Hornady 2 3/4" 4 buck

MPFD

MPFD

Well-known member
http://www.youtube.com/hornadymanufacturing#p/u/0/1fGGPpfjQB0

Why would Hornady offer a "predator load" in 2 3/4" shot shell, with only 24 pellets? Just so anyone witha shot gun can buy it and use it? While I'm sure it's adaquete, pretty much anybody that doesn't buy a Norinco cowboy action type shotgun has a 3" chamber. There must be a lota powder behind that load? But I do think they did a good job by using lead to make their load instead of tungsten or some other million dollar alloy that requires a special choke to use in a normal shotgun...
 
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I shot this bobcat with a 2 3/4" 4 buck 27 pellet load. The fox was taken with a 3" 41 pellet copper plated load. We both shot 3 times. First shots were hits, second shot misses, third shot hits.
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The dog on the left I got with a 2 3/4" 4 buck 21 pellet load. The dog on the right was taken with a 3" 41 pellet copper plated load. We both shot 3 times. First shots were hits, second shot misses, third shot hits.
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Not saying a 2 3/4" load is better than a 3" but it is in fact adequate. Some people don't like recoil and some guns only chamber 2 3/4" shells. Lots of older Winchesters only take 2 3/4" and I'm sure there are plenty of others as well. Again I'm not saying that 3" isn't better, but I don't think Hornady's new load is a bad idea. Now if it's not any cheaper than 3" shells and you can fit 3 inchers in your gun, I don't know why you wouldn't, unless you really hate recoil. Although you won't even notice it when your shooting at doggies
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I shoot the Nobel Sport Ammo because a Law Enforcement Officer said it was pretty potient for a 2 3/4 shotshell. It is Law Enforcement ammo and I have a case of them and it penetrates both sides of coyote most of the time. My longest shot was around 50 yards but it wasn't with a rangefinder or anything. we were night hunting on a farm last year and he stopped and turned around to exit out of there and I barked and shot him standing broadside, who knows maybe a little luck too. Mine is #4 with 27 pellets and 1325fps. I bought this foe $9 a box...hope this helps.
 
This new Hornady load is a curious thing. Interesting what their mindset is regarding this.
 
My Mossberg 500 pump shotgun is chambered for up to 3" shells. I have killed coyotes this year using factory Remington ammo loaded with standard lead #4 buck through a standard screw in full choke tube. I've used both 2 3/4" and 3" shells loaded with the same #4 buck.

The coyotes I've killed have been both running and standing, broadside and head on, at distances of anywhere from as close as 10 feet out to about 35 yards.

I've got nothing scientific or anything other than my own eyes as a witness, but I swear, to me the 2 3/4" shells hit those coyotes harder and put them down with more authority than the 3 inchers do.

And honest injun it ain't cuz I'm a wimp and can't handle the 3" shells.
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I don't notice any recoil when lined up on a coyote.

Has anybody actually done a side by side penetration comparison between the two sizes of shotshells? I think I even remember seeing the MV printed on some boxes at one time. Seems like the 2 3/4 shells were advertised as being around 150fps faster leaving the muzzle? Anybody ever shot em over a chrony?

Yes, curious thing.
 
i dont see a problem with them i've got a shotgun that has 3.5" chambers but my gun patterns better with the 2.75" shells its all about what shoots best
 
Again, I'm not saying it won't kill coyotes. I'm just puzzled buy the choice's Hornady made in this load. It's basically TAP with 4 buck. I have no doubt that Hornady being a sponsor or Les Johnson, wanted to have a shotgun load labeled as a predator load for him to tote on his show. But it carries over 1/3 less pellets then most other loads, and a waud that is more optimal for a short barrel defense shotgun, then for use with his pattern master choke tube, another sponser of his show. Dead Coyote was all anybody could talk about in a shotgun for the last two years, and it was first brought to the market 3". I'm just kind of perplexed by it?
 
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Quote:Just curious...did you guys gut that cat or was that a result of a few shots or something?
Gutted it to butcher it...yes, I ate the cat. It was good.
 
Originally Posted By: MPFDAgain, I'm not saying it won't kill coyotes. I'm just puzzled buy the choice's Hornady made in this load. It's basically TAP with 4 buck. I have no doubt that Hornady being a sponsor or Les Johnson, wanted to have a shotgun load labeled as a predator load for him to tote on his show. But it carries over 1/3 less pellets then most other loads, and a waud that is more optimal for a short barrel defense shotgun, then for use with his pattern master choke tube, another sponser of his show. Dead Coyote was all anybody could talk about in a shotgun for the last two years, and it was first brought to the market 3". I'm just kind of perplexed by it?

You shouldn't be "perplexed" by it. Not just some, but MANY shotguns pattern better with 2 3/4" shells. If a 2 3/4" shell puts more shot on a coyote sized target, then all the extra shot, recoil, and blast from a 3" or 3.5" shell is just wasted.

Not to mention that the longer shells also cost more, and unless they really do put more shot on target, the money spent is wasted too. Just like with a rifle, some loads work better than others for each individual firearm.

Daryl
 
A good 2-3/4" load that I have not heard any coyote hunters talk about yet is the Hevi-Shot Personal Defense 1 oz "T" shot load.

They have 35 "T" shot "Dead Coyote" pellets in each shell and they are much lower on the recoil than any other large pellet 12 ga load that I know of.

I bought a bunch of them from Cabela's, hoping I could take some young kids out this season and they could shoot them out of my 870 12 ga that has a short stock on it.

The coyote calling has been very slow this year so I haven't got a chance to shoot any coyotes with them yet.
 
I'm with Daryl on this one. I tried three inchers out of my shotgun and got a better pattern with 2-3/4s. The only shotgun that I've owned that shot a better pattern was my old Ithica mag 10, and that was shooting the 3-1/2s in #4s. Sometimes I still wish I'd kept that shotgun.
 
Their SST slugs are also only available in 2-3/4", maybe they are going for the lowest common denominator. Both loads can be shot in any 12ga, if they went to 3" or 3-1/2" they would be limiting the guns that could use them. It probably just comes down to the bottom line.

peace.
unloaded
 
Hornady loads their LE TAP 2 3/4" 00 buck ammo down one pellet (8 pellets), but with a higher velocity at 1600 fps. It seems they are following the same line of thinking loading this varmint express with 24 pellets as opposed to 27.

Anyhoo, I think it's a marketing trick on Hornady's part. They have to compete with specialized predator ammo from Hevi shot, Winchester, and Federal now. It's interesting that this ammo is standard lead and is not a "heavier than lead" offering.

I don't know why but I like it just the same. It doesn't do me any good though because I can't use #4 buck for coyotes here in New Jersey.
 
Originally Posted By: 4949shooterHornady loads their LE TAP 2 3/4" 00 buck ammo down one pellet (8 pellets), but with a higher velocity at 1600 fps. It seems they are following the same line of thinking loading this varmint express with 24 pellets as opposed to 27.

Anyhoo, I think it's a marketing trick on Hornady's part. They have to compete with specialized predator ammo from Hevi shot, Winchester, and Federal now. It's interesting that this ammo is standard lead and is not a "heavier than lead" offering.

I don't know why but I like it just the same. It doesn't do me any good though because I can't use #4 buck for coyotes here in New Jersey.

http://www.hornady.com/store/12-Ga-VX-4-Buckshot/

Probably so they can sell it at a decent price. It's MSRP on Hornady's website is $14 for a box of 10. Thats alot better value IMHO then, what Dead Coyote brings per box. Hornady's website MSRP is usually higher then what it runs in stores in my experience so it will probably be cheaper yet...

http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#dead%20coyote____-_1-2-4_8-16-32
 
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Here it is at Midway for $10.99.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#hornady 12 gauge____-_1-2-4_8-16-32_2_16_BrandName asc (see page 2)

Come to think of it, Midway only lists 2 3/4" 12 gauge ammo on their website. I don't know of any 3 or 3 1/2" stuff from them. So perhaps it is more cost efficient for them to continue making 2 3/4 without making the switch to 3".
 
I been shooting this 2 3/4 shotshell for 3 years called Nobel Sport Lawenforcement ammo comes in a 10 round blue box for $9 a box and it's #4 buck, 27 pellets, 1325 fps and patterns good and will stop a coyote. That's what I hunt coyote with and have killed several in the last 3 years. I'm just comparing it to the other 2 3/4 ammo at midway USA that seems expensive and with this economy I got a fixed budget and today I seen this ammo on the internet for $5 something + shipping. This is a place that sells it http://www.rrarms.com/catalog.php?prod=ANS124BK10 but not the 5 something place couldn't find it again. I shoot this Nobel Sport in a Remington 1187 with Undertaker Turkey Choke and performs pretty good. Just trying to save ya some money...Hope this helps.
 
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