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Quote:

Originally Posted by burningredphoenix (Post 3390925)

hi all. i was wondering how effective buckshots are against deer....can i hit a deer at 100 yards? can i even get within 100 yards of a deer? or would it just be better to use slugs? how far can i shoot a slug at a deer before i get less than a 50% kill chance due to velocity drop....ive never hunted with a shotgun and just wanted to know if its even viable for deer...

wats the normal range that you guys will shoot at a deer with buck shot and wats the normal range that a person can get to a deer without spooking it

Phoenix,

It also looks like you are new to deer hunting with a shotgun. I have hunted in a shotgun only state all of my life and I have killed quite a few deer with a shotgun. I have never used buckshot so I have nothing to offer there. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Shotguns can be had with a rifled barrel or a smooth bore. Rifled barrels are for shooting the newer saboted shotgun slugs. Smooth bores are used for rifled slugs and buckshot. Yes you can shoot buckshot out of a rifled barrel but it will not pattern properly and be effective.

2. Rifled barrels shooting saboted slugs will generally give you the best long range performance.

3. I have a smooth bore shotgun and I shoot the standard 2 3/4" Remington slugger rifled slugs and I have killed many deer with that gun from 15 yards on out to 50 yards. The gun will shoot these slugs accurately enough to kill deer out to 100 yards if I do my part but most of my shots are under the 50 yard mark due to where I hunt

During archery season I had a doe so close I could have swatted her in the behind with an arrow and she never spooked. She was too close for me to get a shot so I just enjoyed the experience.

Bob

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeerandbearhoG (Post 3391188)

A 300gr SW at 2200FPS is 3.5" high at 100yd, when zeroed at 180 and still 18" low at 300, according to a ballistic cal. not a 300 yd gun IMO.

By that logic a 30-06 wouldn't be a 400 yd rifle. I dont anyone that would claim that. Your looking at 20" drop at that distance but its not a difficult shot(unless you have no prop, 20mph wind, or a running deer).

Quote:

Originally Posted by hossdaniels (Post 3391554)

at 3" high@100yd , which is as high as Id ever sight in a rifle, the 06 is actually 24" low at 400ds(.450BC 180gr 2700fps). I actually dont consider an o6 a practical 400yd deer rifle, mabye elk with the right load and ballistic scope and a ton of practice.

I forgot to mention that buckshot usually doesn't provide a pass through shot, thus leaving a poor blood trail. I am a rifle man myself:biggrin:

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryant1 (Post 3391679)

I forgot to mention that buckshot usually doesn't provide a pass through shot, thus leaving a poor blood trail. I am a rifle man myself:biggrin:

An arrow leaves a better blood trail, usually a shorter one too. I lost my first buck after hitting him four times with buckshot. He got up and ran about 200 yards, right in front of another hunter on the neighbor's property.