I have my shotgun. Now, what ammunition?

[rburg]

that kid in Alaska recently killed a "charging" (lol) bear with birdshot.

We hear a lot of repeat comments about bird shot. At very close distances it acts as a solid. Try it sometime on an old solid door. One hole, sometimes not so big even. I agree that at longer distances it lacks the cohesiveness needed for bigger critters. The advantage of lighter recoiling loads is that you might get a second shot in. Surely not a third, Yogi and his family tend to move at a pretty good clip, right at you.

 

[chief38]

For home defense I use #4 Buck. It has more pellets than 00 (but smaller in diameter) and will penetrate a little less presumably (which is a concern inside). Still, the #4 buck will do anything necessary to 2 legged animals within the confines of a home and is still devastating. Some use #1 buck - and that will act more towards the 00 buck performance.

At normal HD distances, we're really splitting hairs here as any 2 3/4" Buck Shot load would work just fine - I just try to fine tune. I do NOT use Magnums for HD.

 

[Naphtali]

For my purposes I'm sensing consensus favoring #4 buck and about #6 cartridges with the Federal buckshot load being perhaps replacement for standard #4 buck.

Questions that makes sense to ask although those who know answers may find it amusing. Are specialty shotshells available that mix buckshot and smaller standard shot available? If they are, which, if any, provide a single cartridge solution for me?

 

[jimmyj]

2 3/4" #4 Buckshot

 

[bigwheelzip]

... large predators and omnivores

For my purposes I'm sensing consensus favoring #4 buck .....

#4 may be fine for most things on your list, but I'd at least keep a sleeve of slugs on your stock for those large predatory omnivores.

 

[BearBio]

We hear a lot of repeat comments about bird shot. At very close distances it acts as a solid. Try it sometime on an old solid door. One hole, sometimes not so big even. I agree that at longer distances it lacks the cohesiveness needed for bigger critters. The advantage of lighter recoiling loads is that you might get a second shot in. Surely not a third, Yogi and his family tend to move at a pretty good clip, right at you.

Capstick talked about killing a charging lion with a load of birdshot at VERY close range=basically decapitated the cat.

 

[Zoner]

i live in the city so the "varmints" i'm concerned about are the two-legged variety. That being said i keep 00 buck in my Mossberg. The longest shot in my house is about 30 feet so i have tested my shottie and loads at that distance at the range. 00 buck patterns about the size of a softball. No pistol grips....my gun wears wood furniture. The 18 1/2" barrel wears a Marbles tritium bead and a mag tube mounted laser zeroed at 30 feet. I keep 5 in the mag tube,chamber empty. To get into action i need to shuck in a round and simultaniously bump on the laser with my left thumb,left hand on the forend. The sound of the pump chambering a live round and the little light coming on will send most bad guys running and the ones that wouldn't run i might as well shoot....they are dumb as rocks

 

[Zoner]

here's my shotgun. I have changed out the syn furniture and PG to factory wood. The finish is battleship gray cerakote

 

[SC_Mike]

Something in the range of #4 Buck to BBs.

 

[ExcitableBoy]

For my purposes I'm sensing consensus favoring #4 buck and about #6 cartridges with the Federal buckshot load being perhaps replacement for standard #4 buck.

Questions that makes sense to ask although those who know answers may find it amusing. Are specialty shotshells available that mix buckshot and smaller standard shot available? If they are, which, if any, provide a single cartridge solution for me?

There are slug and buckshot combo shells available... three 00 Buck behind a slug, I believe. Never used them, though. Otherwise, mixing the shot size per shell would pretty much be a home-brew reload. #4 Buck and BB would be quite interesting at 30-45 yds.

 

[peterGun]

#6 1-1/4oz, #4 and 00 buck, slugger and Brenneke clasic magnums. That's my survival or general use 12 gauge ammo. Turkey loads and sabot slugs Are specialty loads.


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[model70hunter]

Slugs and double 00 can pent rate walls.

I've seen what number 4 buck can do to a person. It leaves them dead.

I bought a box of 25 in #4 buck and that is what I keep in my Win riot and Ithaca M37 riot.

I see you are not close to other houses. Double 00 would work. Remember the pattern does not open up immediately, one must aim up close.

 

[nachogrande]

GIT ER DONE WITH 3 TYPES.

#4 buck will handle most problems. Anything too big for the #4, go right to slugs. For rats/snakes & smaller stuff, a field load of #6's won't break the bank. Being able to hit your target matters more than the shot size IMO. Practice & pattern whichever you choose.

 

[BearBio]

There are slug and buckshot combo shells available... three 00 Buck behind a slug, I believe. Never used them, though. Otherwise, mixing the shot size per shell would pretty much be a home-brew reload. #4 Buck and BB would be quite interesting at 30-45 yds.

For a while, at least, there were turkey loads that had 2 size shot mixed. Usually a large size bird shot==maybe also some goose loads.