buck shot
05-21-2007, 04:28 PM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blissfield MI USA
Posts: 5,293
RE: buck shot
Most that use it will agree on about 40 or 50 yards as a max range. Really depends on how well your gun patterns with it at what distance.
Using buckshot isn't like bird hunting where it's ok to get that magical bb that takes out the bird. You want the majority of not all of the shot in the kill zone of the animal at your max range, not just one or two pellets and to heck with where the rest go.
The point is toknow it will kill the animal, not hope it will kill the animal. At least that has always been my view on it.
I know a guy that killed a deer at 50 yards with a turkey load, doesn't mean I would reccomend it.
And ballistically buckshot isn't very impressive. At 50 yards with a 3 inch 12 ga shell and 15 pellets of 00 buck shot at 2oz and 1225 fps it would be similar to shooting a deer with 15 rounds of 32auto ammo. Actually the 32 ACP bullets might perform better because of the design. And this is assuming all 15 pellets go where you want them to. Depending on how your gun patterns at 50 yards and out maybe half of them will actually hit the deer, and how many will hit the vitals?
Buckshot can be pretty impressive up close, tends to damage some meat though, but when you stretch the range it's not overly impressive. Sure it will kill a deer, but will it do it reliably is the question.
My opinion anyway.
Paul
Using buckshot isn't like bird hunting where it's ok to get that magical bb that takes out the bird. You want the majority of not all of the shot in the kill zone of the animal at your max range, not just one or two pellets and to heck with where the rest go.
The point is toknow it will kill the animal, not hope it will kill the animal. At least that has always been my view on it.
I know a guy that killed a deer at 50 yards with a turkey load, doesn't mean I would reccomend it.
And ballistically buckshot isn't very impressive. At 50 yards with a 3 inch 12 ga shell and 15 pellets of 00 buck shot at 2oz and 1225 fps it would be similar to shooting a deer with 15 rounds of 32auto ammo. Actually the 32 ACP bullets might perform better because of the design. And this is assuming all 15 pellets go where you want them to. Depending on how your gun patterns at 50 yards and out maybe half of them will actually hit the deer, and how many will hit the vitals?
Buckshot can be pretty impressive up close, tends to damage some meat though, but when you stretch the range it's not overly impressive. Sure it will kill a deer, but will it do it reliably is the question.
My opinion anyway.
Paul
05-21-2007, 04:46 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,785
RE: buck shot
Over my 25 years of deer hunting, I have killed 15 deer and MANY hogs with buckshot, and all were inside 40 yards. None ever took a step after being hit. If you know your limitations, buckshot is an excellent ammo choice for deer or hogs.
05-21-2007, 05:11 PM
#13
Fork Horn
Join Date: May 2007
Location:
Posts: 139
RE: buck shot
ive used it all my hunting life i like it cause you have a greater chance of taking down that big buck with 18 pellets thatn one little bullet like my dads deer this year 15 yards away dropped it broke both legs and its lungs shreaded and its heart that didnt stand a chance and the last thing great about buck shot is you really aint got to aim just piont in its gfneral direction and shoot well i hope you try buck shot if you already havent
05-22-2007, 09:37 AM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location:
Posts: 1,438
RE: buck shot
ihunt1975, 4 buck is also great for beavers and nutria!
I again respectfully disagree that 40 yards is the max for buckshot.
I understand the ethics of making sure you can kill what you are shooting at, and for some people they won't feel comfortable past 40 yards, but I personlly know of numerous deer that have been cleanly killed at 40 to 75 yards with buckshot. The few injured, unrecovered deer were due to poor shot selection or aiming, e.g. shooting the deer while it was walking away or the guy at the camp that can't hit the side of the barn.
If you are shooting a heavy load of magnum buckshot, you are comfortable with your gun and its capabilities, and a monster buck comes out at 50 yards broadside, I cannot imagine many people passing up that shot.
05-23-2007, 08:31 AM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 3,606
RE: buck shot
I think I'll stick with my slugs. My buddy used buck shot last year and shot one at about 50 yards or so he told me and the deer went down and 2 seconds later got up and took off . He never found it.
I haven't lost one yet with the slugs . Took one last year at about 50 yards hit it high broke a piece off the front shoulder chipped the bottom of the spine, broke a piece off the back front leg , And punched the lungs. She dropped like a rock right where she stood didn't move. there are some spots i hunt that a longer shot may present its selfso I'll stick with what works for me.
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I haven't lost one yet with the slugs . Took one last year at about 50 yards hit it high broke a piece off the front shoulder chipped the bottom of the spine, broke a piece off the back front leg , And punched the lungs. She dropped like a rock right where she stood didn't move. there are some spots i hunt that a longer shot may present its selfso I'll stick with what works for me.
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05-23-2007, 09:35 AM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location:
Posts: 1,438
RE: buck shot
Rhody,
Makes sense. I think that the buckshot manufacturers are dropping the ball and not pushing the envelope on their product. For a while I think you could get buckshot in Hevi-Shot, which was supposed to be awesome. For slugs there are a lot more choices. There seems to be a bias here against buckshot, but I still think it is as effective or more than a slug out to 50 yards. After that, I would think the slug would present the best chance for a kill (unless the brush is real thick).
Makes sense. I think that the buckshot manufacturers are dropping the ball and not pushing the envelope on their product. For a while I think you could get buckshot in Hevi-Shot, which was supposed to be awesome. For slugs there are a lot more choices. There seems to be a bias here against buckshot, but I still think it is as effective or more than a slug out to 50 yards. After that, I would think the slug would present the best chance for a kill (unless the brush is real thick).