Number 1 buckshot

870P

870P

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2 3/4 16 pellet #1 buck is my favorite overall buckshot load, if I can find it.

Moar pellets, moar lead, compared to your standard 00 load, without quite getting into magnum shell levels of recoil. 16 pellets is enough to give you decent shot coverage once the pattern has opened up.

Out to 20 yards, it seems like you give up surprisingly little performance on an individual pellet basis compared to 00 buckshot, although it does seem to start losing out after that point.

I've heard from a fair number of folks that tried it and didn't like it as they found it didn't pattern as tightly as they wanted {with the exception of the now discontinued FlightControl offering}, but I typically like a bit of shot spread, and you can tighten the patterns up by running a bit more choke than you would with standard 00, modified to improved modified should be about optimum.

The downside again is finding it, especially in case quantity.

What you can typically expect out of an open choked "riot" barrel:

 
Never tried (or seen) #1 Buck, but earlier this year tested 4 buckshot loads (one 000 and three 00), in 3 shotguns. The Remington 000 in a full choke (as it recommends on the box) was by far the best performer.

Not an exhaustive test by any means but enough that I think fixed cylinder chokes are a mistake.
 
The Remington 18 pellet 3.5 inch is my favourite buckshot shell. 18 pellets of OO pellets going 1125 fps. I shot a pizza box at 30 yards and just about all of them of them hit it. I might have been off center.
My other favourite is the 15 pellet nickel plated 00 hornady coyote magnum. 1.5 oz at 1300. I have never shot an animal with either, but I would. All the 8-9 pellet OO testing I've done has been disappointing compared to these two.

Other than these two from a shotgun, I'd use a good slug. Please let me know if there are better buckshot loads than these two.
 
unstableryan said:
The Remington 18 pellet 3.5 inch is my favourite buckshot shell. 18 pellets of OO pellets going 1125 fps. I shot a pizza box at 30 yards and just about all of them of them hit it. I might have been off center.
My other favourite is the 15 pellet nickel plated 00 hornady coyote magnum. 1.5 oz at 1300. I have never shot an animal with either, but I would. All the 8-9 pellet OO testing I've done has been disappointing compared to these two.

Other than these two from a shotgun, I'd use a good slug. Please let me know if there are better buckshot loads than these two.
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Depending upon your intended purpose, look at Federal reduced recoil with “flite control”. Very tight patterns with 8 pellet OO buck and #1 buck. “Lucky Gunner” researched patterns between various brands out of an 870 with 18” barrel.

https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/m...ckshot-part-2/
 
Brutus said:
Very many Ithaca police style shotguns during the 1980s were modified in a fixed choke. I have one DSPS has a full choke. Every Stakeout shotgun I have handled has a full choke be it 20 or 12 gauge.
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Were the chokes improved after they were modified to full? :)

Edit:
I now get what Brutus was saying. My joke failed.
 
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MiG25 said:
Never tried (or seen) #1 Buck, but earlier this year tested 4 buckshot loads (one 000 and three 00), in 3 shotguns. The Remington 000 in a full choke (as it recommends on the box) was by far the best performer.

Not an exhaustive test by any means but enough that I think fixed cylinder chokes are a mistake.
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Tight chokes can produce wild fliers with larger buckshot and are often less accurate with slugs though.

unstableryan said:
The Remington 18 pellet 3.5 inch is my favourite buckshot shell. 18 pellets of OO pellets going 1125 fps. I shot a pizza box at 30 yards and just about all of them of them hit it. I might have been off center.
My other favourite is the 15 pellet nickel plated 00 hornady coyote magnum. 1.5 oz at 1300. I have never shot an animal with either, but I would. All the 8-9 pellet OO testing I've done has been disappointing compared to these two.

Other than these two from a shotgun, I'd use a good slug. Please let me know if there are better buckshot loads than these two.
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#1 buck gives you lots of holes without massive recoil and reduced capacity.

For hunting the 00 magnum loads are probably better, but otherwise I'll take #1B.
 
870P said:
Tight chokes can produce wild fliers with larger buckshot and are often less accurate with slugs though.



#1 buck gives you lots of holes without massive recoil and reduced capacity.
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From my testing of 4 loads the cylinder choke never out performed the full choke. Wild flyers were with Winchester 00. It isn't an exaggeration to say the Full Choke with 000 DOUBLED the range compared to the Cylinder Choke with any load.

The only load with objectionable recoil was the Federal Premium 12 pellet 00.

I'll definately try some #1 if I ever see any.

As to slugs I can't really say, had a Brno combo (Full maybe Extra Full) that shot Winchester slugs very well, an Ithaca Deerslayer (basically a full length Full Choke) that hates them, but shots the Challenger Low Recoil very well.
 
I have several hundred 3" #1 buck shells packed away for a rainy day. You can't get more projectiles into a shell and still make minimum penetration with anything else. I also agree that tight chokes typically work against good patterns, I typically run an IC choke but with shotguns there are never guarantees.
 
MiG25 said:
From my testing of 4 loads the cylinder choke never out performed the full choke. Wild flyers were with Winchester 00. It isn't an exaggeration to say the Full Choke with 000 DOUBLED the range compared to the Cylinder Choke with any load.

The only load with objectionable recoil was the Federal Premium 12 pellet 00.

I'll definately try some #1 if I ever see any.

As to slugs I can't really say, had a Brno combo (Full maybe Extra Full) that shot Winchester slugs very well, an Ithaca Deerslayer (basically a full length Full Choke) that hates them, but shots the Challenger Low Recoil very well.
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Is this an extended full choke?

They are chokes specifically intended for use with large buckshot, that run as tight as Extra Full in some models, but your typical short Full choke is usually happier with #4 buck or smaller shot.

I've also noticed that the 2 3/4 magnums seem to hurt more than even 3" magnums for some reason.
 
Standard Ithaca 37 fixed Full Choke. Right on the box of 000 Remington recommends a full choke.

In my limited testing (4 loads out of what I suspect are dozens), it was a toss up between the Remington 000 and the Federal XM127 00 in a cylinder bore. The 000 in a full choke was by far the best.
 
I think that Id prefer the heavier pellets . like 00 or 000 buck if I had to use buckshot. more penetration due to the weight . Hornady makes a personal defense nickel plated product that is said to shoot very tight patterns .
 
cement head said:
I think that Id prefer the heavier pellets . like 00 or 000 buck if I had to use buckshot. more penetration due to the weight . Hornady makes a personal defense nickel plated product that is said to shoot very tight patterns .
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#1B doesn't give up a lot to 00 when it comes to penetration, its only when you go up to 000 is there a dramatic difference.
 
0faustus0 said:
Nobody talks about velocity?
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What about it?

16 pellet #1B runs a little slower at a 1250 fps advertised velocity vs a typical 1325 fps for 00, however like all shotgun loads, those figures are derived from a test barrel length of at least 26 inches.

Given that #1B is slinging a 1/3rd heavier payload, I bet it loses a lower percentage of its advertised velocity out of a riot length barrel than 9 pellet 00.
 
Ive always been impressed with 3" #4 buck. 41 pellets fills out a pattern well and really packs a punch in close. Not legal for deer or bear in ontario but i know for a fact it is devastating on deer. Works excellent for coyotes as well
 
870P said:
What about it?

16 pellet #1B runs a little slower at a 1250 fps advertised velocity vs a typical 1325 fps for 00, however like all shotgun loads, those figures are derived from a test barrel length of at least 26 inches.

Given that #1B is slinging a 1/3rd heavier payload, I bet it loses a lower percentage of its advertised velocity out of a riot length barrel than 9 pellet 00.
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On top of that, lower velocities often produce much tighter and more consistent patterns. The much higher cross sectional area of the #1 is drastic as well.
 
brybenn said:
Ive always been impressed with 3" #4 buck. 41 pellets fills out a pattern well and really packs a punch in close. Not legal for deer or bear in ontario but i know for a fact it is devastating on deer. Works excellent for coyotes as well
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I love the pellet count of #4B, but I don't trust the marginal penetration on anything other than thin skinned targets, especially at a distance.

It's awesome for pest control though.

https://brassfetcher.com/Shotguns/Maximum Effective Range/Buckshot.html
 
The only deer I ever downed with buckshot was a large doe at about 25 yards with a Remington 870 Marine using Remington 3 inch #1 Buck. She fell so hard that she bounced and I harvested her right where she dropped.
 
unstableryan said:
The Remington 18 pellet 3.5 inch is my favourite buckshot shell. 18 pellets of OO pellets going 1125 fps. I shot a pizza box at 30 yards and just about all of them of them hit it. I might have been off center.
My other favourite is the 15 pellet nickel plated 00 hornady coyote magnum. 1.5 oz at 1300. I have never shot an animal with either, but I would. All the 8-9 pellet OO testing I've done has been disappointing compared to these two.

Other than these two from a shotgun, I'd use a good slug. Please let me know if there are better buckshot loads than these two.
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That is one high power kick a$$ load right there , I exhausted my supply a few years back.

Your post brings back memories of busting my Knuckes up shooting it from my pistol grip supermag, that sure was one fun camping trip!

Would love to know if any retailers have any in stock ?
 
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