buckshot

John Y Cannuck

John Y Cannuck

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I know this is a contentious topic for some. some folks seem to think it bounces off or something.

Anyway, IMO it works. It's legal, in fact in many of the more populated ares of Ontario, it's the only thing you can use in a firearm to hunt deer.

Does it have it's limitations? Hell yes! I wouldn't use it beyond 40 yards. It's quite capable of killing beyond that, but the chances of wounding in further ranges gets pretty high. So, I have always kept it to crossbow ranges.

I prefer a rifle, lets make that clear, but under certain heavy cover close range conditions, or when mandated by law, I have used buckshot successfully.

IMO, it's bad rap comes from those who try to stretch it's range, or believe that pointing in the general direction of game is all you need to do. Frequently those people have never even bothered to fire a shot at a target to see where the pattern prints. Like a rifle, it has a trajectory, and a group. (although the 'group' is made with one shot) If you are hunting with a shotgun that has only a bead, you may need to learn where to hold on target.
 
I wouldnt use buck over 30. Most of the deer ive tracked and never recovered where shot with buck. (Not shot by me)

Id say biggest problem is people cant range propperly and over estimate the lethality of buck

I seen first hand a 300lb buck take a load of buckshot to the head at 15 yards and just look at the guy who shot him.
 
I hunt the controlled hunt next week. Buckshot well never be in any of my shotguns. I understand some people have used it with success but i woukd bet more have used it without. I wont take the chance, its slug only for me.
 
every deer i shot with 000 has dropped in their tracks, all shoot at 30ydr and under, only one needed a fallowup

i think arguing slug/bullet vs buckshot is in the same realm as 308 vs 30-06, use what you good with
 
There is no question that it works at short ranges. I don't use it because I feel one well placed slug is a better option for me, but everyone has their own preference and it's not my place to judge how another person chooses to hunt.
 
Growing up, I remember my dad had an old Eaton's single shot with a full choke. He shot many deer in the bush behind our house using SSG's or double 0 buck. Not 1 ever got away, as far as I remember. He always said that under 40 yards, there was nothing deadlier. He had a 30-30 and a 30-06, but, he mostly carried his trusty "ol' 12 banger".
 
John Y Cannuck said it right ,,,,, Pattern your gun , keep shots within your gun's capabilities ( often 40 yds. MAX.)
and you have the best killing machine . I have used 2 3/4" 00 Buck to kill 10 deer , all within 40 yds. & all dropped
dead within 20 yds. Never lost any. Before using buckshot I did all the usual patterning @ the range to determine
where my pattern went & what max. range it had . My idea of MAX. range is when I can still get about Half of the pellets
in an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper ( set sideways) to simulate the boiler room of a deer.
If your gun patterns well to 40 yds. & all your expected shots are 40 yds. max. why in the world would you use a slug.
I have a dedicated slug gun , with rifled barrel & red dot scope . It is sighted in for 100 yds. & gets 3-4" groups. At 50 yds.
it shoots 3" high & the group is about 2" . Believe it or not ,,,,,,,, that is all with Winchester Foster Slugs ( $5./ 5 @ CTC ) .
Sabots do not shoot much better in my gun , so why pay $3.-$4. a piece ?
Some may not believe this , as most "Experts" say use sabots for rifled barrels & Foster slugs for smooth bores ,but I assure you
this is the case since I started using this gun in 1987 . My 1st. use was in that year @ Second Chance , where there was a Match
for slugs on steel out to 100 yds. Since then , killed 10 deer with it . I carry it when ever there are chances of shots over 40 yds.
If not then a smooth bore , with full choke & 00 Buck . Each gun shoots their own ammo. best . Since hunting from 1962 I have
listened to hunters who mix slugs & buckshot in same gun . I never thought that was right. Each ammo. needs the right gun .
That is my experience . Tomorrow my controlled hunt starts . Slug gun goes with me as shots are often 90 yds.
 
I wouldnt use buck over 30. Most of the deer ive tracked and never recovered where shot with buck. (Not shot by me)

Id say biggest problem is people cant range propperly and over estimate the lethality of buck

I seen first hand a 300lb buck take a load of buckshot to the head at 15 yards and just look at the guy who shot him.
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Is that because the guy missed and the deer was stunned by the muzzle blast?
Arguing over 10 yrds is like pissing in the wind.
A mans got to know his limitations and one has already suggested his is 40 yrds and now someone suggests no more than 30 yrds?
Either distance is reasonable crossbow range too.
What gun, what are the field conditions what ammo choice are all part of the solution to cutting a tag and not having track soup again for dinner.
I have tried and been unsuccessful because the Salas in Burns Bog was to thick and I didnt have the permission to be where the better deer opportunities are.
But, I wouldnt hesitate with 3 inch Federals @1300fps and a full choke or modified choke in pursuit of deer or bear when mandated by law or because thats all that I have.
Opening day isnt the time to practice either and a large piece of cardboard with a 12 circle drawn on it will prove the medicine is strong for deer at what ever range within reason from point blank to 40 yrds is the right choice.
I also know of a large black bear that was harvested in the same Burns Bog back in the late 80's that took five rounds of double OOBuck before his last breath.
the last two rounds where close enough the plastic wads where embedded into the hide.
Is that close enough?
Just sayin,
Rob
 
Any deer running under 60 yards went down end over end with a 1200 I had and an SSG.Mammaries skyward.
 
Buckshot can be very effective. I had a Pattern master Code Black Goose choke on my Baikal MP153. It would put all 9 pellets of 00 into 8" @20 yards. @35 it would put all of the big pellets into 15". That would be an effective deer gun with buckshot. I have also seen full choke shotguns barely manage to keep all of the pellets on a 4'x4' sheet of plywood at 30 yards. I believe the latter type to be the reason people don't like buckshot for deer. If you use it buy purpose built chokes, buy buffered engineered buckshot loads and PATTERN it. Member here Broby has several good videos showing the research and actual hunting with various buckshot/shotgun gun combos. A little pre hunt testing can add up to a successful buckshot deer hunt. Buckshot is as good as ever probably even better with the new technology available to hunters.

Darryl
 
I use 3" 12 gauge buck for the deer season that is "shotguns/muzzleloaders" only hunt. I keep it to 30meters or less. It is devastating.
 
Is that because the guy missed and the deer was stunned by the muzzle blast?
Click to expand...

No miss. Buckey ran right under my stand, 1ft away from the tree. Only shot i got off was straight down, never expected that. We followed the trail and when we got to within 15 yards it popped up. Friend put buckshot in the head. I finished him off with a slug.
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Buckshot would be my last choice for deer hunting but that’s because I am not limited to using it in my area, it does work though. Like said you have to pattern your gun with different chokes and pick and stick with your max distance, no different than any shot though.

I watched my buddy shoot at 5-6 grouse last year with his 12g and miss every one of them, close up and out to 30-40y. When I asked him if he had patterned it he said no, this year he still hadn’t patterned it so I handed him my 870 that I’ve patterned out to 40y and he bagged out the second day.

I shoot 00buck for fun and I’d like to try some of the flight control wad options just for comparison sake, 30-40y would be my max range with buckshot and at that distance I’ll shoot a slug if all I’m hunting with is my shotgun.
 
It's been said time and time again, buckshot works when the shooter ; A) Does his/her homework (patterning and chokes) and B) Use it only in certain situations, which means closer proximity. I'm sure there are about 2 million stories of close shots that were ineffective or long shots that were lucky or fluke.


I personally love the 3 1/2 inch in thick cedars, the 18- .30 cal pellets are deadly.
 
I once shot a Buck at a longer range with Buckshot. It stepped out into a clearing and I figured I had a good shot. The deer dropped on the spot, stood back up, turned 180 degrees and dropped again. Yomomma was hunting close by and walked over just as I was going to check out the deer. I ranged the distance back to my stand - 53 yards. When I checked out the deer I found I had only hit it with one pellet but it had gone straight through the heart. I was lucky that day, it was the last time I hunted with Buckshot in the gun although I do take some out with me in case I have to go through the thick stuff.
 
If i hunted in a shotgun area id use my purpose built slug gun but id also carry one of many sxs guns loaded with buck and a slug. Ive shot several deer with buck shot and never had a problem but all were within 40 yards. My last was shot at 37 paces with 2 3/4" #4 buck. The cop that watched me shoot it couldnt believe a deer could hit the ground so hard. I shot the small buck in the face. 21 pellet count 16 holes in the head and neck.
I prefer slugs but for close range running deer buck shot 00 and 000 are lethal if the shooter knows how to use his gun
 
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