3" 00 Buckshot for Deer Hunting

[Micro]

There's a lot of potentail in 3" #1 buckshot. The problem I see with them is that the 3" factory loads are sorta slow. 1,010 fps. I don't know why they aren't loaded to 1,200 fps like most 00 loads.
2 3/4" #1 buckshot loads are usually significanlty faster.

 

[Savage30L]

There's a lot of potentail in 3" #1 buckshot. The problem I see with them is that the 3" factory loads are sorta slow. 1,010 fps. I don't know why they aren't loaded to 1,200 fps like most 00 loads.
2 3/4" #1 buckshot loads are usually significanlty faster.

24 pellets of #1 buck weigh more than other 3" magnum loads...it's a heavy shot charge. I suspect it's a pressure issue.

I've killed some deer with that load; the deer didn't seem to realize the pellets were "slow".

Once I killed a whopper of a doe with one pellet from that load. It went into her in the brisket (she was running towards me), passed through a lung and the liver, and came to rest just under the skin behind the mammaries. She ran about 5 more yards and died.

The 2 3/4" magnum loads of #1, with 20 pellets, are great for deer hunting, and are at a faster velocity than the above load. I don't think the manufacturers make this load any more, which is a shame. But I stocked up on this before discontinuance, bought 100 rounds at a great price from some internet retailer during a closeout sale.

 

[Micro]

That could be. 24 pellets of #1 buck is 2.18 ounces. That's heavy for a 3". I have some of those, and some 2 3/4" loads with 16 #1 buck pellets at 1,250 fps.

 

[AK Hunter]

I remember sighting in my shotgun with those, wow that hurt so much.
I'm glad my state allows other guns now.

 

[RMc]

That could be. 24 pellets of #1 buck is 2.18 ounces. That's heavy for a 3". I have some of those, and some 2 3/4" loads with 16 #1 buck pellets at 1,250 fps.

Most shotgunners do not realize that factory loaded buckshot loads are loaded with smaller than nominal pellets and thus have a lighter lead payload. SAAMI standards for buckshot diameters is + or - .015 inches. In the case of #1B pellets, as loaded, these run to .285" and .33 grains. This is not the .30" and 40 grains of the expected nominal standard diameter. This would place the actual payload weight for a 24 pellet #1B load closer to 1.81 ounces.

 

[Micro]

Your right, thanks for that. I was basing what I wrote on the chart below. It appears 11 pellets per ounce is for a .298" diameter pellet, which apparently is an English (British) measure.

Out of curiosity, I pulled out the calipers and measured some Winchester pellets taken from factory shells.

#1 copper plated pellets from a 3" load of Winchester Double X ran .287-.288.
00 copper plated ran .325"-.326", and
#4B unplate ran .235"-.236".

All the pellets I measured were within a 1/1,000ths of an inch of each other. But they would all produce loads slightly lighter than in this chart.

 

[luv2safari]

I'll admit. I'm very intrigued by this option. I handload almost all of my rifle and pistol ammo. The only reason I haven't gotten into reloading shotshells is that I probably don't more than 25 rounds of buckshot per year and a lot of years it's probably more like 10-15 rounds. I just kind of figured it wasn't worth the upfront cost when I don't enjoy shooting shotguns all that much, and as such I don't shoot them much.

However, I'm not opposed to it, and it may be the way to go for me to get what I want. It doesn't seem like Flitecontrol wads are available as a component, but are there other wads you can get that perform similarly?

Most people shoot very few rounds of buckshot or none at all every year. The manufacturers don't make profits this way. I'm always surprised at all the rifled slug and buckshot loads there are in stock, while bird and small game loads are out of stock.

How many here shoot them regularly, like they shoot clays and birds/small game, or shoot rifles for groups, predators, varmints, or working up loads?

 

[Savage30L]

Most people shoot very few rounds of buckshot or none at all every year. The manufacturers don't make profits this way. I'm always surprised at all the rifled slug and buckshot loads there are in stock, while bird and small game loads are out of stock.

How many here shoot them regularly, like they shoot clays and birds/small game, or shoot rifles for groups, predators, varmints, or working up loads?

When I lived in South Carolina, and hunted deer with buckshot, I never shot more than 5 rounds per year. Outside of the Deep South, more people, I suspect, buy buckshot for defensive purposes (or just curiosity), than for hunting.

I don't know if this information is still current, but some years back, I looked into the matter, and found that some northern states, including New Jersey, Vermont, Michigan, and Montana allowed buckshot for hunting deer; some Canadian provinces also. There were probably others. But it's just not all that popular up North.

 

[Micro]

I live in southeastern Virginia and most of the counties I hunt in are shotgun-only. So I grew up hunting with buckshot and slugs. If I want to hunt with a rifle, I have to drive west several hours to a county that allows it. Buckshot's effective. I call buckshot my weekend load. Because when I am hunting on weekends, the hound-hunters are usually out and the chances of getting a shot at a fast moving driven deer is pretty good. I've picked off quite a few deer when hounds "that can't read no-trespassing signs" move deer in my direction. Otherwise, on weekdays, when hounds aren't nearly as active, I hunt with slugs.

Regarding shooting buckshot, I usually shoot a few boxes a year. I'm a choke-tube nut and just like patterning my guns and tubes. But a few boxes can put a nice bruise on your shoulder. Recoil can be brutal.