This is also a versatile load that can be used for smaller game and trap if necessary. With good range and limited damage to the meat, 7 is an ideal load for pheasant, grouse, and dove.
The shot is also one of the largest that is still ideal for trap shooting and shotgun-competition sports. Pellet diameter is. This is an interesting load that mixes 5, 6, and 7 shot into one shell.
They are usually loaded into larger shells of three inches. It is commonly used as a turkey load, but can also be used for a variety of game birds. This ammunition is great for multiple applications, and hunters will find it effective for many different upland game birds, as well as waterfowl. Because of the thickness. With heavy pellets and the ability to place effective penetration at 40 yards, the 2 shot is one of the favorite loads for goose hunters. The pellet size is. Also, it's very important to note that waterfowl can only be hunted with a lead-free non-toxic shot under federal law.
Here's a breakdown of the different types of shotgun shells that are used for hunting. Notice that I'm referencing only shot size and a range of gauges. These gauges are only preferences; hunters have successfully used shotguns of all sizes when paired with the correct shotgun ammunition.
I've left out shell length as that's determined by the shotgun and the shooter. Especially when hunting multiple species in one trip, many hunters will find a "happy medium" load that isn't overkill for smaller animals or underpowered for larger animals. For example, using 5 for doves, rabbits, pheasant, and grouse. Waterfowlers may settle on a 2 for ducks and geese. Again, none of these are set in stone; they come down to the hunter's comfort level and preferences.
I've been known to throw a few slugs or buckshot shells into a pocket when I go hunting for upland game in seasons that overlap like deer or black bear. You never know what you might stumble across. This is the most hotly debated shotgun topic out there including whether or not a shotgun is a good home-defense gun. Since we're talking shotshells here, we'll stick to the ammo and leave the other guns out of it.
All gauges of shotgun are candidates for a home-defense gun since it's most likely going to be close-range. You'd be better off throwing sand in an intruder's face than using pest-control shells.
I'll dispel one common myth: you still have to aim a shotgun in a defensive situation. Shotguns can still miss, especially in close quarters.
When talking about shotgun ammo for home defense , there are solid arguments for buckshot vs. Your ultimate choice boils down to your own factors. Are there kids or other people in the house that would be injured if projectiles came through the walls? Are you in an apartment, townhouse, or duplex with shared walls?
You have to figure out what your considerations are because there isn't really a one-size-fits-all choice. In these times of fluctuating ammunition supply , you may not have the luxury of testing out different ammo through plywood or sheetrock at the range. If you only have one box of shells, your best home-defense shotgun rounds are the ones you have right now.
Here are some pros and cons to consider when picking your best shotgun round for home defense :. At close-range, pellets pattern tightly and act much like a slug. More than about 10 feet away the small pellets will disperse and become less likely to penetrate.
Will penetrate through walls, possibly injuring people in other rooms. Pass-through penetration is likely, hitting what's behind the intruder. Pass-through penetration and passing through walls at high velocity is a very real possibility.
Perhaps the most effective strategy for home-defense scatterguns that is rarely brought up is simply loading it so that there are ever-increasing sizes of shot if the first ones fail to stop the threat. For example, the first two rounds are birdshot, the second and third rounds are buckshot, and the fifth is a slug. This accounts for all of the pros and cons of each type of cartridge. The shotgun is certainly the most versatile firearm in the world.
Just one can provide you with target shooting, hunting everything from pests to big game, and a highly effective home-defense gun all-in-one. It all depends on what kind of shotgun ammo you run through it.
An extra advantage is being able to try different loads to see what's best for you. Now you know how to pick out shotshells that you need depending on your application. If you've got a job that needs a gun to get it done, chances are a shotgun can get you over the finish line. Hopefully, I've got you up to speed on shotgun ammunition basics. Leave a comment or suggestion below, and share if you like what you've read!
Please enable JavaScript in Your Browser JavaScript is not currently enabled in your browser and due to this our site will not work as it should. While JavaScript is disabled, you will not be able to add items to your cart or browse all product options. But also, during the test you will find out how do you need to aim on different distances, the longer the distance the less you need to aim using buckshot. As you can see, on 5 meters the pattern is pretty tight and you need to aim at this distance even if it looks close.
It is important to be extremely accurate on a longer distances because it is easy to hit wrong target with several pellets. If you want your buckshot to be more accurate then you should use shotgun with buckshot. If you want to target a wider range then use a 4 buckshot.
The type of buckshot you use depends on the animal you are hunting and the distance you plan to hunt it. There are also low recoil buckshot shells available now that reduce the kickback of the shot, since buckshot is more powerful and usually gives a greater kickback than birdshot. Look for the low recoil shells the next time you are in the gun store looking for buckshot ammunition. Shotgun shells come in all different lengths. The way you measure the length of a shell is by measuring the length of the spent hull.
A 12 gauge shotgun will usually be able to handle shells of these lengths but be sure to check this. There are also shells that are called magnum shells because they contain more gunpowder in them than your average shell.
This means they do more damage to its target. Magnums are also longer than regular shells as well. When you go to shop for ammunition you need to know the correct length and gauge of the shells you are looking for. Obviously, if you have a longer shell then you will be able to hold more pellets, which means you will have a much wider spread when you shoot the shell in your shotgun. On the flip side, shorter length shells will have fewer pellets in them. But the true benefit of using longer shells has to do with fitting more big pellets into it.
With standard size shells, putting bigger pellets in the shell means there are fewer pellets in the shell. So if you have a longer shell then you can fit more of the bigger pellets in them.
That way you can do even more damage on a wider scale after the shots scatter all over the place. You might think that smaller length shells are weaker, but this is not always the case. Many slugs are made with small length shells because they only contain a single metal projectile that resembles a bullet.
So you should take that into consideration as well when evaluating various types of ammunition for yourself. Remember that advertised shell length — 2. Before firing, a shotshell will almost always be shorter due to the crimped front end.
In modern times, there is really no difference in performance between high brass shotgun shells and low brass shotgun shells. People used to claim that high brass shells travel farther than low brass, but this is just a myth. Back in the old days, the hulls of shells used to be made out of paper instead of plastic. This paper would burn easily from the ignition of the gunpowder. High brass shells were eventually created in order to prevent the paper of the shell from being burnt after pulling the trigger of the gun.
Now days there are plastic hulls that have replaced the paper ones, which prevent it from getting burned. However, the shells manufactured today still come in high brass and low brass with the plastic hulls attached to them. High brass is typically advertised to consumers as having more power, but most gun experts will tell you that this is a big scam. The power of high brass will be just as good as the power of low brass. If there is any difference at all it likely has to do with the amount of gunpowder that is in the shell.
High brass shells, like magnum shells, are typically advertised as having more power because they have more powder in them. With more powder, you can also shoot at greater velocities.
So if you are hunting birds that fly high above you then high brass shells might be more appropriate. Another possible difference between low brass and high brass might be found with auto loading shotguns. Some gun owners who have auto loading shotguns claim that low brass shells do not cycle through the gun like high brass shells.
In this situation it really depends on the type of shotgun that you have. People claim to have difference experiences when it comes to the loading and cycling of high brass shells. If you are someone who likes to reload their own shells then you might find low brass easier to reload as well. Talk with your local gun shop dealer to find out more information about cycling. Either that or just experiment with low and high brass shells to see how they work with the various shotguns that you own.
So if money is an issue for you, then go with low brass simply for economic reasons. The effective range or kill range is not the same thing as the actual range of the round. When out hunting you certainly do not want to waste rounds firing at targets too far away. If you are using buckshot, it may only wound the animal you are firing at and the animal may not ever bleed out.
First, however make sure you know what your pattern is at various ranges. Buckshot at 35 yards is probably the effect range for deer hunting. You can of course strike the target at greater distances 50 to 75 yards but you are not as likely to have a kill shot. Some use buckshot for their home defense weapons and at close range buckshot is devastating but it may penetrate doors and walls causing injuries to others in the home. Effect range is typically not an issue when using buckshot in your home defense shotgun.
Forty yards is likely the maximum effective range of birdshot. This of course depends on the choke setting, steel or lead shot and so forth. Beyond 40 yards, you can of course make a kill but you will not have the full impact on the bird. You also have to consider the size of your bird. You want to avoid spreading shot where it injuries other birds. Birdshot is also used for home defense because at close range it will put anyone down.
The shot is not as likely to penetrate walls and doors causing injuries to others. However, at very close range birdshot will penetrate certain doors and walls. Once again, for home defense effective range is usually not an issue. Providing of course you have practiced and know your weapon. This means the effect range is probably somewhere around 75 yards. Rifled barrels will have a much greater effective range because of the rifling.
The 3 to 4 inch group is easily accomplished at yards with a rifled barrel. The effective range is somewhere around yards. The effective ranges are only averages and much depends on weather conditions, ammunition and your shooting skill. Keep in mind the effective range is not how far the round will travel but how effective it is at a particular range. Any round can travel a significant distance and injure someone, depending on terrain and other conditions. Always know your target before shooting and know what is beyond the target.
You have to assume for safety sake that you may miss so you need to know where your round is likely to travel too. Slugs are not a typical home defense load because of the penetration. A slug can easily travel through doors and walls to injure someone in the home or even in the neighborhood. A novice shotgun user might think that shotgun ammo is all the same. They figure you just purchase shotgun shells from the store, load them in the shotgun, and then fire.
Now it is true that all shotguns are predominately a short range weapon that can do loads of damage to your target. However, the type of ammo in your shotgun will be helpful in the amount of damage you want to do versus the preciseness of your aim. There are three types of shotgun ammunition; buckshot, birdshot and slug. The best type of shotgun ammunition for home defense is buckshot. These are basically large lead balls inside shells that get loaded into the shotgun.
Most people use buckshot for hunting big animals, but they are suitable for self defense purposes as well. The standard buckshot has eight.
The bigger the balls, the more damage the buckshot will do to your target. As for birdshot, these are shells filled with small pellets in them. Normally people will hunt birds and small animals with birdshot ammunition in their shotgun.
However, it has great stopping power and it will be able to incapacitate any intruder from up to 30 feet away. Finally, slugs are shells loaded with solid lead bullets with grooves on the sides.
If you seriously want to destroy your target and cause the most damage then slugs are the way to go. Slugs are also very accurate when fired. You can shoot a target up to 75 yards away and still keep up a reasonable amount of accuracy. Any one of these three shotgun ammunition types will be sufficient for stopping an intruder.
Remember, this is a shotgun! No matter which ammunition you use to shoot your target, it will cause serious injury or death to the person when used up close. Remember though that you should never shoot someone running away from you. The legal consequences of shooting someone in the back are quite severe. So only shoot someone long range if they are hurting someone else or trying to shoot at you from far away.
Otherwise, stick with some simple buckshot and shoot the intruder when they come into your home. Some manufactures claim that the recoil is reduced up to 40 percent in some gauge loads.
Typically, the shot pattern is the same, and the shells can be reused for loading at home. The shells are made of plastic and assumedly because of the lower recoil; the hulls would have more longevity.
Low recoil loads are ideal for new shooters or those that simply cannot handle the recoil of a gauge with standard sized loads. The shells are relatively inexpensive and many shooters use them specifically for target practice where they expect to do a lot of shooting in one day, and of course, the low recoil allows them to shoot for longer periods where otherwise with heavier loads they could not. Over time, some shooters can develop a flinch and by using the low recoil loads, they can train themselves out of this habit.
Older shotguns can benefit from lighter loads because many of the older guns were not designed to take the stress of heavier loads such as magnum shells. Using the low recoil loads makes some of the older weapons safer to use in some cases. Lighter loads are available in slug and buckshot, as well. The buckshot will still have the typical nine pellets. Certain other shells are loaded so the fps is between and The recoil is light to non-existent.
The low recoil can be used for certain birds but do not expect the effective range to be beyond 25 yards and are typically used for hunting quail or dove. The fps and recoil figures are estimations only and the actual figures are dependent on the load in ounces, manufacturer and shot used.
One of the very hot questions today. What ammunition to use for home defense? Less lethal? Or maybe slugs? This question always rise lots of debates and opinions.
Answer the poll and leave a comment. Please answer the poll, what ammunition do you prefer for home defense? You can select two variants. What is the best shotgun ammunition for home defense? View Results. Each shotgun will be different and some of the same models may cycle perfectly while another of the same model may fail to when using low recoil shells.
Looking back, my greatest failure in trying to purchase ammunition for the first time was not understanding the complexity of shotgun shells. I needed a bare-bones, just-the-basics, tutorial. Something kind of like what follows. The shotgun shell box contains all the information you need to know about the rounds found inside. The gauge specifies the compatibility with a given shotgun barrel diameter.
Thus, the gauge shotgun shoots gauge rounds. Most commonly you will see and gauge rounds on the shelf there are more, but we are going for a simple start. Of note, gauge shotgun shells are almost always yellow, whereas gauge comes in many colors but not yellow.
More of an industry standard than a legal requirement, the move to gauge rounds getting exclusive rights to yellow shells began in the s to help prevent accidentally mixing them up with gauge shells, a potentially lethal mistake.
Also, check your barrels, as you may find the chamber length stamped into the metal. Skipping now from the left side of the box to the far right, you will find the shot size of the rounds. That is, the size of the individual pellet within the shell. This is what ultimately hits the target.
As the shot size gets larger, the diameter of the pellet gets smaller…so 6 shot is smaller than 4 shot, 4s are smaller than 2s, and so on.
There is so much controversy over shot size, I would hate to unduly simplify it. However, for a neophyte, this was a very helpful way for me to think about it:.
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