Thoughts on Patterning Buckshot

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I recently picked up a Mossberg 930 12 ga auto loader and have started patterning buckshot through it, looking for the right load that will give me an acceptable pattern. My criteria is a load that will keep 80% of the load within a 12" circle at 30 yards, & 50% within 12" at 40. This week I tried Federal's premium 3" Magnum 000 10 copper plated pellets through a Trulock Boar Blaster choke. As shown below, at 30 yards its devastating.

At 40 yards, It's not meeting the "50% in 12" at 40 yards rule I've set, but it's oh so close. If you expand that circle out to 14", it easily meets the criteria, so it's a load that I can't disregard.

Next week I'll be trying Federal's Flite Control in 00 Buck. Let me pick some brains here for knowledge: What's your criteria for an acceptable buckshot pattern?

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beavercleaver

Twelve Pointer
Try buckkicker full at 40 yards will consistantly put well over 50 percent of 3 in mag 15 pellet remmington or winchester in 12 inches out of an 870 rem ..1187 rem..v3 rem..and at browning.that I have helped pattern
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
My 11-87 done best with improved cylinder and the flight control wad Federal 00 buck. I tried a Trulock and a Kicks in it too. Try some Remington 000 buck trough a full and the buck shot tube. I have seen that combo do good. I usually want enough pellets to consistently hit a sheet of note book paper (8.5 x 11). That to me is 4 or 5 pellets on target when using 000 or 00 buck. You put that in the boiler room and they can't go far. Smaller the shot I want more pellets. I also want the fastest I can get, it Increases penetration, especially true with plated shot.
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
^That last sentence is spot on. As far as factory loads, if you can get that Winchester HV to pattern, it will absolutely hammer one.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
I'm certain it would be, but right now I'm not set up for reloading; it's not an option.........

Beating a dead horse I know but all you need is a scale to measure powder, a drill press or hand held drill, and a roll crimping die. If you get some tungsten, you’d never fool with lead or factory loads again. It’s scary how much superior it is to lead when patterning.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
Also, from my own experiences, it’s very difficult to get superior patterns AND speed. Usually one is sacrificed for the other. I guess the question is how much and which one are worth sacrificing.
 

JBGrizzley

Eight Pointer
Soon as my chokes come in im gonna pattern my new gun. Winchester SXP Turkey 12 gauge 3.5" 24" barrel. Ive got a Carlsons Buckshot choke and a Pure Gold Tempest 696 im gonna try, with Winchester DoubleX 00 buck 3.5" and Federal 3" 00 buck Flitecontrol. Ill post how it goes when i get around to doing it
 

grim reaper

Ten Pointer
I'd be looking into TSS either T shot or #2 ought to be a more than enough to meet your criteria with the right choke.
 

Buffet Trout

Twelve Pointer
4 Buck through your factory full choke aimed to where the neck meets the body will roll deer all day long at 40 yards. It puts a lot of pellets on target and penetrates plenty deep to reach the the spine and jugulars. You may want to test and see how far out you can go to get 5-6 pellets on a plate with it. One round of 4B followed by 1 foster slug is very effective.

Good luck
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Soon as my chokes come in im gonna pattern my new gun. Winchester SXP Turkey 12 gauge 3.5" 24" barrel. Ive got a Carlsons Buckshot choke and a Pure Gold Tempest 696 im gonna try, with Winchester DoubleX 00 buck 3.5" and Federal 3" 00 buck Flitecontrol. Ill post how it goes when i get around to doing it

You probably already know this, but don't shoot those Federal Flite control rounds through your Carlsons or Pure Gold chokes. They're really designed to work best through a Cylinder or Improved Cylinder choke.

I plan on shooting some of them myself, as soon as it warms up a little........
 

JBGrizzley

Eight Pointer
You probably already know this, but don't shoot those Federal Flite control rounds through your Carlsons or Pure Gold chokes. They're really designed to work best through a Cylinder or Improved Cylinder choke.

I plan on shooting some of them myself, as soon as it warms up a little........
Actually the tempest 696 is designed for flitecontrol wads according to pure gold, so we will see what it does
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Tried some Federal Flite Control 00 Buck this morning. Started off with the I/C choke at 30 yards and although the pattern is fairly tight, a lot of the pellets fell to the left and outside the circle, (wonder if I should start aiming at 3 o'clock on the red circle instead of 6 o'clock).

Tried the next 5 with a Mod choke at 30 yards, and was very happy to see all 9 pellets of the first round hit within the 12" circle. The Mod choke tightened the pattern up nicely, with 75% of the pellets inside the 12"circle. Didn't have the time to try it at 40 yards, that'll have to wait for another day......

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beavercleaver

Twelve Pointer
I picked a x full buckkicker did not hold as good of a pattern as full so I put full back in and at 30 yards 10 pellet rem 000 3 in mag kept 8 to 10 pellets on 12 inch square....and 15 pellet 00 kept 10 to 13 pellets in the 12 in square...did 3 shot tests....some earlier shooting I have had all 15 in less than a 12 in max spread but buckshot are a little unpredictable....
If you are hunting deer with them one thing to remember if it's in a dog club most shots are going to be on targets moving through the woods and even though my 000 pattern a little tighter I still shoot 15 pellet 00 ...there is strength in numbers and at 60 yards 00 will go all the way through a deer and be stuck in the hide on the other side
 

beavercleaver

Twelve Pointer
8 of 10 at 50 yards and 11 out of 15 at 50 yards....shot a little low on the 15 pellet 00 would of had 14 on newspaper ...that was freehand after about 20 3 in mag buckshot it was getting to me....newspapers are around 24 in spread
 

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aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I picked a x full buckkicker did not hold as good of a pattern as full so I put full back in and at 30 yards 10 pellet rem 000 3 in mag kept 8 to 10 pellets on 12 inch square....and 15 pellet 00 kept 10 to 13 pellets in the 12 in square...did 3 shot tests....some earlier shooting I have had all 15 in less than a 12 in max spread but buckshot are a little unpredictable....
If you are hunting deer with them one thing to remember if it's in a dog club most shots are going to be on targets moving through the woods and even though my 000 pattern a little tighter I still shoot 15 pellet 00 ...there is strength in numbers and at 60 yards 00 will go all the way through a deer and be stuck in the hide on the other side

I've heard good things about 15 pellet 00 loads, but haven't been able to find any until recently. Apparently Remington stopped producing them, but I was able to get some Winchester 15 pellet 00 from Midway Arms, and it's on the way.

Tomorrow I'm trying some Remington 10 pellet 000........
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I've heard good things about 15 pellet 00 loads, but haven't been able to find any until recently. Apparently Remington stopped producing them, but I was able to get some Winchester 15 pellet 00 from Midway Arms, and it's on the way.

Tomorrow I'm trying some Remington 10 pellet 000........

My uncle is big into dog hunting and swears by the Remington 10 pellet 000 buckshot. His best patterns are with an imp mod choke in his Benelli. He claims these big old lead pellets drop deer better than copper plated buckshot.
 

JBGrizzley

Eight Pointer
My uncle is big into dog hunting and swears by the Remington 10 pellet 000 buckshot. His best patterns are with an imp mod choke in his Benelli. He claims these big old lead pellets drop deer better than copper plated buckshot.
Hmm, most the guys i run with love either ought or #1 buckshot. Im partial to #1 however im gonna try some winchester double x 12ga 3.5" 15 pellet when i get around to patterning
 

beavercleaver

Twelve Pointer
Go to academy sports online...less then 5 dollars per box ..get 6 boxes so purchase is over 25 dollars so they ship free.they will be at your house in less than a week...
Wount buy ammo anywhere else again
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Hmm, most the guys i run with love either ought or #1 buckshot. Im partial to #1 however im gonna try some winchester double x 12ga 3.5" 15 pellet when i get around to patterning

He used to use #1 but it's damned hard to find and 200 fps slower than the 000.
 

bertienchunter

Twelve Pointer
In my experience with Benellis and Brownings I have used Buckkicker Full with Remington 3.5" 00 Buckshot. Best by far. Both guns had 28" barrels and they are deadly out to 75 yds and the proof is in the pudding.

In my Remington 11-87 premier with 26" barrell shot best with grey box of 3" Winchester 00 buck with improved cylinder. My Remington 11-87 Sportsman with 28" barrell shot the grey box of 3" Winchester 00 buck with modified the best.

Pictures are from my Benelli SBE2 patterning session. First is 50 yds and second is 75 yds with Remington 3.5" 00 buckshot through my buckkicker full. Target is 18x24
 

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bertienchunter

Twelve Pointer
I've heard good things about 15 pellet 00 loads, but haven't been able to find any until recently. Apparently Remington stopped producing them, but I was able to get some Winchester 15 pellet 00 from Midway Arms, and it's on the way.

Tomorrow I'm trying some Remington 10 pellet 000........

Where did you find the 3" Remington 000 buck?

I tried some federal 3" 000 buck and they didn't shoot all that well in the Benelli. No federal rounds did though.
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Where did you find the 3" Remington 000 buck?

Got them from Midway Arms a couple of weeks ago.

Problem is, when I went to try them this morning they wouldn't chamber - the shells are so swollen and misshapen you can feel the individual pellets through the hulls.

So I tried some Winchester 00B 9 pellet through a Trulock Boar Blaster.


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beavercleaver

Twelve Pointer
Typical federal..pattern great but plastic deforms and buffer shakes out...academy sports has remington 3in ooo..just got 3 box 00 and 3 000 3 days from order was sitting on my pourch
 

beavercleaver

Twelve Pointer
Tried 30 yard with rem and fed 15 pellet 00 3 in mag
 

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