Originally Posted by beretzs
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Wasn’t sure which sub forum best for the question. I’ll start here.

I have a stash of 00 buck, and an auto loader I’d like to be able to hold a pattern tight enough to 50 yards that would take out K9 sized critters or torsos of 2-leggeds if called upon for it. Chokes I have that came with the gun are good to 20 yards but past that not so hot. I realize the ammo selection could play a big part in pattern performance.

Not looking to debate caliber or shot size or any of that, what I have is what I have. Just wondering if one of the buckshot specific chokes was worth it and which one? Poking around I’ve found the Carlson’s and the kicks buck kicker.

Thanks


I went through a bunch of testing when I moved to Virginia since the club I hunted with was a dog hunting club during the regular season. I got an SX3 Winchester and on advice of some others I got a Kicks Buckkicker Full choke. I tested a bunch of ammo, all at 50 yards with an 18" circle.

My favorite combo was Winchester 3 1/2 00 Copper Plated that was rated at 1450 FPS I believe. That stuff had 15 pellets in it and would easily keep 14 pellets within the 18" circle. That same combo with the Kicks and Winchester 00 worked in a few other shotguns as well.

3" Hevi Shot 00 was also very good as well.

I shot ALOT of deer with the combo and at 50 yards in front of dogs it would slow a buck down and kill real well, usually pellets braking legs and passing through the chest.

At around 35 yards or so I swear it would knock them out of the air. I was never a believer in buckshot until I spent some time working with it and seeing how my gun liked certain combo's.

Winchester also ran a run of 000's as well in 3" that were demonly as well outta the gun.

Hope this helps out some.

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That Winchester HV in both 3" and 3.5" are bad dudes. In my experience, it is hit or miss on how it patterns. If you have a gun that patterns it well, it is bad medicine on a deer.

When I first spent good $ on the gun I always wanted (a Benelli SBE2), I shot a pile of buckshot trying to figure out what I wanted to hunt with. That gun shot the Win HV 3.5 into a nice even probably 20" pattern @ 40. The Rem 3.5, it shot real tight. It put that load into less than 12" @ 40. I couldn't decide which I wanted to hunt with, so I decided to alternate Rem, Win, Rem, Win. Tight ,loose, tight, ect.

The first time I had a chance to shoot a deer with it was at a 6 point buck running sideways to me at about 50 yards. At the second shot (Win), the recoil and report was so much more than the first shot that it broke my focus for a min. I thought it blew up my gun. I killed the buck, but I didn't do that anymore. Went with the cheaper and tighter Rem and never looked back. Until I started handloading them anyway.

It might be lonely at the top, but it's a bitch at the bottom.