]

No size of buckshot is reliable enough for deer. At least not up here where a deer can go to nearly 300 pounds live weight. There are miles and miles of corn and soy bean fields and no natural predators other than coyotes. Makes 'em grow big

 

[FirstFreedom]

Well yeah, that's just not gonna work - any size shot big enough for deer is gonna be much too large for dove. You just have to take two different types of shells and switch them out. I would not be too averse to using 000 buck aiming for the neck on whitetails in a pinch - I think that would work well actually - you could probably get 5-8 out of 10 on the neck out to 35 yards with an extra-full choke, and that would drop the deer instantly. I would not shoot at the vitals on a deer with any type of buckshot, and would not shoot past 30-35 yards, but that's just me...

 

[Art Eatman]

SFAIK, most folks hunt doves with modified or improved cylinder chokes in place, so that's not gonna do well for buckshot on deer.

I've heard stories of guys shooting Bucky in the face with the dove load, and doing the actual killing with a handgun. Not sure about the ethics of that, but people do get excited over horns...

Art

 

[Greybeard]

be sure to check your state/local laws. on many of the public lands here in tejas, buckshot is prohibited to even have in possession.

at the range you mentioned (out to 35 or 40 yards), i'd much prefer a slug anyway. and lots of those do fine out of a modified choke.

 

[TCman]

I agree with greybeard. If you just shoot a slug out of your smooth bore you get a lot more knockdown power and range.

 

[castnblast]

I was just thinking the same thing. Especially if you are shooting improved or modified cylinder. Slugs fly pretty good out of those two chokes. You need to shoot your gun on paper so you know where your point of aim needs to be. It will probably be a little funky, but a little practice and you'll know where to put it.

 

[T-Ray]

i don't want slugs. i don't want range either, cause i can have many more angles with buckshot. i'm wanting buckshot for short range shots. i've had to give up many deer because of the angle and i'm hunting with a 30-30. i want to shorten my range

 

[T-Ray]

oh and i'm hunting on private property and my grandma owns it and she won't make a law that i can't use buckshot

 

[FirstFreedom]

i've had to give up many deer because of the angle and i'm hunting with a 30-30. i want to shorten my range

Errr, what do you mean by that?

wanting buckshot for short range shots.

The answer to that is 000 buck or 00 Buck, and an EXTRA-full choke, or at least a full choke. That will do the job to 35 yards, maybe 40 - 35 yards is short range in my book. If the deer is at 5 yards, then so much the better. If you're talking about limiting shots to around 15 yards, then 000 or 00 buck with ANY choke will work. Just be sure to shoot a few at a target to pattern them to make sure they're doing what you think they're doing. Again, as I say though, you will be more ethical to do a neck shot than a vitals shot with buckshot IMO, and you need to be quite close.

Regardless, you're not gonna hit a dove with buckshot in all likelihood, and if you do, you're gonna make mincemeat of the breast.

 

[MEDDAC19]

You will get better penetration with a slug from more angles than buckshot ever will give. Don't understand your reluctance to using the slugs. At very short ranges you will need to aim with shot, so I'd use a slug.

 

[Mavrik]

oh and i'm hunting on private property and my grandma owns it and she won't make a law that i can't use buckshot

Buckshot is a completely prohibited method in some states ie: MO and I have seen some conservation agents perfectly willing to come onto private land to check permits and hunting methods. I've been asked to show my tags a couple of times while hunting on my Father and Uncles property

From MO fall deer hunting regulations

"Methods prohibited (in use or in possession)

self-loading firearms with capacity of more than 11 cartridges in magazine and chamber combined

ammunition propelling more than one projectile at a single discharge (such as buckshot)...."

Check local regulations

Mavrik

 

[TCman]

How do you have more angles with buckshot? An ethical shooter would have to pass on more shots when using buchshot, compared to using a slug.

 

[H&R088]

i've had to give up many deer because of the angle and i'm hunting with a 30-30. i want to shorten my range

Are you referring to backstop?

 

[T-Ray]

1. i've looked all over the texas hunting and fishing regulations and buckshot is legal.

2. i have to pass up shots because of neighbors that are close enough to keep me from shooting centerfires in certain directions. i get this from the 4th commandment of gun safety: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT LIES BEYOND IT

3. what do you mean by backstop? it's a farm that deer come on to so my grandma lets me hunt it and tells me to hunt the rabbits.

 

[TCman]

Your neighbors are danger close for a centerfire. Such as A 30-30 right? In my opinion I wouldnt use buckshot if I couldnt use a slug if they were that close.