Real-world close range shotgun deer hunting - Hornady Varmint Express #4 Buckshot

Brobee

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My original long-range-gelatin-test was posted in the black/green shotgun forum, but I though this add-on to that test might be appreciated here.

I've been meaning to get this done for a couple years now, but with graduate school, work, and family it just seemed like too much work. Finally - a real-world close-range-deer-hunting performance test using #4 buckshot...


Would I use this round again? Not likely, as I think slugs are a far better choice for big game hunting.

Cheers, and thanks for watching!

Brobee
 
Thanks for posting. Great job.i find#4 great for coyotes and just under the legal size fir deer in Ontario. Looking forward to more videos. Dutch
 
Great video!

I've taken one deer with buckshot & didn't like the result so I've never used it again. If you are disciplined enough to limit your shots to VERY close range, it works, but I believe slugs are a much better option.

Enjoy the venison!

Cheers
Jay
 
That was a GREAT "hunting" video.

And while not for everyone and certainly not something I would recommend for the average deer hunter, absolute proof that you don't need to shoot at a speck on the horizon with a magnum rifle.

Very well done.

PS - if you need some help ridding the property of those "pesky deer", I can pass you my number :)
 
Good video.

My experience with buckshot is all on bears and has ranged from excellent to poor. Choke seems to play a big part as does distance of course.

4buck wouldn't be legal in BC (single O minimum) but a 17 hornet would be legal. :)
 
I would think a slightly tighter choke would pull that 4 buck closer together. But as you mentioned the #4 pellet only has so much weight and diameter so range is still limited to what you discovered. Great show.

Darryl
 
Here how the Hornady #4 patterned for me out of a Benelli Nova Tactical and a DA Grizzly. Both I believe have Improved Cylinder chokes.


http://kalypso.net/temp-external/picts-posts/Hornady_4Buck_30m.JPG

http://kalypso.net/temp-external/picts-posts/Hornady_4Buck_30meter.JPG

http://kalypso.net/temp-external/picts-posts/Hornady_Varmint_Expressa_Buck4_Grizzly.JPG

At 20 meters the wad had not opened completely!!
I am not sure if this was an exception ... I have to try again at 20m.

(Circle is paper plate size ... around 9 inches)
 
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Fixed improved cylinder.

Brobee, I would love to see one day from you a video comparing Improved Cylinder performance to a XF-Turkey choke with your favorite buckshot hunting load. It doesn't have to be on-game, it can be a 40 yard cardboard test.

Thanks
 
An amazing video, TV production quality!
If you are not working in media, you should. :)

Where are the locations that you filmed?
 
An amazing video, TV production quality!
If you are not working in media, you should. :)

Where are the locations that you filmed?

Glad you liked it! I work in the oilpatch - who knows, with the way things are going I might have to change jobs but with the whooping 300 bucks grand-total that my youtube channel has made with it's measly 250,000 hits I would have to seek a much larger audience and a different revenue model...:)

My time spent hunting (and filming) is split between our little farm out by Sundre (AB) and private land on the edge of the foothills just west of Calgary.

Cheers, and thanks for watching!

Brobee
 
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