Best Patterning shotgun for buckshot
 

Ok Guys, Heres the question;

I have been hunting with slugs for a long time and love it, but I'm joining a club that is in a buckshot only county. My 500 hates buckshot. Plus, it's a great excuse to add a new smokepole to the barn.

I know this will be like a Ford/Chevy argument but here's your chance to brag on your gun.

I want a semi auto with a removable plug, preferably camo that can do double duty as a turkey/goose/duck/dove gun. 3" or 3-1/2" 12 ga. Price is an object! I have no need to spend $1200 on this thing, and the only thing that impresses me is the pattern. I want unreasonalbly crazy tight patterns at extened ranges (for a shotgun that is)

If the big buck is 80 yards out broadside, I'd like a chance.

Price IS an object.

You want the gun to do more than double duty.

I'd suggest you buy a gun you can afford that is suitable for ALL of your intended uses, and then find the buckshot load that works best out of it.

I'd consider mounting a scope and using that to point your buckshot as accurately as possible. Lots of guys are shooting turkey guns with scopes. Then find the choke tube/buckshot load that gives the best results. I don't know if there are barrels manufactured with rifled sights that also take choke tubes, but that could also be a good way to go rather than just a bead front sight.

I'd recommend that buckshot be used out to say 50-60 yards. You may/may not get a tight pattern beyond that range, but to me the buckshot doesn't carry enough whallop.

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Remington 1100 Magnum with the 30" full choke barrel would be my choice.

Buckshot doesn't have enough energy to consistently kill beyond 40 yards max, with thirty yards max being an even better choice, no matter what your pattern looks like. More deer are wounded and just considered a miss beyond that distance. Remember that a 00 buckshot pellet at 40 yards has the same amount of energy that a .22LR has at the muzzle, a .22 is hardly considered a deer cartridge. I'd actually recomend going to the dixieslugs web site and look at their tri-ball load, it has three pellets that are .600" diameter each.

http://www.dixieslugs.com/products.html

The biggest key for you getting a good pattern is a choke tube......a turkey full or special choke like a pattern master choke tube will prolly give you the best results.....

everything I have read says don't shoot buckshot in a turkey choke. My turkey tube is unreal but I'd hate to blow off the end of my barrel with buckshot through it.

I HAVE the Remington 1100 full choke gun. It is the best I've ever seen, but it is being handed down to my son and not made anymore in 3"/30"

I get the range limitations however I think a .30 caliber lead ball in the form of 5 or 6 of them hitting the vitals is great power at 60 yards...if the gun can do it.

How about a choke tube I can try in my 500 to tighten stuff up a bit? Sugestions. Maybe I'l buy annother accuchoke bbl for deer, tub and red dot it. then I still have the regular smooth bore for doves/ducks/geese. I like my 500. THe only down side is the slide is noisy but I can deal with that.

My Mossberg 500 Pump works perfect...

Buckshot is cheap enough to test with all of your choke tubes. You only need a couple shots at a given distance with a given load. Buy a few brands and use targets that are big enough to show where the pellets are hitting, like maybe a 2' square. Once you find your optimal load, then worry about adjusting the scope or sights.

I have shot buckshot through my 10gauge with trukey extra full choke and had no problems....mainly for coyote calling.....the pattern master choke tube is unreal for all occasions a very tight choke that will handle all types of shot........would definately look into it....

Just outta curiosity, what is the rationale behind the club rule to use only buckshot??? Just seems alittle strange to me thats all.

county law
 

It's a county law. In VA, Counties have their own sets or fregulations as to what can be used, Rifle, Pistol, Black Powder and even distances from roads and homes. you have toknow what they all are for any county you hunt in. The games laws book (Free) explains it all for and other than bag limits it rarely changes.

Personally, I would rather see a law requiring slugs than buckshot. One projectile aimed is better than 15 plus scattered. That's a lot less lead bouncing around the woods. Plus it encourages careful shot placement in the first place. But knowbody asked me and who the he!! am I right?:bash:

Better yet, Choose for yourself. Keep the polititains out my magazines

It's primarily a dog hunting county as most counties are with the buckshot rule in VA. I agree though, you should be able to use whatever kind of ammo/firearms you want

Scott, you cant buy a shotgun that patterns buckshot, you need to buy buckshot that patterns well in your shotgun! Your 500 has interchangeable barrels, why not just buy a differnt barrel w/ changeable chokes and try that! 80 yard shot with buckshot is a very unrealistic shot and not fair to the animal that your hunting. 40 yards and in is realistic, perhaps 50 being the outside limit. Sounds to me like you just wanna put a new gun in the house! (do we really need an excuse?! :) ) but if thats the case look at the Mossy 935 Magnum.

Just a quick question, while we are on the subject. I have never used buckshot nor had the desire...Just wondering...what are the advantages to using buckshot? Your range is limited and you are not 100% sure you'll get a BB in a vital area...?? I just don't see what the advantage could be...Could someone give me some insight?

kateraxl2381,

The easiest way to explain it is that here in Virginia when using dogs its almost like bird hunting. The deer are moving warp speed past you and you usually are in thick cover where shots are not long. It would almost be impossible with a slug in some ofthe places we hunt to use a slug because of all the brush and trees. I'm from Iowa originally and the landscape here in Virginia isn't like the midwest. I know it sounds strange but once you try it you are hooked.

Oh ok. I understand it now. I appreciate the info, that does sound like a change of pace from what I'm use to and sounds like a good time.

No ethical deer hunter would ever consider using buckshot. More deer are wounded and never recovered every year with buckshot than any other hunting round.
I shot my first deer when I was 10 years old using 12 ga buckshot. It was a 30 yard broadside shot and the deer ran for 50 yards before it went down. When my father and I found the deer hidden in the brush pile the deer becan to "Cry"- more like a scream than anything else. It was the worst sound I had ever listend to. I refused to hunt deer for 4 years after that. If the area you want to hunt is buckshot only I would suggest you find another area to hunt. Its all about the CLEAN kill.

There's no debate or argument there. Chevy kicks arse over Ford all the time.

F.O.R.D = Fix Or Repair Daily
F.O.R.D = Found On Road Dead
F.O.R.D = Fails On Rainy Days
F.O.R.D = Fails On Race Day
F.O.R.D = Found On Roadside... DEAD! LOL!
F.O.R.D = First On Race Day... to the scrap yard. LOL!
F.O.R.D = Found On Road Deserted

Ford backwards = D.R.O.F = Driver Returns On Foot. LOL!

iSnipe