buckshot spread for coyotes?

[MattL]

I was looking for the hevi-shot "dead coyote" load but I was informed that they are having trouble distributing it to this area so instead I got some buckshot. It is 00 3in Magnums and there is 15 pellets in each shell going 1210fps. How large of a spread is to large to make a clean kill on a coyote? I will be shooting a Benelli Nova with a 28in barrel and my choices for chokes are IC,M,F and can I even try to use full with buckshot or will it be to compressed?

[MattL]

here are the pattern results from 45 yards:

IC-about a 2ft circle at 45 yards

M-about a 1.5ft circle at 45 yards

F-about a 1ft circle at 45 yards

I am gonna go with the full...... and based on that how far can I shoot a coyote from?

[crimedog]

Matt, you may want to think about #4 buckshot for your next load, it throws a much nicer pattern for fox and coyote.

[Snooky]

#4 buck or copper plated BB has worked well for me.

[bigmatty65]

ditto on the #4 buck especially in a 3 inch shell. in the 3 inch there are 41 pellets of .24 caliber which would make a devistating coyote load out to about 30 yards, maybe a little more witha full or extra full choke

[grizzly190]

Good Ole #4 will flatten most any varmint under 50 yards. I shot a coyote at 56 yards and it dropped like a brick. also flipped a skunk at about 15 feet Shot it with #4 and it cut almost a complete flip big mess though[:'(]

[setter77]

is #4 shot and #4 buckshot the same?

[bigmatty65]

theres a big difference between # 4 birshot and #4 buck. #4 buck is .24 cal. and #4 birdshot id a lot smaller .

[Howler]

With that spread/pattern, you should be fine at 45 yards with that load of 00, BUT I agree with the others, get some #4 buck and you'll have plenty of knock down out to 50 yards on a coyote!