#4 Buckshot?
- Thread starter Moe
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Frank in the Laurel Mts
New member
Use the standard mod. choke..just awesome, nothing will survive a hit from #4 buck..my sone has killed 50 or more bug grey's this winter and there's very little pelt damage..the 3 inch remingtons and federals are awesome!!
Roadrunner
New member
Pattern different shells and chokes to see which gives you the most center hits at 40 yards. Don't be suprised if a yote gets back up after he is hit at 40 yards and out. Seen a big male take 2 hard hits at 45 yards from a 10 gauge loaded with 4 buck yesterday and get back up and take off. I myself have switched to Hevi-shot dead coyote and am probably spending less money because of less shots required. Seems that the lead is just getting to the muscle and not vitals but the heavy shot almost makes it all the way through. My $.02 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif RR
My experience is that #4 buck does not have enough pattern for anything but close shots. I lost lots of coyotes with other-than-head shots before I wised up and started using #4 copper-plated turker loads or plain old #2 lead-if you can still get it. I saw the same results in law enforcement training. Anything but a close shot had better be a head shot or you will have problems.
I have tried three brands of 3.5 inch, #4,5,6, #4 buck and #1 buck, with 4 differnt chokes and 2 barrel lengths.
I have tried 3 brands of 3 inch, #5,6 shot, #4 buck and OO buck in 4 chokes and 2 barrel lengths.
I have tried 3 brands of 2.75 inch, #4,5,6 shot, #4 buck, #1 buck, and 00 buck, 4 chokes and 2 barrel lengths.
All at 25 and 50 yards. Brands were Federal, Win. and Rem. Remington 11-87, 22 inch barrel smooth bore screw in chokes, 28 inch barrel screw in. Chokes were, Turkey extra full, extra full, full and modified.
All the loads were exceptable at 25 yards with most chokes. The turkey full and extra full gave the most widely scattered patterns accross the board. At 50 yards there are BIG differences.
The modified choke was the best with everything and the 28 inch barrel. #4 buck and #5 shot, buffered magnums, Federal in 2.75 inch magnum are the hands down best at 50 yards. copper plated work better than plain.
I used paper plates. If I did it again I would use larger paper targets. You need a LARGE target mount area to prevent accidental hits from shooting targets too close together. I used a gun rest and card table, and a PILLOW cause my shoulder HURT!!! I spent three days doing this. I have since started trying another shotgun.
In the 00 buck many of the 50 yard plates did not have any holes what so ever, and even a couple at 25 yards. I intend to experment more with buckshot and 3 inch loads.
Conclusion. You must pattern your own gun, in my opinion 3.5 inch loads are just too much material shoved down a 12 gauge bore maybe in a 10 they would work well, I am using and will use 2.75 inch mag loads, better velocity, better patterns. I now want to try more open chokes.
Mr Rich Cronk has done a bit of testing with shotguns and I think his experience is very similar to mine.
my 2 bits
Carl
I have tried 3 brands of 3 inch, #5,6 shot, #4 buck and OO buck in 4 chokes and 2 barrel lengths.
I have tried 3 brands of 2.75 inch, #4,5,6 shot, #4 buck, #1 buck, and 00 buck, 4 chokes and 2 barrel lengths.
All at 25 and 50 yards. Brands were Federal, Win. and Rem. Remington 11-87, 22 inch barrel smooth bore screw in chokes, 28 inch barrel screw in. Chokes were, Turkey extra full, extra full, full and modified.
All the loads were exceptable at 25 yards with most chokes. The turkey full and extra full gave the most widely scattered patterns accross the board. At 50 yards there are BIG differences.
The modified choke was the best with everything and the 28 inch barrel. #4 buck and #5 shot, buffered magnums, Federal in 2.75 inch magnum are the hands down best at 50 yards. copper plated work better than plain.
I used paper plates. If I did it again I would use larger paper targets. You need a LARGE target mount area to prevent accidental hits from shooting targets too close together. I used a gun rest and card table, and a PILLOW cause my shoulder HURT!!! I spent three days doing this. I have since started trying another shotgun.
In the 00 buck many of the 50 yard plates did not have any holes what so ever, and even a couple at 25 yards. I intend to experment more with buckshot and 3 inch loads.
Conclusion. You must pattern your own gun, in my opinion 3.5 inch loads are just too much material shoved down a 12 gauge bore maybe in a 10 they would work well, I am using and will use 2.75 inch mag loads, better velocity, better patterns. I now want to try more open chokes.
Mr Rich Cronk has done a bit of testing with shotguns and I think his experience is very similar to mine.
my 2 bits
Carl
Layoutman
New member
For the past 5 years I have shot 3" 12 gauge lead BB's 1 7/8 oz. Last year I lost 2 coyotes with this load and made a switch after testing patterns. I went to a Carlson Extended full choke tube and Remington 3" 41 pellet count #4 buck. The loads performed the same up to 40 yards, the #4 buck really shines between 40 and 60 yards. DRT performance where at times, the lead bb's required follow up shots at longer ranges. I've only started messing with the dead coyote loads, I like what I see so far.
For foxes I do not think lead bb's can be beat.
For foxes I do not think lead bb's can be beat.
White Eagle
New member
I always had the sneakin feelin that a 3.5 12 ga was a little much (pushing the do all envelope)I would like to see them come out with a 4.25 10 ga shell.My 12 ga patterns better with #4b in a tighter tube.I want to try the dc but I just can't seem to cough up the dough for it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
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I'm curious as to how much penetration #4 buck has... Let's say it's a broadside shot on a coyote at about 40-50 yards with 12 gauge, 3", #4 buck. Will there be an exit wound most likely? Sometimes? Hardly?
Probably a tough question, but just curious. Thanks in advance.
I killed about ~80 this year with lead #4 buck and DC, but the 3.5" varieties, which both have 54 pellets instead of the 41 in a 3" load. Most were under 40 yards, but a few were as you described, 40-50 yards. It does the job. Broadside, I occasionally find a few pellets under the skin on the far side but no exits. Hit running away, be ready to run them down and finish. Head on body or head shots, they fold.
You might want to look up the retained energy of Hevi T shot and lead #4 buck. They're probably quite similar. Dead Coyote is a a couple hundred fps faster than the big lead loads.
I'm curious as to how much penetration #4 buck has... Let's say it's a broadside shot on a coyote at about 40-50 yards with 12 gauge, 3", #4 buck. Will there be an exit wound most likely? Sometimes? Hardly?
Probably a tough question, but just curious. Thanks in advance.
I killed about ~80 this year with lead #4 buck and DC, but the 3.5" varieties, which both have 54 pellets instead of the 41 in a 3" load. Most were under 40 yards, but a few were as you described, 40-50 yards. It does the job. Broadside, I occasionally find a few pellets under the skin on the far side but no exits. Hit running away, be ready to run them down and finish. Head on body or head shots, they fold.
You might want to look up the retained energy of Hevi T shot and lead #4 buck. They're probably quite similar. Dead Coyote is a a couple hundred fps faster than the big lead loads.
blinddog
New member
Pattern your gun, at fifty yards you will find the best patterens in Cyl and ModCyl chok guns #4 is the best bet on yotes from a shotgun but saying that most of my experiance has been with shot barreled cyl bore guns. I have had some luck with a imp cyl and mod double coach gun. in 2&3/4 and 3" very litle pelt damage at longer ranges (50 yds)but the spread gets pretty wide at that range too.
I recently(this past summer)-did a pretty extensive patterning session with two different shotguns. First-the guns are Winchester Super X2, 3.5in and a Browning BPS in 3inch. The chokes used were the stock inector plus improved cylinder,modified, full,and the extended tukey extra full. Also used were Briley .675, Primos Jelleyhead .670, and Tru-Glo gobblestopper .665, and a Wad Wizard(a different version of the Patternmater). The shells used were 2 3/4" Federal 00 buck 9 pellet, 2 3/4" Federal 00 buck 12 pellet, Federal 3" 00 buck(15 pellet), Federal 3" #1 buck (24 pellets), Federal 3" #4 buck(41 pellets), 2 3/4" Hevi-shot 9 pellet 00 buck and 3" Dead Coyote (50 pellet), and Winchester 3.5inch #4 buck (54 pellets). The results were very similar when using the same load in the different guns(with the same choke-both have 26inch barrels). The patterns were shot at 35 yards and the better ones at 35 were shot again a couple times out at 50 yards. The best pattern out of everything shot was the Dead Coyote with the Primos Jellyhead .670 choke. At 50 yards, it would put 11-16 pellets in a 12inch circle(3 different targets used from 50 yards). All shots were shot at a 30"x30" paper target so the overall pattern could be looked at. Other loads and chokes that showed some promise were the Federal 3"inch #4 buck with the Briley .675 and the Hevi-Shot 2 3/4" 00 buck. The 00buck with the Wad Wizard choke would have a target with 6 pellets in the 12' circle one shot only to get 3 in the next shot. It might be shot some more with some other chokes to prove to myself if it can consistanly pattern at that range. The Federal 3" #4 buck was good also averaging 6-10 pellets in the 12' circle with enough other pellets aroung the edges that a coyote could not slip through. The stock chokes showed patterns at 35 yards that did Not need to be shot at 50 yards. The Dead Coyote was shot at 60 yards to see and the pattern had only 5 and 6 pellets in the 12 inch circle and was getting spotty on the surrounding paper(only 2 shots taken at 60 yards). The one important fact I seldom see mentioned other than some with scopes and or red dots is the need for some type of sighting device. The Browning BPS has Williams fiber-optic adjustable sights and what is dead center pattern at 35 yards is close to 10 inches low 20 yards later. I have split the difference with my sights and have not had a problem. I have taken 3 coyotes this year and one red fox at 30, 35, 45, and one at 48 yards that was getting out of there-(he went right down but required a finisher). I patterned using a 12 inch circle but to get a real test one should look at a skinned coyote to see the actual body size. I would think a 6x16 to 8x18inch area would cover a body size to show general hits. One last thing that surprised me was the 3.5" #4 buck looked as good as the 3inch at 35 yards but when going out to 50 yards the pattern fell apart. I think possibly being non-plated shot may have something to do with it? Hopefully this may help some with a starting point especially seeing the way the cost of ammo. is going. These two guns have backbored barrels so some with standard non-backbored barrels may find better results with a little tighter choke than I have.
GC
Well-known member
Good post. Many of us older hands have been using a tight turkey choke, something from .680" down to .660", for our No. Four Buckshot shooting for many years. Many also find the 3.5" .12 gauge to be somewhat hard to fine tune. In this case...
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One last thing that surprised me was the 3.5" #4 buck looked as good as the 3inch at 35 yards but when going out to 50 yards the pattern fell apart. I think possibly being non-plated shot may have something to do with it?
I'd venture a guess you're actually overchoked for the 3.5" load. Probably if the choke were opened up by about .010" the pattern would improve for the larger payload. Wildly scattered, or donut patterns, are usually an indicater of too much constriction. As opposed to widely scattered, which needs more choke to tighten things at longer ranges.
Quote:
One last thing that surprised me was the 3.5" #4 buck looked as good as the 3inch at 35 yards but when going out to 50 yards the pattern fell apart. I think possibly being non-plated shot may have something to do with it?
I'd venture a guess you're actually overchoked for the 3.5" load. Probably if the choke were opened up by about .010" the pattern would improve for the larger payload. Wildly scattered, or donut patterns, are usually an indicater of too much constriction. As opposed to widely scattered, which needs more choke to tighten things at longer ranges.
Great post JR. Is there a 3.5 inch #4 plated shot out there? I like the fact it has the 54 pellets.
I found that the 3.5 inch Dead Coyote at 60 yards will have a very slight advantage over the 3 inch DC. At less than 40 yards which is where most shotguns probably should be shot at the 3.5 and 3 inch patterns were very similar and should get the job done.
I have been told by Carlson Choke that they have found the backbored shotguns do pattern better than regular bore shotguns do but I would like to see this test personally.
I found that the 3.5 inch Dead Coyote at 60 yards will have a very slight advantage over the 3 inch DC. At less than 40 yards which is where most shotguns probably should be shot at the 3.5 and 3 inch patterns were very similar and should get the job done.
I have been told by Carlson Choke that they have found the backbored shotguns do pattern better than regular bore shotguns do but I would like to see this test personally.
The 3.5" #4 buck was unplated and the only type available. I have not seen any in the "supreme" or other top-of-the-line loadings. The 3.5" Dead Coyote is something for me to look at along with Remingtons new offering of thier predator load. GC- The 3.5inch #4 buck was shot with the .670 and the.675 and it possibly could have needed a more open choke but that is for my next order. Something in the .680 -.685 range may be what will help that load. I have used it in the past with the .675 choke and taken 2 coyotes with it but the ranges were 20 yards and about 35 yards.
remington870
New member
I shoot the 3.5 inch dead coyote through a .660 choke and it patterns good. The same goes for all other 3.5 inch loads I've shot including OO buck. My gun may be different though. Alot of people think you shouldn't shoot heavy loads of big shot through tight chokes but .660-.670 shoots the best patterns for me with everything from turkey loads of 6 down to 00 buck. Dixie the company that makes the tri-ball load reccomeneds a .660 choke for that load. Nitro makes some buckshot loads and they recommend chokes in the .670 range. .660 isn't even that tight some chokes down to .640 are being used for turkey hunting.