Buckshot Question

[Red Owl]

You are supposed to use pure lead for rifles, etc. What about buckshot? Modern or do you still need to use pure lead? I'm wondering if the pure lead actually produces a more damaging effect at close ranges.

 

[Jr45]

I use cast 00 buck which is a mix of range scrap and some old tire weights. The shot is definitely harder than pure lead but patterns well. I have not used it on game with my muzzle loader however; I have taken deer with it in my modern shotgun and it performed very well. The recovered shot did have modest deformation.

 

[TCMonts]

All this is just my own opinion.Buckshot is deadly at close range because of multiple hits. You won't get enough velosity from any shotgun to cause damage from hydrostatic shock, or get any kind of meaningful expansion. Multiple hits and complete penetration are what you want. Harder shot will pattern better and penetrate better. Larger shot penetrates better, I will only use 00 0r larger. Range is critical, if your hunting deer sized game you need to keep every pellet in an 18" circle . Whatever range you can do that at is your maximum range. You may have to limit yourself to ten or fifteen yard shots. With that sa[d you may think "Why bother using shot guns and buckshot?". Well a lot of the places I hunt have a maximum visibility of fifteen to twenty yards and often the shots you get will have to be quick ones and a fast handling quick pointing shotgun is as good a choice in that situation as it would be hunting birds in heavy cover.
Like I said, that's just my opinion, but I formed that opinion over 40 years averaging around 3 deer per year accounting for literally several pickup loads of whitetails.

 

[sheriff john]

The harder the shot, the better the pattern regardless of size. Deformation causes fliers.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Makes no difference to me. They outlawed the use of buckshot in all but a couple regulated state park hunts in our state. I was going to use the mold I have for my
32 caliber squirrel gun to pull double duty as a buckshot producer, until the law changed. I then gave up on the idea.

 

[hanshi]

I'm not anything close to being a fan of buckshot; in fact I despise it. Beginning with my years as an LEO and later working with it in percussion shotguns, I formed a bad attitude regarding BS. A prb makes more sense to me as does birdshot for wing shooting.

 

[Red Owl]

Well,,,, I guess everyone missed the whole point. Granted pure lead will deform and patterns won't be as good. I was just wondering if pure lead flattened out and caused more damage than a hard, plated buckshot.

 

[TCMonts]

Even hard shot can deform but it won't cause significantly more damage. And it will lose some penetration if it does.

 

[TCMonts]

More to the point I suppose. No soft buckshot will not flatten and cause more damage. It will deform and lose penetration. Doesn't mean it won't be deadly at close range.

 

[Red Owl]

I wasn't sure, reason I asked. Thanks