any of you choose 4 buck in 3" shell(41 pellets) for hd?

[bullseyebob47]

i have 2 3/4" 4 buck loaded now but 41 pellets is tempting. to get 5 shells in my 500 tube mag i would need to put one 2 3/4" then four 3". i have shot 3" 00 buck before, not pleasant, but in a hd situation i don't think i'll notice or worry about recoil.

 

[farscott]

I avoid all three-inch shells, much preferring 2-3/4" shells, as some of my 870 HD guns have 2-3/4" chambers. This provides ammo commonality as well as the stated larger magazine capacity.

 

[IWAC]

So, what are your goals? more penetration and/or more recoil? I can understand 3" in Waterfowling...longer range, better shot pattern density, etc. But, what, exactly will the 41 pellets of #4 buck do that a standard load won't?

A shotgun is always and forever a short-range SD weapon, except for slugs and sabots, which are an entirely different story, and they do not lend themselves to much practice!

Whatever can be stuffed into a standard 2 3/4 " shell did excellent work for decades, and despite being "old technology", still works about as well as anything.

Why chance a jam when the zombies are coming thick and fast, and your AR has jammed (Custom loads, you know!)and you have two sizes of ammo, and try to stuff 5 3" shells into your shotgun, instead of 4 3" and just one 3 3/4, and then...what? Reach for your Desert Eagle, and continue the dance?

When TEOTWAWKI happens,the time for ballistic proctology is over, and prior, a goodly number of reliable "standard" loads should be found and stored. Until then, it sure is fun to mess around...uhmmm...experiment, isn't it?

 

[GRIZ22]

You don't need 3" shells for HD. That's just making a difficult situation harder. I see nothing wrong with #4 followed by 00 if that floats your boat.

 

[PJSprog]

I keep 2-3/4" #4 in my Mossy 500. I always have.

 

[Steve C]

For home defense any buckshot will work fine and there's no question that a 3" #4 buck will do the job. It's not necessary to buy extra heavy loads for the possibility that you may have to use it against a human predator but if you shoot them for some other purpose like longer range animal control or hunting and that is what you have on hand there's little reason to buy a different load either.

 

[bullseyebob47]

"what, exactly will the 41 pellets of #4 buck do that a standard load won't?"

14 more holes per trigger pull.

 

[TruthTellers]

"what, exactly will the 41 pellets of #4 buck do that a standard load won't?"

14 more holes per trigger pull.

I bought 35 rounds of 3" #1 buck once because I use to think the same thing about more pellets that I can shoot, the better, but for home defense it's not only unnecessary, it's not even recommend to have so many pellets flying around in a house. Unless you like using wood filler to fix furniture and drywall compound to fill in walls, you should not be using 3" for HD.

I just picked up some of the 1.75" Aguila mini buckshot that has seven #4 buck pellets and four #1 pellets and that will get the job done with a hell of a lot less recoil.

I still have some belief that extra pellets can have some benefit for self defense, but not inside the home. Save the 3" stuff for SHTF self defense.

 

[Beam]

Do you shoot the aguila in single shot or double barrel? They wouldnt cycle in anything i put em in

 

[TruthTellers]

Do you shoot the aguila in single shot or double barrel? They wouldnt cycle in anything i put em in

Double, I can't imagine using a single shot for any defensive situation.

Also, I have a buttstock shell holder and I'll bet I can double the amount of shells it carries from 5 to 10. Not to worried about them falling out either because recoil is so low.

I also would like to know which shotguns the Aguila shells cycle. I know the KSG and a Winchester cycle and eject them fine, and I'm of the opinion that Ithaca 37's do too, but have yet to see any video footage to prove my theory that ANY bottom ejecting shotgun will cycle and eject them fine.

 

[IWAC]

"what, exactly will the 41 pellets of #4 buck do that a standard load won't?"

14 more holes per trigger pull.

In what?

 

[bullseyebob47]

thats a mystery to you? take your time, im sure you can figure it out. if not, ask help from your parents maybe?

 

[Hookeye]

I don't think one needs 3" for HD.
But I have them in mine
A few #4 turkey loads (left over from hunting) followed by a couple of Rem sluggers
(also left overs). The slugs are 2 3/4"
My wife's job has us getting death and other threats routinely.
So far it's all been BS. Never know though.
All my shotguns are 3" rigs.

 

[JSH1]

"what, exactly will the 41 pellets of #4 buck do that a standard load won't?"

14 more holes per trigger pull.

Whatever floats your boat. I've used 3 inch shells in the past but they were 3 inch 410 shells loaded with five 000 buck. I was happy with five 0.36 diameter holes on target.

 

[rbernie]

Shooting HD/SD 2 3/4" buck loads and 3" field loads of various pellet sizes side-by-side in an indoor range at human silhouette targets gave me a very good appreciation for the differences between buckshot offerings. I learned, for example, that 3" field shells do not use low-flash powders, and that they recoil a LOT more, and that they pattern a LOT worse than I'd like at 15 yards. Having done this test, I do not value the extra pellet count of 3" shells over the improved follow-up capability (recoil/time-back-on-target and flash/visual) of the 2 3/4" shells designed for HD/SD.

There's a reason that the police went to reduced-pellet count ammo (00 12ga 2 3/4", in their case). If you want #4 shot, use a HD/SD 2 3/4" #4 buck load.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Double, I can't imagine using a single shot for any defensive situation.

Also, I have a buttstock shell holder and I'll bet I can double the amount of shells it carries from 5 to 10. Not to worried about them falling out either because recoil is so low.

I also would like to know which shotguns the Aguila shells cycle. I know the KSG and a Winchester cycle and eject them fine, and I'm of the opinion that Ithaca 37's do too, but have yet to see any video footage to prove my theory that ANY bottom ejecting shotgun will cycle and eject them fine.

You'd be surprised. A single shot can be run very fast, with a shotshell buttcuff and plenty of practice. Clint Smith has a video where he does just this. I keep a 20 gauge pardner single shot loaded with buck as an auxillary home defense weapon. You aren't unarmed with one.

 

[TruthTellers]

You'd be surprised. A single shot can be run very fast, with a shotshell buttcuff and plenty of practice. Clint Smith has a video where he does just this. I keep a 20 gauge pardner single shot loaded with buck as an auxillary home defense weapon. You aren't unarmed with one.

No, you're not unarmed with a single, but you can be better armed.

 

[Saw-Bones]

I don’t see much of an advantage to the 3”, 41 pellet load INSIDE the home since the spread of the pellets is less than ½ inch per yard (link to “Busting the myth of 1” per yard except for back-bored barrels": http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/07/04/myth-busting-1-per-yard-shotgun-pattern-spreads/ ). At ~35’ the spread including the muzzle diameter will be around 6.5” which is not enough to make the 3” loading shine.

But…

OUTSIDE of the home defense with 40+ yards distance is a whole nuther story. My 11-87 with it’s 10 round capacity will unleash a wall of fire, 410 pellets, well before the perps can get to the front door. I saw a Beretta Xtrema2 demo where the gunner fired 12 rounds in 1.73 seconds. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hunjU2czMQo

How fast can you pull the trigger?

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I personally use 00 buck in 2&3/4" shells. If someone wanted number 4 buck in 3" that would be fine by me. I also know someone who exclusively used slugs as well. Practice with your given load and remember rule #4.

 

[Trent]

I always load for a #4 first, followed by 00 buck.

More likely to shoot at a coyote than a human, which is the only real compelling reason to keep the #4 first in line. (Although I think it'd do just fine against 2 legged predators, too)

 

[TruthTellers]

Does no one here use #1 buck? I respect #4 buckshot for certain situations like close range engagements and HD, but it's known to penetrate the least out of all buckshot. #1 consistently penetrates to FBI specs and BTW, holds nearly double the amount of pellets of 00 buck.

#1 appears to have the strengths of 00 and #4, but the weakness of neither.

 

[amd6547]

After hearing about how great #1 buck is for a couple years and never seeing any, I found some Winchester #1 at my LGS.
I will try it out in my HD shotgun.
However, I'm pretty well supplied with 00 and #4. My shotgun is loaded with 2 3/4 00 flite control with a Hornady #4 up first.

 

[LeonCarr]

Unless the OP lives in Jurassic Park, Louisiana, 3 Inch Magnum Shotshells are a detriment for home defense.

3 Inch Magnums reduce capacity in your tube magazine shotgun, have increased muzzle blast, increased muzzle flash, and increased recoil that will drastically affect your ability to provide fast follow up shots. 2.75 Inch standard loads of the aforementioned #1 Buckshot or 00 Buckshot are a much better choice. #4 Buckshot in most loadings will not go the 12 inch minimum penetration depth necessary to reliably stop a human attacker.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[25-5]

I have an older 870 with 2 3/4 00's.
FWIW it's nice to know how to load onezies. SASS style.

 

[gamestalker]

It depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Sometimes I do copper plated BB, or #4 buck, slugs, 00 buck, just depends.

When I'm camping in bear country, I often stuff a slug in the chamber and one next in line in the mag., the rest will usually be 00 buck.

As for 2-3/4" or 3", for home defense, I usually go with 2-3/4" in the mag., with one 3" in the chamber leading the pack. But the chambered round is usually a 3" copper plated BB or #4 buck.

GS