Buck Shot for my 500

[Morgoroth]

Usually when I hunt deer I take my .270.
But, my neighbor invited me to hunt with a group of people he knows who run dogs and they only allow buck shot.

So, I need some buck shot. I was thinking of trying a couple different sizes, but I figure you guys could probably point me in the right direction.
I have a Moss. 500 20g.

[mete]

Don't go less that 00 and keep shots within 25 yds .A 12 ga would be better.

[Morgoroth]

Yeah, a 12g would be better, but I can't convince the wife to get another gun yet.

It does at least take 3 inch shells. (90% sure on that one, it was too dark this morning for me to double check.)

[PawPaw]

Lots of deer are killed every year in these woods with a 20 gauge shotgun. You've simply got to know the limitations of your firearm. Buy some 5-packs of buckshot from a couple of manufacturers and pattern them at a convenient range. Use the one that patterns best.

Our shotguns like Federal buckshot. It comes in several varieties, the 2.75 load is 20 pellets of 3 buck and the 3" load is 18 pellets of 2 buck. Try them both and use the one that patterns best in your shotgun, then go have fun.

[Morgoroth]

PawPaw- Do you mean #2 and #3 buck shot, or double and triple ought?
I'm thinking you mean #2 and #3, but I just wanted to make sure, since Mete said no less than 00.

[briandg]

If I were you, I would at least try to borrow a 12 gauge, and use nothing less than a 3 inch with 00 or 0 shot.

Buckshot is a great killer, but not if you don't thoroughly and completely drill that thing. A piece of buckshot is pretty equivalent to a high powered .22, and only a couple hits in less than lethal areas won't even slow a deer down.

Biggest shot possible, fastest velocity, and tightest pattern. with a tight 2 feet wide pattern, you will either very likely get several pellets on target, or miss completely. A five foot wide group very rarely will get a killing hit.

There's nothing wrong with using buckshot on deer, but there are some responsibilities that come with it.

[jrothWA]

#3.

This give max number of balls into a shell. Check the ammo companies online catalog for sure.

What type barrel, slug or field choked. Some choke in desirable. And see how it patterns to POA?? Got a sand pit available shoot into that.

[Old Grump]

More important than gauge is what choke do you have and have you patterned it with 0, 00, and 000. My two full choke guns shoot a large doughnut shape pattern at 25 yards and are not good buckshot guns. My IM and IC choked guns shoot the same rounds nice and tight. Your mileage may vary and you can get shells that have a wad that will hold them tight but full and extra full guns as a rule in my experience do not shoot buckshot well.

[jmortimer]

You can go to at least 40 yards with the Dixie Tri-Ball. Three .60 cal hard cast balls and about 1,000 grains of fury. http://dixieslugs.com/products.html

[sc outdoorsman]

I used to hunt with an old fellow that was half indian. He was a real character. Chewed Red Man all day, had no teeth and cussed like a sailer.
He was also one of the best deer hunters I have ever known. He had a well worn Remington 1100 20 ga used #3 buck and hunted some of the tightest places you could find. He was like my dad if you heard him shoot you knew you were dragging a deer. That what us youngsters were for.

Like the others said pattern your gun and keep the distances 30-40 yards and you will do good.

[columbia_shotguneer]

A 20 gauge is ok but a 12 ga. would hold more capacity for bigger sized buckshot. Your limited in factory loaded winchester and federal standard size #3 buckshot and Federal makes a 3 inch #2 buckshot. If you could load your own I'd stick with #1's(.30) I have found to limit tracking #1 buckshot or larger puts them down alot quicker, less mileage.

[scwhitetail]

Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting any deer with any 20 ga round. Yesterday I shot a medium size white tail at about 30 yards with 3-1/2" magnum 00 buck out of my Benelli supernova 12 ga. it shot about an 8 inch spread, and i hit him right in the vitals. perfect shot. It only penetrated 1 lung. He dropped immediately, but it took him a while to die.

Remember thats 18 .33" pellets. The #4 you are gonna be able to find is a .24" pellet. I shot at a tree with my cousins 20 ga with #4 buck and it barely penetrated the bark. While it might be legal, it isn't ethical imo to shoot a deer with a 20. Ask your neighbor if him or any of his buddies have a spare 12 ga u can use. If you have to use the 20 ga, keep it within 25 yards at the absolute max.

look at the 20 ga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDjNaTeUt2Y

vs the 12 ga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDjNaTeUt2Y

and remeber i took that deer with 3-1/2" 00 buck, not 3" in the video and he still kicked for a while.

[Old Grump]

Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting any deer with any 20 ga round. Yesterday I shot a medium size white tail at about 30 yards with 3-1/2" magnum 00 buck out of my Benelli supernova 12 ga. it shot about an 8 inch spread, and i hit him right in the vitals. perfect shot. It only penetrated 1 lung. He dropped immediately, but it took him a while to die.

That's why I use slugs, my brother uses 00 because he lived in south Carolina and where he hunted he had no choice but he never had a shot longer than 25 yards, 15 to 20 was typical. Know your gun and it's limitations. A 12 gauge wouldn't have done you much better, you would have had more shot but the power of those pellets would have stayed the same.

[columbia_shotguneer]

Yesterday I shot a medium size white tail at about 30 yards with 3-1/2" magnum 00 buck out of my Benelli supernova 12 ga. it shot about an 8 inch spread, and i hit him right in the vitals. perfect shot. It only penetrated 1 lung. He dropped immediately, but it took him a while to die.

I'm pretty sure I will get some stinky replys but I have a hard time believing at 30 yards you only had one pellet out of 18 00's penetrate, even #4's would have had at least half the load go halfway into a deer where the lungs are.

[scwhitetail]

no all 18 pellets out of the 12 ga hit the deer in about an 8" pattern. It only penetrated 1 lung, sorry for the confusion.

[columbia_shotguneer]

No need to correct your post I just have a hard time understanding at 30 yards the lack of penetration of 00 buck on a deer with that many hits. Maybe it's my lack of knowing what 3 1/2 inch 00 has regarding to fps? I know that most of my 3 inch 00 has like 1210 fps but your size not sure of. I do know that it is hard to get them to fully penetrate(both sides) of a deer though. Interesting

[Sphawley]

It does at least take 3 inch shells. (90% sure on that one, it was too dark this morning for me to double check.)

I would double and triple check that one!!

[Savage308...]

I was planning on killing some deer with my 20 gauge this year. Should I reconsider?

[Old Grump]

Nah, just consider your range. I have my 20 sighted in for 100 yards with slugs and is my back up deer rifle. It is also my loaner deer rifle for those who hunt with me but don't have their own gun. Mine is a Win 1200 scoped with a 2.5X Deerfield and it out shoots my 32 Win spcl and my brothers 30-30 at 100 yards. My slug gun which is a Mossberg 500C with rifle sights shoots the same size groups as my smooth bore but at triple the cost. I'll stick with Foster and Brenneke. Nothing wrong with the 20 as long as you don't try and take bean field shots with it.