# Buckshot



## Clayjunky (Feb 17, 2010)

I'm curious what ya'll think the max effective range of buckshot is, and I realize 'effective' is subjective, but what's humane for taking game. I've only had close encounters when kick'n deer, 10-15 yards. Anyone taken a long shot, tips, ammo recommendations? 

The link below looks wicked, I'm thinking it would work well- Centurion Multi-Defense Buckshot....







Thanks-

Clay


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

Sub 100 feet in my hands... And I refuse to shoot at runners... I am not that much of a natural at swing shooting...

Brent


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## hsiF deR (Oct 4, 2009)

I don't like buckshot unless I am sitting in really thick stuff and very close (30 yd max). I have seen more deer lost/wounded due to people thinking buckshot can make up for poor shots and considerably further than it is intended.

That being said, pattern your gun with a good choke and let her eat.


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## Clayjunky (Feb 17, 2010)

hsiF deR said:


> I don't like buckshot unless I am sitting in really thick stuff and very close (30 yd max). I have seen more deer lost/wounded due to people thinking buckshot can make up for poor shots and considerably further than it is intended.
> 
> *That being said, pattern your gun with a good choke and let her eat.*




What choke have you found most effective? I have a full and modified, I've been using the full. Thanks-


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## Team Stuck'em (Oct 12, 2010)

I dog hunt, so I've shot deer at various distances with buckshot. Just this past Thanksgiving weekend I killed a 5 point at sixty yards and he didnt move an inch when i shot him. I would have to say 75 yds is about the max with todays improvements in shotguns. As far as chokes you just need to get a couple different boxes and pattern your gun. Copper plated and nickel plated buckshot work better at further ranges but I prefer unplated. Seems to have more knock down power. Just make sure you know the capabilities of ur gun. Shoot it at fifty yards and if you dont have atleast half your pellets in a place as big as a pie plate then max range is gonna be around 35 or 40 yds.


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## glenn (Jul 25, 2010)

It depends on the gun and the shooter, I have killed one deer at 59 steps who rolled up and died on the spot, killed another one at about 60 steps being chased be dogs he ran about 75 yards and the last one was on a full run from dogs at 62 steps from my stanch, at that time I used a Model 37 featherlight with a 26 inch improved cylinder bore. I used 23/4 double 0 magnum load. Best all around shot gun I ever owned. Wish I still had it.


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

Buck shot is gut shot, never use the stuff except on crminals.


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## ScullsMcNasty (Oct 4, 2007)

I found this buck dead on my old lease a few years back. The black thing in the antler is buckshot... we didnt use buckshot on that lease so that means the buck had ran atleast 600yards after he was shot. Buckshot is terrible IMO. Just use a slug and if you miss him, you miss him..


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## JMSUN (Feb 24, 2010)

I do not know if I would want to use buck shot on deer, but the affective range is going to be largely determined by choke. I would not go hunting without putting it on paper. You have to find out with the specific gun, choke and ammo that you are using, what distance you can still consistently maintain a dense enough pattern to reasonably assure a clean kill. I would also highly recommend testing a few different loads as each gun will give a better pattern using a different load. Your problem at a longer range is going to be your pattern spreading long before losing velocity. 
The best choke is going to depend on what distance you are expecting to be shooting. If you plan on hunting in dense cover expecting a close quick shot, you are going to want a more open choke (maybe Improved Cylinder). If you want to take those 75 yard shots mentioned earlier, you will want a tight choke. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that there may be a limit as to how tight a choke you can safely shoot buck shot in like some of turkey chokes. I would recommend checking on that before going tighter than a Full choke.


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

Maximum range is not increased by choke selection... Maximum range is determined by weight and velocity of the projectile/s... it only takes one 00 buckshot pellet to down any animal on earth...

At what distance this is possible is a mix of the weight and velocity of the projectile and the critter being shot at...

I will kill any wild hog on earth with my .177 cal. 1,000 FPS pellet rifle but only at one or less foot from his skull. And that is with an 8 to 11 grain pellet.

But I do like my 2 3/4" slugs... From my 18" barreled 20 gauge, I am confident at 65 yards and will stretch that to 80 or so if the freezer is empty...

Brent


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## JMSUN (Feb 24, 2010)

Like I said, I do not know if I would want to use buck shot for deer, but I would not say that using a slug will do away with any of the problems with wounding deer. There are plenty of Idiots out there using slugs as well as rifles taking shots they should not be taking and blazing away at running deer. I have passed up plenty of shots because I was not comfortable I was going to get a clean shot. I have heard people shooting 3-6 shots in succession at deer. I do most of my hunting with a single shot or a muzzle loader. If I don't think I can get him with one shot, I am not going to take the shot. That of course is not to say it is not good to be able to make a follow up shot sometimes. I have even heard of people bragging of how many deer they shot and wounded. I think just about everyone that hunts deer on a regular basis will have at least one get away eventually, but it sure is not smeothing to brag about or make a practice of. I had one doe get away a few years ago. Thought I hit her good, but never could find her. There was a more or less of a blood trail for about 200 yards, then nothing. I looked for her for good portions of 2 days. I sure was not happy or proud of it.
Well I should shut up. I did not mean to rant quite so much. Anyway, it's not just buckshot.


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## JMSUN (Feb 24, 2010)

hogdogs said:


> Maximum range is not increased by choke selection... Maximum range is determined by weight and velocity of the projectile/s... it only takes one 00 buckshot pellet to down any animal on earth...
> 
> At what distance this is possible is a mix of the weight and velocity of the projectile and the critter being shot at...
> 
> ...


Sure maximum range is increased by choke selection. Within reason of course. As I said in my earlier post, the pattern density is going to be a problem before velocity is, at least with a more open choke. You have to remember that a 2 3/4 inch 00 buck load has 9 pellets. Spread that to a 2 3 foot pattern and you are going to be lucky to get three of them in a deer, and if you do, you have no control of were they are. I don't care how fast it's going, a 00 buck shot in the gut is not going to do the trick.


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## BOGIA (Oct 7, 2007)

try the federal 23/4 inch 00 federal with the flight control wad.you wont be dissapointed.choke dosent seem to matter with those,actually a more open choke is better.i have shot them in several guns and they pretty much shoot the same in all of them.they will be the tightest paterns you have ever seen.almost to tight for shooting at deer on the run with dogs.you will probably have to order them though. if not with my experience 000shoots tighter than smaller pellet buckshot in most guns ive patterned.and 2/34inch has more velocity than any 3inch or 31/2 inch.000 will put any deer or hog on its but at 50 to 60 yards with a good pattern.


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

JM, I think we fully agree for the most part... I was just nit pickin' on the details...:thumbsup:

Brent


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## Joraca (Dec 29, 2007)

The 3 1/2 inch shells hold 18 pellets of 00.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=223703

Should shoot nearly 1/2 again as far as a 9 pellet 12 Ga. 00 load, if optimally choked.

I was thinking about converting my double bbl 10 GA full/fuller to a coach gun, and loading it with the 18 pellet load for home protection.

Joraca


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## JMSUN (Feb 24, 2010)

hogdogs said:


> JM, I think we fully agree for the most part... I was just nit pickin' on the details...:thumbsup:
> 
> Brent


Sure. Was not trying to be argumentative.


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## pic (Jan 15, 2010)

I dog hunted for years and used a 10ga Browning 3 1/2 inch 000 buckshot.Killed deer from 10yd out to 80yd,never lost one.BUT would never still hunt with buckshot,thats what riffles and slug guns are for.


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## RMc (Jan 5, 2011)

*Buckshot manufactured in Florida*

Dixie Tri-Ball buckshot is a Florida product manufactured in Dixie County. Dixie Tri-Ball 3" is loaded with three .60 caliber, 325 grain hard cast lead "pellets." 

My 26" vent rib 870 Express with an extended full choke fires point of aim 3 to 5 inch patterns at 40 yards! This load will change how you think about buckshot.

The picture shows Tri-Ball compared to an equal weight of 00B.


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## WhiskeyTangoFoxtrout (Dec 28, 2010)

RMc said:


> Dixie Tri-Ball buckshot is a Florida product manufactured in Dixie County. Dixie Tri-Ball 3" is loaded with three .60 caliber, 325 grain hard cast lead "pellets."
> 
> My 26" vent rib 870 Express with an extended full choke fires point of aim 3 to 5 inch patterns at 40 yards! This load will change how you think about buckshot.



I wouldnt mind shooting that a time or 2... where can you get it here?


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## Clayjunky (Feb 17, 2010)

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrout said:


> I wouldnt mind shooting that a time or 2... where can you get it here?


http://www.dixieslugs.com/

I'm mailing my order in today!


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## Tippin Slow (Nov 21, 2007)

Triball does work. They are actually 315 grains x 3 = 945 grains going down range. The lead "balls" are hardened and offer up great penetration. They pack a punch and were very effective on the deer I shot using them. I have some pics but would not upload for some reason. I did have some trouble in a "Escort" auto with feeding from the magazine tube so I primarily used it in a 870 pump. You can get really tight groups using a extra full choke. Make sure the choke is no smaller than .665 due to the total size of the shot (lead and wad).


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## BBreeze (Aug 26, 2009)

Also dog hunted for year and use a 3" Browning A-5 Belgium with 32" full choke barrel. #1 Buckshot is what patterned the best for me 60 step easy and have killed a doe at 115 steps. Will admit it took 5 shots and I was very lucky. The # 1 thing is to pattern your gun at diffrent distance and ammo sizes so you are familer with your gun, not all gun shot the same even if they are the same brand.


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## WhiskeyTangoFoxtrout (Dec 28, 2010)

Clayjunky said:


> http://www.dixieslugs.com/
> 
> I'm mailing my order in today!


Good deal I will do the same.


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## WhiskeyTangoFoxtrout (Dec 28, 2010)

Tippin Slow said:


> Triball does work. They are actually 315 grains x 3 = 945 grains going down range. The lead "balls" are hardened and offer up great penetration. They pack a punch and were very effective on the deer I shot using them. I have some pics but would not upload for some reason. I did have some trouble in a "Escort" auto with feeding from the magazine tube so I primarily used it in a 870 pump. You can get really tight groups using a extra full choke. Make sure the choke is no smaller than .665 due to the total size of the shot (lead and wad).


I will pattern it and also shoot the 870. Did you ever shoot it with Modified choke?


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## Tippin Slow (Nov 21, 2007)

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrout said:


> I will pattern it and also shoot the 870. Did you ever shoot it with Modified choke?


No. Probably will get better patterns with a tighter choke. But its worth a try.


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## RMc (Jan 5, 2011)

*Tri-Ball patterns...*

...generally run under 6" at 40 yards with a Modified choke and under 5" with a Full choke - again extended tubes that have a parallel section tend to pattern in a more consistent manner based on the testing I have done.

Notice the word generally used above - for example, most full choke patterns with my Briley extended Full choke (.695" exit diameter) are 3 to 4 inches in diameter at 40 yards. Tri-Ball ammo patterns great with anything from Modified (.710" exit diameter) to x-full (.685" exit diameter). 

Note: With Tri-Ball if you get two "pellets" together and one several inches out - the choke is too tight for the load in your shotgun. Reason: Too tight a choke pinches the wad and does not allow the bottom ball to release smoothly.

By the way: Both the Briley 00B Full tube and the Buckkicker 00B extended chokes have (Remington 12 ga.) .695 exit diameters.


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## Tippin Slow (Nov 21, 2007)

RMc said:


> ...generally run under 6" at 40 yards with a Modified choke and under 5" with a Full choke - again extended tubes that have a parallel section tend to pattern in a more consistent manner based on the testing I have done.
> 
> Notice the word generally used above - for example, most full choke patterns with my Briley extended Full choke (.695" exit diameter) are 3 to 4 inches in diameter at 40 yards. Tri-Ball ammo patterns great with anything from Modified (.710" exit diameter) to x-full (.685" exit diameter).
> 
> ...


This guy knows more than anybody about the Tri-Ball from Dixie Slugs. He may have a vested interest in Dixie Slugs because I see him on all the forums informing people and pushing the product. That being said I think the product is top grade. I like it for the fact if you miss you miss. If you hit it its going down for the count.


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## RMc (Jan 5, 2011)

*To clear the air...*

Tippin Slow:

I have done advisory product testing for Dixie Slugs, however, I have no financial interest in the firm. Like you, I found Dixie Tri-Ball buckshot to be "top grade." 

The revolutionary improvements in buckshot effectiveness and range have gone virtually unnoticed in the mainstream shooting press - perhaps due to its connection to traditional Southern dog drive hunting. 

Starting with Winchester's Mark V buckshot with shot collar and buffer in the 1960's, Federal's Premium spiral stacked buckshot in the early 1980's and most recently Federal's Flite-Control buckshot and Dixie's Tri-Ball buckshot, these many improvements have more than doubled the effective range of buckshot. 

These improvements in buckshot ammunition, much like the radical changes in shotgun slug ammunition, have made the shotgun a far more useful and effective tool for todays hunter.


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