The only deer I've ever killed with a shotgun I got at 50 yards with 00 buckshot. I hit her aimed for the neck and she went down in her tracks. This is with a 12 ga. though, I think as long as you go for the neck you should be fine out to 30-35 yards.

One of my friends claimed to have killed a little buck at 100 yards with buckshot. Said it only got hit by one pellet in the back and it died instantly. I don't believe him, and I can't see why he would take a 100 yard shot with buckshot. I think in the low light he just "thought" it was 100 yards. But it's food for thought anyway.

"Hey ya'll, watch this"

I have an old 20ga westernfield(mongomerywards) with a rifled barrel that has taken a lot or deer

The questions should be, "Can buckshot from a 20 gauge (#3, I believe) kill deer?" Yes, they can. Then, the next question should be, "Will they give me the best chance of killing a deer?" Probably not. The hole made by a 20 gauge slug, even a sabot slug, will be more than enough to drop a deer, if you do your part and get the slug in the right spot.

Now, compare the energy that a couple of pellets of #3 buck. Not quite the same, and as Ballistictip alluded to, there's probably a few deer running around the woods with at least one buckshot pellet in them, because it didn't have the energy to kill cleanly. I'd say that this is a major reason why buckshot is illegal for deer hunting here in NY.

I would use it with slugs to take deer, and i would have today if not for the fact that i prefer to use my .357 (which at distances under 50 yards will perform magnificently). Remember that power is not a problem, its all about shot placement

propmahn
save the world, reload your brass