"All-purpose" 12GA load?

[A strange person]

I'm looking for a 12GA load that could take small game like rabbits at close range (25 yards), but also take game like racoon and coyote at a decent range (40-50) yards without having to change the choke. These are the typical ranges one sees such game where I live. I want to be able to just chuck a box of shells in my bag for emergencies (and whatever), and not have to carry several different types of ammo.

Any ideas? I'm thinking of trying some steel BB. There's plenty of the stuff around for goose hunting, and it's not too expensive. I think, through a full choke, the shot may not pattern too densely to destroy small game(because the shot size is so large), but should take down medium size game well enough at modest ranges (this is the setup for waterfowling, after all). Is it worth a try?

 

[oneounceload]

Haven't seen folks use a Full choke with steel and that size would be a tad large for bunnies, was thinking more like number 4 or 2 lead

 

[rcmodel]

+1

Every choke tube manufacture I know of cautions against the use of steel shot in anything tighter then MOD.

Steel generally patterns one choke tighter then lead anyway.
It also has no "give" to it like lead when it gets to the choke, and may in fact damage a Full choke barrel.

I agreed with oneounceload on the heavy #4 lead.
Still, a coyote at 50 yards is going to be stretching it by about 15 - 20 yards!

You might be better off with an extra 5-round box of rifled slugs for those "sniper shots" at coyotes.

rc

 

[A strange person]

I think there would only be 50 or so pellets in a BB load. As long as the shot isn't really, really close, I don't think more than a few could hit a rabbit.

 

[A strange person]

Maybe premium turkey ammo would be good for the purpose. It would be expensive, but I wouldn't be shooting it that much.

 

[JohnM]

Have you done much shotgunning?
Have you ever patterned a shotgun?

 

[waidmann]

Full choke #4 Buck. If its legal, if you like ground rabbit etc. Of course a double with two chokes and two loads might make sense

 

[oneounceload]

It's the long range that I would be concerned with - but personally, I do not consider coyote and raccoon "game" animals, but varmints....

If I was going after them for whatever reason, I would most likely use a rifle; otherwise, I am not wasting emergency ammo on them just to shoot them

 

[303tom]

I have had these make my shoulder sore & have used them on everything, save small bird ie dove or quail.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/88...8-oz-buffered-bb-copper-plated-shot-box-of-25

 

[JohnM]

Makes everything sore just thinking about spending 36 bucks a box for shotgun shells

 

[A strange person]

Have you done much shotgunning?
Have you ever patterned a shotgun?

(cannot tell if trolling or...) I'm not going to blow a ton of money on shells to pattern and test if someone else here has already had the same idea as me and can verify that it is a stupid/good idea. Yes, I do pattern the shotgun shells I get, ONCE I've already determined that they ought to work for my intended purpose.

 

[A strange person]

It's the long range that I would be concerned with - but personally, I do not consider coyote and raccoon "game" animals, but varmints....

If I was going after them for whatever reason, I would most likely use a rifle; otherwise, I am not wasting emergency ammo on them just to shoot them

Here in New England, there is no "long range". It's easy to get away with using a shotgun for just about everything. More, than easy, actually. I'd be willing to bet that (with the exception of farms, large clear-cuts, etc. I only hunt in the woods.) 99% of the game killed here was killed well within shotgun range. I've killed coyotes with shotguns before, but always with buckshot. It puts them down, but it doesn't pattern densely enough for anything smaller than that. I just want a box of something that would do "reasonably" well on a variety of game that I can throw in my backpack and forget about. I roam far sometimes.

 

[jmr40]

If I had to choose only 1 shot size for all game from dove to goose and turkey, I'd probably go with #5 or #6 lead. I realize lead isn't legal for waterfowl. But that would be my choice. Throw in larger game and I just can't see making 1 shot size work

 

[bejay]

sounds like a 22 would be better than a shotgun for what your shooting. be hard to get away from carrying a couple of loads such as buckshot and #6in my opinion.

 

[Noah]

Maybe #4 Buck, but any shotgun load, save a slug, probably isn't much good at 40-50 yards, especially farther than that. I shot 3" 00 Buck at 35 yards recently, the pattern was about 2.5 feet and not dense enough for me to feel confident shooting at a coyote any farther out than that, and I would expect longer ranges. The same day, same gun, same range, same target, I put 2 slugs within an inch of each other, those being Rifled Slugs from an 18.5" smoothbore. I have a *very* similar "setup" of animals at my house, although most Raccoons have been in a trap or in a tree at less than 25 yards. I would not take anything smaller than Buck against a Coyote, first choice is always a slug or even a .22, or a Mosin, but probably not, due to range. No one wants to just cause painful and superficial wounds that just scare it off. I would like to try out some #4 Buck soon, with the higher number of pellets I would hopefully get a much denser pattern.

I'm assuming that if you shoot a rabbit, you'd want to eat it, and any load good for a coyote at 50 yards would render said rabbit unedible, I think. I definitely agree with bejay; a .22 sounds better for your needs, or Slugs/Buck and some #5 or #6, but no single ammo except .22LR or a smaller centerfire, but .22 is cheap and relatively shorter ranged than any centerfire.

 

[A strange person]

sounds like a 22 would be better than a shotgun for what your shooting.

I always carry a .22 pistol in the woods. My ammo load out for a shotgun assumes a primary reliance on a .22 pistol, as shotgun ammo is very heavy. I just like to have ammo that would let the 12GA do anything it needs to on it's own, if necessary.

but any shotgun load, save a slug, probably isn't much good at 40-50 yards,

I can use slugs on coyotes, and anything smaller or darker-colored than that can rarely be seen past 40-50 yards around here.

 

[JohnM]

So, what do you do with the coyotes?
Sure ain't much for eating. I've eaten raccoon, but once was enough for me.
Cotton tail and hare I really prefer a 22.
When we have a number of different birds in season, like now, I pass on geese.
Don't want to carry it all the way back home.
For most of the edible game you'll see hunting with a shotgun, 6s or 8s will handle it.
6s are about as close as I think you can come to an all around shot shell load.

 

[A strange person]

So, what do you do with the coyotes?
Sure ain't much for eating.

Nothing. A dead coyote can't kill my deer and rabbits. They aren't even native to this area; they came here in the 50's or something. They breed very rapidly, and are 10X harder to hunt here than they are out west. Most guys don't even bother hunting them. They are really an environmental disaster. When I'm in clean, full camo, and still-hunting my darndest, they can trot right past me at 25 yards. I shoot them on sight with anything I have, and hope for the best, but I strongly prefer buckshot for the purpose.

 

[PabloJ]

You need shotgun with two barrels, two triggers and choke tubes if possible. My buddy had light weight Italian 12ga O/U with 25" barrels double triggers choke tubes small front blade and folding rear leaf sight on small rib. I have never seen better all around shotgun. He used it on deer, grouse, and ducks (choke tubes came real handy if steel shot has to be used). Main problem today is just about anything with two barrels and choke tubes has just one trigger.
Another option is expensive European combo gun and even more dreadfully expensive European Drilling.

 

[A strange person]

I've seen "combo guns" for not too much money before, like the old Savage's. Next time I see a .22LR over 20GA combo in good condition for a somewhat reasonable price, I'm snapping it up.

 

[BeerSleeper]

Main problem today is just about anything with two barrels and choke tubes has just one trigger.

The safety switch selects which barrel fires first. It doesn't matter that there's only one trigger, you can still choose which barrel to fire.

 

[ldhulk]

I think you are on the right track with the Savage model 24, but they sell pretty dear any more. You can get one in 20ga./.22WRM, 20ga./.222 Rem, or 12 ga./.223, the last version being about the ugliest gun ever made. I think for coyotes the .22 WRM version would be a good choice.

 

[Onmilo]

2 3/4" 3 3/4 dram equivilent 1 1/4 ounce #5 shot is my go to, do about anything, load for 12 guage.
Have used this load on everything from dove to fox in full to improved cylinder and it will get the job done if you do your part.

 

[oneounceload]

1-1/4 oz of 5 for dove?????

That's a Western pheasant load, a little overkill for dove and a definite shoulder buster. You might try 7/8oz of 8 - works great and your shoulder will thank you

 

[JohnM]

heh heh, it would sure knock one out of the sky if you hit it.
Never was a dove hunter, but sure used to go through the shells on chukar.