Hornady Zombie Z-MAX 12 Gauge #00 Buck

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boomer49

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Hi guys,

This ammunition seems to be identical to Hornady's "Critical Defence" 00 buckshot ... with eight pellets travelling at 1600 fps in a very tight pattern. Plus it's apparently available in Canada at Cabelas Canada.

Any wise/learned/comment about adding one or two of these puppies to my three/four Brenneke Black Magics ... replacing the one/two basic CT cheap 00 buckshot that now resides there?

I do know that they're marketed as "Home Defence" shotshells, but was wondering about their use as part of Yer Basic Bear Defence mix.
 
In BC you can only have 3 shells loaded unless you are using single projectiles(slugs.)

So a full tube with a mix is a no-no here. Might want to check your regulations wherever you are.

With that in mind i would skip the buckshot all together.

Also you mention they group tightly... isn't that determined by the shotgun not the ammo?
 
Suther said:
In BC you can only have 3 shells loaded unless you are using single projectiles(slugs.)

So a full tube with a mix is a no-no here. Might want to check your regulations wherever you are.

With that in mind i would skip the buckshot all together.

Also you mention they group tightly... isn't that determined by the shotgun not the ammo?
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That's interesting. Any idea of the rationale behind that rule?

The choke obviously has an effect on the size of the pattern, but the construction of some 00 buckshot shells (like these ones) that are destined to be used in short-barrelled "tactical-style" shotguns can also be a factor.
 
boomer49 said:
That's interesting. Any idea of the rationale behind that rule?

The choke obviously has an effect on the size of the pattern, but the construction of some 00 buckshot shells (like these ones) that are destined to be used in short-barrelled "tactical-style" shotguns can also be a factor.
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Barrel length has virtually zero effect on pattern....it's basically all to do with choke.
 
sheephunter said:
Barrel length has virtually zero effect on pattern....it's basically all to do with choke.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know that ... I confused the issue by saying "short-barrelled" in my description. I should have just left it at "tactical-style" shotguns ...

Actually, I really wanted to use the term "riot guns" but was concerned with the scolding/dressing-down that that might have prompted. I believe that the construction of the Critical Defense (and the Zombie Z-Max) shells incorporates a type of polymer cup/carrier/wad/whatever called by them the VersaTite that contains the buckshot for a short while after it leaves the muzzle ... ensuring a tighter group from them Cylinder Choke (basically Zero Choke) scatterguns like the 870 and the 590.
 
I once shot a bear and when we were skinning it out, I found five 00 pellets in the front of its head. One pellet had slightly dented the skull and the remainder were just lodged under the skin. I would suspect the bear was shot at fairly close range to get half the payload on target. The skin had grown over all of the pellets and there was no visible indication from the hair side that he'd been shot. It was that day that I never put another 00 buck in my riot gun. The whole notion of stacking a variety of different loads for a chance bear encounter that goes wrong is a bit ridiculous when you consider it as the chance of getting one shot off is not good...let alone a half dozen. I've had the bad fortune to have to follow up and quite a number of wounded bears and my advice is forget the 00 buck. As for the Hornady 00 buck...I suspect it is the same shells in a different wrapper. I suspect it would be devastating on Zombies but I'd rather have slugs for bears.
 
boomer49 said:
Any wise/learned/comment about adding one or two of these puppies to my three/four Brenneke Black Magics ... replacing the one/two basic CT cheap 00 buckshot that now resides there?
Click to expand...

Well for starters it's the only ammo that has jammed my shotgun. Ok, only one shell did, the rest of the box was fine. Might have been a fluke. But still...

Rather than an opinion or sage advice, I'll ask a question of my own... Why are you wanting buckshot in your bear defense gun?
 
I'll take slug rounds over buck any day of the week, however my last shot is always a 000 buckshot magnum as a Hail Mary round.
 
sheephunter said:
I once shot a bear and when we were skinning it out, I found five 00 pellets in the front of its head. One pellet had slightly dented the skull and the remainder were just lodged under the skin. I would suspect the bear was shot at fairly close range to get half the payload on target. The skin had grown over all of the pellets and there was no visible indication from the hair side that he'd been shot. It was that day that I never put another 00 buck in my riot gun. The whole notion of stacking a variety of different loads for a chance bear encounter that goes wrong is a bit ridiculous when you consider it as the chance of getting one shot off is not good...let alone a half dozen. I've had the bad fortune to have to follow up and quite a number of wounded bears and my advice is forget the 00 buck. As for the Hornady 00 buck...I suspect it is the same shells in a different wrapper. I suspect it would be devastating on Zombies but I'd rather have slugs for bears.
Click to expand...

And I think that you have made a good point.

In the back of my mind, I'd always had the idea that it might be a good idea to perhaps make a hungry/pissed-off/protective animal (it could just as likely be a cougar or a big horny ungulate) at least pause for a second or two ... a brief animal-world WTF moment ... until I'd at least closed my sphincter ... so I could take a more careful/measured shot with one a them Brenneke shells.
 
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