Shotgun Load for Raccoons

DougK

New member
I have not been happy with the performance of the 3 inch BB load on raccoons out to 40 yards. I have found 00 buck shot does not pattern well at that range in my shotgun barrel. What suggestions do you have for raccoons out to 40 yards?

THanks
Doug
 
Doug,
Could you be more specific why you dislike the BB's for the coons? I cannot image a good patterning plated lead load of BB's being unsatisfactory for coons.

A couple of questions, you are using lead and not steel, right? Lightweight steel shot doesn't penetrate as well, or carry as much energy, as lead or the newest denser than lead shot such as Hevi-Shot. You have patterned the gun with the BB's and are getting a good center dense pattern at 40 yards? If you haven't patterned the gun, then maybe you just aren't getting enough pellets where you need them.
 
I had to use an extended Turkey choke tube to get decent patterns with 2 3/4" 12 gauge BB shot. The stock full choke tube would not cut it past 25 yards. The loads I am using are regular lead Federal and Remington loads nothing special. If your gun is fixed choke then try plated buffered (more expensive loads) or heavy shot. Dead Coyote is heavy shot in size T which is between BB and 4 Buck in size. Heavy shot is heavier and harder than lead so the pattern holds together better at long distance.
 
Why dead coyote? I wouldn't wanna shoot coon's @ $3 a piece.
Go with lead, you know it's gotta be good if they don't wanna let people in California shoot it.
 
Coons aren't hard to kill people. Use plated lead of at least numbers 4's in a turkey choke and shoot them in the head close range. If you need to shoot them in the body I'd use a size 2 and up. I've killed them with a .177 caliber pellet gun.
 
When Bansner's from PA modified my 870 for predators they stressed the fact to stick with a hot Federal load of #2. I tried a Winchester copper plated load,,, I should have listened to them, had to pull up the .223 to kill the fox, the bbs stopped at the skull. The Federal load did work good.T.20
 
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