Super-Dave
New member
Assume whatever it is that you are hunting is seen and fired apon within 10yards. Which will probably cause the most damage to your game 00 Buck shot or slug?
Hunting with a shotgun....
- Thread starter Super-Dave
- Start date
SD, Inside the 10 yards either is going to be tremendous. the slug may damage less meat so long as it misses the hams/shoulder bones. Once inside the lead balls may disperse damaging more edible meat by a little bit. But I would rather use a slug for hunting. For hogs where I may be sneaking in real close before I know they are right there, the 00 may be loaded as first shot for a quick shoulder mount/fire sequence as I am admittedly not real confident in my ability to react, aim and fire on a spooked runner. from a cylinder bored barrel the 00 may be opened up enuff to at least slow down the hog for my follow up.
Brent
Brent
Hogdogs is right..........at that range it's all about equal.
And for what it is worth we did some testing last year and what we foung is that in MY SHOTGUN ( They are all different! ) 000 paterend better. Another benifit is that the 000, being heavier individually, penetrated about 40 to 50% better.
Down side is that a 3 inch 000 load has 10 shot in them while a 3 inch 00 has 15 shot in them which makes a less dense pattern. And this too, the 000 load weighs about 14% less than the 00 load.
Like I said though, in my gun the 000 tosses a much tighter pattern out to 40 yards and I like the fact that the individual pellets have much more energy. And as we are shooting hogs, which can have tougher hides, especially the older boars, the penetration is important. IMHO.
That said it's worth remembering that the standard is 00.
And for what it is worth we did some testing last year and what we foung is that in MY SHOTGUN ( They are all different! ) 000 paterend better. Another benifit is that the 000, being heavier individually, penetrated about 40 to 50% better.
Down side is that a 3 inch 000 load has 10 shot in them while a 3 inch 00 has 15 shot in them which makes a less dense pattern. And this too, the 000 load weighs about 14% less than the 00 load.
Like I said though, in my gun the 000 tosses a much tighter pattern out to 40 yards and I like the fact that the individual pellets have much more energy. And as we are shooting hogs, which can have tougher hides, especially the older boars, the penetration is important. IMHO.
That said it's worth remembering that the standard is 00.
Use both!
I use a 12ga. browning wth a scope.Deer will be standing still at first so use a winchester super x foster style slug for the first shot.If you are using a smooth bore.If you are you using rifled barrel then use a sabat style slugs.Then if the deer takes of running or bounding follow up with some nice remington mag. 12 pellet to hit him with a little somting extra.2 3/4 loads is pletty of juice.You don't need the kick of 3 inch mags.
I use a 12ga. browning wth a scope.Deer will be standing still at first so use a winchester super x foster style slug for the first shot.If you are using a smooth bore.If you are you using rifled barrel then use a sabat style slugs.Then if the deer takes of running or bounding follow up with some nice remington mag. 12 pellet to hit him with a little somting extra.2 3/4 loads is pletty of juice.You don't need the kick of 3 inch mags.
T.A.Sharps
New member
Where are you hunting with only a range of 10 yards?
fisherman66
New member
I killed a feral sow at less than 20 feet several weeks ago. I've had deer within 10 yards too this year. Hen turkeys have stepped over my legs before during gobbler season. I don't plan on it happening, but it does with with fair frequency.
rantingredneck
New member
One of the biggest deer I ever killed was about 10-15 feet from me when I shot him. I always joke that I shot him in self defense. He had been jumped off the bed by another hunter and nearly ran me over.
In that case it was a 3.5" load of 00 buck. I recovered all 18 pellets from under the hide on the offside.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Seems like an odd thought problem more than real life. I have personally taken a couple of deer a 15 yards or less with a 12ga but I've never once made the choice of round based on what would be effective at that range. My experience tells me that if it's effective at 100 yards its going to be effective at 10. The opposite is not true. Now, some rifle rounds may become "shrapnel" at that range because they can't effectively handle the impact energy. But that's a different world. If your talking shotguns, I'll take a slug any day.
simonkenton
New member
I can tell you that at extremely close ranges, number 8 birdshot is devastating.
As a paramedic I saw the effects of birdshot on a human torso about 14 times, at ranges of 10 to 15 feet.
In every case the patient was dead right there.
So, at 20 feet, buckshot would, likewise, be a very lethal load.
Of course you don't want to hunt with birdshot because at longer range, 30 yards or so, it no longer is a killer on big game.
I am sure that either the slug or buckshot would be devastating at 20 feet.
As a paramedic I saw the effects of birdshot on a human torso about 14 times, at ranges of 10 to 15 feet.
In every case the patient was dead right there.
So, at 20 feet, buckshot would, likewise, be a very lethal load.
Of course you don't want to hunt with birdshot because at longer range, 30 yards or so, it no longer is a killer on big game.
I am sure that either the slug or buckshot would be devastating at 20 feet.
T.A.Sharps
New member
No doubt people get kills within 10yrds when the opportunity pops up.
I was amused that someone was planning his hunt and what firearm to get based on a max range of 10 yards.
Unless you just don't aim at it, 10 yards you can kill nearly anything with whatever you have. However I don't agree with the bird shot guy up there, I want to kill it, not maim it.
Use your favorite pistol, slugs, or just take out your knife and charge it if you want.
10 yards is nothing, you should be planning on what the longest shot you would take would need. Some woods may be thick enough allowing only 10yrd shots, but I have never hunted on terrain allowing only one option of range, even thick woods can offer clearings is spots.
I was amused that someone was planning his hunt and what firearm to get based on a max range of 10 yards.
Unless you just don't aim at it, 10 yards you can kill nearly anything with whatever you have. However I don't agree with the bird shot guy up there, I want to kill it, not maim it.
Use your favorite pistol, slugs, or just take out your knife and charge it if you want.
10 yards is nothing, you should be planning on what the longest shot you would take would need. Some woods may be thick enough allowing only 10yrd shots, but I have never hunted on terrain allowing only one option of range, even thick woods can offer clearings is spots.
Hogdogs is right, but for me 00 buck is illegal, we can only use slugs in good ole Indiana. For 10 yard shots I would use my .357 magnum. I know I went off topic, but I can legally hunt deer with a shotgun and .357 magnum on me at the same time, but 00 buck is forbidden. Go figure.
ive never really considered hunting with 00. In my opinion opinion having a solid 1 oz piece of lead is he best way to go weather its 10 yards or 100 you get the same ammount of damage. along with that a slug amkes a nice hole for them to bleed out of making it easier to track. Ive really only considered 00 for home defense where youll be in a situation that you need to cover alot of are without much time to aim, but its up to you.