Buck shot

wolverines

wolverines

Active member
Does anyone use buckshot on hogs? I'm going on a hunt to OK the beginning of March and thought having a shotgun would be a good idea. The only thing is it patterns the best with Hornady
2 3/4" #4. Is that enough to drop a hog, or will it cause me more issues than it's worth?

TIA
 
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I took my brother in law calling with me a couple years ago on a family farm (him on the left) and we happen to run into this one.

He was running 2 3/4” S&B #4 buck and I had 3” Hornady BB. Hog was at about 8-10 yards the first shot, (bleeding profusely) and she charged. Buckshot performed very well for us.
 
I have killed them with #buck several times. Only problem there rarely drop on the spot and leave little or no blood trail.

Where I hunt, if they run very far, you won’t find them unless they leave a good blood trail.

I was using buck shot because they were in my yard and I didn’t want a bullet traveling to far.

I can’t think of a reason I would select a shotgun over a rifle unless I was trying to kill/wound as many as I could by shooting into a big group of them, which was what I was after.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I am bringing my 6.5cm with 143gn ELD-X for night hunting (it's my night coyote rig with thermal I just loaded heavier bullets for) and a 450 Bushmaster for day hunting. I'm not 100% positive what this trip will entail. I'd heard that sometimes they push areas of the property to shooters on the other end. I thought having a shotgun might be worth having if we do that. Definitely not how I want to hunt them. Me and my buddy are wanting to hunt at night. It sounds like we have that option. Just want to have all bases covered.
 
Lead BB shot works on small coyotes out to about 45 yards. Hogs are much tougher than coyotes are so I think I would go with lead #4 buck or 00 buck and keep my shots at 30 yards and less for shooting hogs if I was going to use lead buck shot.

TSS #2 shot would work much better and have a much higher pellet count. Plus the TSS shot breaks bones and penetrates through bone much better than the soft lead shot and buck shot do.

I use 3.70" of 20% gel penetration for what I want to reliable kill and break down coyotes that weigh 20 to 35 pounds. So just for the heck of it let's go with 4.50" of 20% gel penetration for hogs.

From KPY Shotshell Ballistics

1300 fps lead BB shot gets 4.50" of gel penetration at 25.1 yards and has about 77 pellets in 1-1/2 oz.
1300 fps lead #4 buck shot gets 4.50" of gel penetration at 81.4 yards and has about 41 pellets in 1-7/8 oz.
1300 fps TSS #2 shot gets 4.50" of gel penetration at 86.9 yards and has about 81 pellets in 1-1/2 oz.
1300 fps TSS #2 shot gets 6.0" of gel penetration at 43.6 yards and has about 81 pellets in 1-1/2 oz.
 
If you're gonna use buckshot on something bigger than a coyote then #1 Buck is where it's at. Considerably more pellets than 00 Buck and yet nearly as large in diameter and weight. It is also easier to get good patterns from #1 Buck than with the larger pellets.
 
Yellowhammer said:
I never see #1 buckshot on the shelves, and #4 is pretty hard to find. 00 bucks seems be all you typically see.
Click to expand...
00 buckshot will work if they’re in close, and your gun is choked right. In my experience, anything past 25ish yards and you’re just hoping and praying. The 00 buck sized lead carries plenty of energy out past 25, it’s the pellet count that’ll get you, especially out of the wrong choke.

If I was going to go the lead route, I’d hands down get my hands on some of the 3” Hornady BB over the 00. #1-#4 would be ideal though.

TSS is in a league all of its own. These #2s I shoot, 65 yards and it’s a dead coyote, no question.

TSS #4s are just the same, lot more pellets too.
 
Austin Laughlin said:
00 buckshot will work if they’re in close, and your gun is choked right. In my experience, anything past 25ish yards and you’re just hoping and praying. The 00 buck sized lead carries plenty of energy out past 25, it’s the pellet count that’ll get you, especially out of the wrong choke.

If I was going to go the lead route, I’d hands down get my hands on some of the 3” Hornady BB over the 00. #1-#4 would be ideal though.

TSS is in a league all of its own. These #2s I shoot, 65 yards and it’s a dead coyote, no question.

TSS #4s are just the same, lot more pellets too.
Click to expand...

We are talking about hogs here. Unless I am mistaken.
 
I haven’t used buck shot to hog hunt . I’d love to try , just nothing in my area to hunt yet . I have used buck shot on many other , targets . I have a Savage 77 , VietNam trench gun, if you miss and do not kill with the buck shot , just hang it up . The stuff is devastating for my up to about 80-100 yards .
 
TSS is in a league all of its own. These #2s I shoot, 65 yards and it’s a dead coyote, no question.
Click to expand...

Hard for me to pay $10+ per shot to kill a coyote.

saltcreekammo.com

Triple Threat: Coyote, Deer, and Hog TSS

Introducing 12 gauge 3" "Triple Threat" predator, hog, and deer hunting TSS shotshells. Every round is handloaded to the highest standards using the best components available. This ensures consistent, repeatable results in the field every time you squeeze the trigger. TSS has changed the game...
saltcreekammo.com saltcreekammo.com

If you have a cheaper source, would like to know about it. Google didn’t come up with much.
 
GC said:
If you're gonna use buckshot on something bigger than a coyote then #1 Buck is where it's at. Considerably more pellets than 00 Buck and yet nearly as large in diameter and weight. It is also easier to get good patterns from #1 Buck than with the larger pellets.
Click to expand...
I have a good amount of Winchester #1 Buck that patterns well out of my SBE and pattern master choke. I was hoping to use a new shotgun that I recently purchased that's an AR style with a red dot. I have to shoot higher velocity (1400+) for it to cycle properly. The #1 Buck is only 1100fps I think. Yes I know, probably a foolish purchase. It was an impulse buy that I'm sure I will regret. 😆 I can bring the Benelli if I need to. As I said, I'd rather use the rifles, I just don't want to need the gage and have it 1000 miles away.
 
Yellowhammer said:
Hard for me to pay $10+ per shot to kill a coyote.

saltcreekammo.com

Triple Threat: Coyote, Deer, and Hog TSS

Introducing 12 gauge 3" "Triple Threat" predator, hog, and deer hunting TSS shotshells. Every round is handloaded to the highest standards using the best components available. This ensures consistent, repeatable results in the field every time you squeeze the trigger. TSS has changed the game...
saltcreekammo.com saltcreekammo.com

If you have a cheaper source, would like to know about it. Google didn’t come up with much.
Click to expand...
Salt Creek is the guys I’m partnered with.

I’m not saying this is every situation or whatever..

But what I’m getting at is that Hornady BB is about $2.00 a round. If you shotgunned a few at 50 yards and had to double or triple tap them, that’s $6 with 3 shots.

Now I’m not saying this will always be the case, but so far in my experience (and I have shotgunned around 60 or so with TSS). But I’ve shot quite a few at the 50-65 yard range and it’s been a one shot, hammered them.

How many dead coyotes are you getting per box for the money, vs mine and being one shot. I hope you can understand what I’m trying to get at here.

Anyone that’s shotgunned enough coyotes, knows when you squeeze the trigger and he barks and swirls and runs off, and you have to shoot multiple times trying to anchor him. Lots of us have been in that situation that’s runs shotgun much. So far, it’s been a one shot kill on every coyote I’d drew a bead on. More pellets, more energy on target.
 
I’m all for using some at $2 a shot.

After a couple of pages of a google search this salt creek was the only place that came up and it looks like it is $55 for 5 rounds (on sale) or $10.50 a round. Where can I get some for $2 a round?

I guess what am saying if it cost over $10 a round plus the other expense that goes along with hunting them, I will take a rifle or use buckshot.

That is just me. I’m sure it is great stuff. For the price if certainly should be.

If I had plenty of money I might get some.
 
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