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12ga ammo suggestions?
Some of my deer hunting this year is in a shotgun only zone. I have some Estate 00 Buck 2 3/4" that I took with me today but was wondering if you guys had any other suggestions. The shotgun is a Remington 870 with 26 inch smooth bore barrel with fiber optic front sight (no rear sight). Shots could be anywhere from 10 yards to 50 but 30 and under us most likely. I thought about slugs but it seems like I should have better sights for that. Also thought about putting a red dot on it (have a Truglo I can take off something else) but I'd have to get a base first.
What about 2 3/4" 000 with 8 pellets or 3" magnum 00 with 15 or 000 magnums with 10? Or does it even really matter?
Sorry, I haven't deer hunted with a shotgun since I was 12 but a friend invited me to hunt on his land where it's shotgun only and it has the most sign of deer I've seen this season. Thanks.
What about 2 3/4" 000 with 8 pellets or 3" magnum 00 with 15 or 000 magnums with 10? Or does it even really matter?
Sorry, I haven't deer hunted with a shotgun since I was 12 but a friend invited me to hunt on his land where it's shotgun only and it has the most sign of deer I've seen this season. Thanks.
Replies
I'm not a fan of buckshot.
Try the sights you have with a couple different brands and I think you"ll be pleasantly surprised how well you can do with them
Sako
I would definitely be using slugs, especially considering how big your deer are up there. You'll have no trouble at all making good shots on deer at 50 yards using just the bead sight. I did it for years.
I'll hunt in the morning with my 00 Buck and maybe hit the store after for some slugs or different shot.
But I will probably just stick with sight I have, at least try it out like that before buying any other sights for it. Luckily, my range is only about 2 miles from Cabelas. I can easily go back for something if need be.
Get an extra box of slugs and see what they're doing on paper before heading out...then you'll know where to hold...
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Get a good cheek weld and use the front bead. Should be plenty accurate to 50-60 yds.
Good luck!
If you have to use buckshot, try to keep shots under 30yds.
Oh yeah, I have a modified choke in it now. Don't have any others but I plan to get at least one more. I'm a bit clueless on chokes though so please feel free to educate me. Would one that's good for slugs also be ok for shot? What choke should tighten up the shot pattern best?
I'd seriously ditch the buckshot. If you can hit a running deer with buckshot, you can hit one with a slug. Besides, a deer takes about 4 steps, it's outta buckshot range.
Trust me, you put one of those fosters any where near the vitals on a deer, you'll tag it out.
Also, if your receiver is tapped, go for the Tru Glo. Make sure you lock tite everything. I've seen many a cheap scope destroyed by slug recoil.
Ghost ring Firesights for the smooth bore non ribbed barrels...
http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/image_remghost.htm
Firesights for the vent ribs...
http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/image_s.htm
They are adjustable for windage and elevation and the fiber optics help get them lined up fast.
Yep...Buckshot (for the most part) is a short range proposition...if the deer runs he's likely getting further away...
There ARE some chokes designed specifically to sling tight patterns of buckshot and I use one on coyotes. A lot of deer have been killed with buckshot over the years, but no one ever talks about the ones who were hit and never recovered...It wouldn't surprise me if that number were 2X or 3X the number of recovered deer.