-
- Species
- Whitetails
- Rut Reporters
- Deer Camp
- Big Game
- Small Game
- Birds
- Special Methods
- Bow Hunting
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Species
- Bass
- Trout
- More Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Special Methods
- Fly Fishing
- Hook Shots
Presented by
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Health & Fitness
- F&S Adventurer
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
-
- Rifles
- Shotguns
- 2nd Amendment
- SHOT Show
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
AnswersASK YOUR QUESTION
Print
Email
Share
Answers
Browse By
Top Users
Q:
what is the max effective range of 00 buckshot using 3" shells out of a 12 gauge? i don't know if i feel comfortable shootin past 60 yards with them, but i wanted to get you guys thoughts.
Question by troutslayer. Uploaded on October 27, 2009
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Today on Field & Stream
Loading...
Visit Our Sister Sites at Bonnier Corporation
| Enthusiast | Kiteboarding | QUAD | SKI | Skiing | Scuba Diving | Sport Diver | TransWorld Ride BMX | TransWorld Business | TransWorld Motocross | TransWorld SKATEboarding, | TransWorld SNOWboarding | TransWorld SURF | WakeBoarding | WaterSki | Warren Miller Entertainment | WindSurfing |
|---|---|
| Travel | Caribbean Travel & Life | Destination Weddings & Honeymoon | Islands | Meeting Traveler | Resorts & Great Hotels |
| Lifestyle & Shelter | Florida Travel & Life | Garden Design | Home Ft. Lauderdale | Home Miami |
| Luxury | SNOW | Spa |
| Marine | Boating Life | Cruising World | Fly Fishing in Salt Waters | Power Cruising | Marlin | Motor Boating | Sailing World | Salt Water Sportsman | Sport Fishing | Yachting | NewBoats.com | UsedBoats.com | YachtBroker.com |
| Outdoor | Field & Stream | Outdoor Life | SHOT Business |
| Parenting | Babytalk | Parenting |
| Science | Popular Science | Science Illustrated |
| Saveur | Saveur |
| Working Mother Media | Working Mother |
| Entertainment / Events | World Entertainment Services | World Sports & Marketing |
Fieldandstream.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2012 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Answers (11)
I think 60 yards is stretching far beyond the reliabilities of buckshot. True, it might kill something out there, but there is no way to predict accuracy. I'd say 45 yards max. Take it to the range and shoot at the old pie plate at different ranges and see what happens.
a super full choke would increace your distance
depending on the choke, full choke would reach out there close to 60 yards. Just gotta try it out
40 yds in my opinion, maybe less.
Full Choke at 60 yards pattern will be wide but still get a few in the kill zone
Do you have a place to pattern your gun? Use same targets set at variuos distances (30, 40, 45 50 and even 70 yards.
Don't use it unless you want to wound deer. If you are going to use it treat it like your bow hunting and 35 yards or less. They don't leave a great blood trail and I have found way too many deer that have pellets just under the skin. O.K. for coyotes were legal however.
I agree with thuroy.. 00buck is a close qrtrs round best used in home defense or close kill situations.
I prefer slugs to buckshot
Having grown up in Florida I have shot many deer with buckshot. You need to try different choke tubes with different loads to get the best pattern from your gun. IME full choke does not always shoot the best pattern with buckshot. Patternmaster makes a tube that does very well with large shot. If the gun will consistently put 4 or 5 pellets in a pie plate that is your max range whatever it may be. I have seen Florida deer (which are small) killed stone dead by a single pellet thru the ribcage but that is a stunt you should not try. After all is said and done slugs give you more range and a better blood trail.
One other thing if your gun has a fixed choke try different brands and try NO 1, single 0 and double 00 buck. You get more pellets with the smaller shot and they will kill also.
Slugs are more effective at that range than OO.
Del in KS is absolutely right on.
Post an Answer
Don't use it unless you want to wound deer. If you are going to use it treat it like your bow hunting and 35 yards or less. They don't leave a great blood trail and I have found way too many deer that have pellets just under the skin. O.K. for coyotes were legal however.
I think 60 yards is stretching far beyond the reliabilities of buckshot. True, it might kill something out there, but there is no way to predict accuracy. I'd say 45 yards max. Take it to the range and shoot at the old pie plate at different ranges and see what happens.
a super full choke would increace your distance
depending on the choke, full choke would reach out there close to 60 yards. Just gotta try it out
Having grown up in Florida I have shot many deer with buckshot. You need to try different choke tubes with different loads to get the best pattern from your gun. IME full choke does not always shoot the best pattern with buckshot. Patternmaster makes a tube that does very well with large shot. If the gun will consistently put 4 or 5 pellets in a pie plate that is your max range whatever it may be. I have seen Florida deer (which are small) killed stone dead by a single pellet thru the ribcage but that is a stunt you should not try. After all is said and done slugs give you more range and a better blood trail.
One other thing if your gun has a fixed choke try different brands and try NO 1, single 0 and double 00 buck. You get more pellets with the smaller shot and they will kill also.
40 yds in my opinion, maybe less.
Full Choke at 60 yards pattern will be wide but still get a few in the kill zone
Do you have a place to pattern your gun? Use same targets set at variuos distances (30, 40, 45 50 and even 70 yards.
I agree with thuroy.. 00buck is a close qrtrs round best used in home defense or close kill situations.
I prefer slugs to buckshot
Slugs are more effective at that range than OO.
Del in KS is absolutely right on.
Post an Answer