I use #4 in my home defense shotty. I can't recall where I read the study that determined it to be the most effective against a human target in a self defense scenario.
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Your post is quite confusing about your shotgun. There are no modern shotguns that have rifled shotgun barrels.
Did you mean it is a rifle/shotgun combination? Or are you talking about 2 different guns? As for shot, the smaller the number the larger the pellet. So size would be determined by conditions it is used for.Rifled slug barrels.Your post is quite confusing about your shotgun. There are no modern shotguns that have rifled shotgun barrels.
To the OP, a rifled barrel will not pattern very well and will be very eratic. I have some #3 buck in my 20 gauge and #4 buck in my 12. Buckshot is not to be confused with birdshot.
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SizeTypeWeightDiameter#TriBall(12 Ga.)Buck20.41 g (315 gr.)15.24 mm (0.60")#0000Buck5.51 g (85 gr.)9.40 mm (0.380")#000Buck4.54 g (70 gr.)9.14 mm (0.360")#00Buck3.49 g (53.8 gr.)8.38 mm (0.330")#0Buck3.18 g (49 gr.)8.13 mm (0.320")#1Buck2.62 g (40.5 gr.)7.62 mm (0.300")#2Buck1.91 g (29.4 gr.)6.86 mm (0.270")#3Buck1.52 g (23.4 gr.)6.35 mm (0.250")#4Buck1.34 g (20.7 gr.)6.09 mm (0.240")#FFBuck1.18 g (18.2 gr.)5.84 mm (0.230")#F (TTT)Buck1.05 g (16.2 gr.)5.59 mm (0.220")#TTBuck0.98 g (15.1 gr.)5.33 mm (0.210")#TBuck0.89 g (13.7 gr.)5.08 mm (0.200")#BBB0.66 g (10.2 gr.)4.82 mm (0.190")#BB0.57 g (8.8 gr.)4.57 mm (0.180")#B0.48 g (7.4 gr.)4.32 mm (0.170")
SizeTypeWeightDiameter#TriBall(12 Ga.)Buck20.41 g (315 gr.)15.24 mm (0.60")#0000Buck5.51 g (85 gr.)9.40 mm (0.380")#000Buck4.54 g (70 gr.)9.14 mm (0.360")#00Buck3.49 g (53.8 gr.)8.38 mm (0.330")#0Buck3.18 g (49 gr.)8.13 mm (0.320")#1Buck2.62 g (40.5 gr.)7.62 mm (0.300")#2Buck1.91 g (29.4 gr.)6.86 mm (0.270")#3Buck1.52 g (23.4 gr.)6.35 mm (0.250")#4Buck1.34 g (20.7 gr.)6.09 mm (0.240")#FFBuck1.18 g (18.2 gr.)5.84 mm (0.230")#F (TTT)Buck1.05 g (16.2 gr.)5.59 mm (0.220")#TTBuck0.98 g (15.1 gr.)5.33 mm (0.210")#TBuck0.89 g (13.7 gr.)5.08 mm (0.200")#BBB0.66 g (10.2 gr.)4.82 mm (0.190")#BB0.57 g (8.8 gr.)4.57 mm (0.180")#B0.48 g (7.4 gr.)4.32 mm (0.170")
I stand corrected! We use rifles for deer in my state.
We use rifles for deer in my state.I have seen the size charts, so I understand the basic size differences.To the OP, a rifled barrel will not pattern very well and will be very eratic. I have some #3 buck in my 20 gauge and #4 buck in my 12. Buckshot is not to be confused with birdshot.
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SizeTypeWeightDiameter#TriBall(12 Ga.)Buck20.41 g (315 gr.)15.24 mm (0.60")#0000Buck5.51 g (85 gr.)9.40 mm (0.380")#000Buck4.54 g (70 gr.)9.14 mm (0.360")#00Buck3.49 g (53.8 gr.)8.38 mm (0.330")#0Buck3.18 g (49 gr.)8.13 mm (0.320")#1Buck2.62 g (40.5 gr.)7.62 mm (0.300")#2Buck1.91 g (29.4 gr.)6.86 mm (0.270")#3Buck1.52 g (23.4 gr.)6.35 mm (0.250")#4Buck1.34 g (20.7 gr.)6.09 mm (0.240")#FFBuck1.18 g (18.2 gr.)5.84 mm (0.230")#F (TTT)Buck1.05 g (16.2 gr.)5.59 mm (0.220")#TTBuck0.98 g (15.1 gr.)5.33 mm (0.210")#TBuck0.89 g (13.7 gr.)5.08 mm (0.200")#BBB0.66 g (10.2 gr.)4.82 mm (0.190")#BB0.57 g (8.8 gr.)4.57 mm (0.180")#B0.48 g (7.4 gr.)4.32 mm (0.170")
I guess where I am more confused is that 12 gauge owners often use #4 and 20 gauge users often use #3, which is larger. I also am wondering about #2 for my 20 gauge.
So maybe the better way to put it is, what is the biggest determining factor in how effective buckshot will be for HD? Size of the pellets? Number of pellets? IS a smaller pellet more effective in a 12 than it would be in a 20? THis is what I am getting at. I am disregarding spread pattern because I can change chokes to adjust that.
Believe it or not, shotguns are now acheiving close to rifle accuracy out past 100 yards. I took a doe 2-3 years ago at 200 yards with my 12 gauge using lightfield slugs.I stand corrected!
They are inded quite modern.
Some state's don't allow hunting with rifles...such as Ohio. I'm guessing that's why shotgun barrels became more widely available with rifling...essentially making shotguns perform like rifles while not technically being a rifle (lol).I stand corrected!
FYI I hunt deer in OH with a 12 ga. rifled barrel Remington 870 and Hornady SST shotgun slugs.
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