Blinkme7182
New member
I was just wondering how many inches (diameter) the spread of a standard 12 g. shotgun shell is at 100 yards. What about 200 yards? Are 20 g. spreads smaller at 100 /200 yards or bigger? Thanks!
Shotgun Spread at 100 yards....
- Thread starter Blinkme7182
- Start date
In general, the spread of a shotgun will vary based on: what kind of load you are using inside the shotshell; what is the charge of the propellant; what length of shotshell (2 3/4", 3", etc.); length of barrel used; what choke you use (if any); as well as even the make of the shotgun itself.
I don't thik that there is a "standard" answer.
I don't thik that there is a "standard" answer.
CWL has it right,but there's more...
Shotgun effectiveness depends on multiple hits. At any distance further than contact distance, both hits and energy drop dramatically.
At 35 yards, #7 1/2 shot that left the muzzle at 1150 FPS are doing less than 800. #4, maybe less than 900.
As a long time dove shooter, I've been sprinkled with small shot fired from around 125 yards. Of course, I wore protective glasses and a hat. The little shot there didn't even sting.
A gun/choke/load combo that prints into 30" at 25 yards will have a "Pattern" much larger than 120" at 100 yards. Deformed shot and loss of velocity will scatter the shot over half a Zip Code.
In his master work, Brister mentions his wife saying,"Just tell them Improved Cylinder choke goes to H*ll gradually, Full all at once".
So how far does the pattern remain effective?
Not far at all. Except for the best loads and the ebst luck, darn near all patterns sre too thin or have insufficient energy to do anything over 55 yards....
Shotgun effectiveness depends on multiple hits. At any distance further than contact distance, both hits and energy drop dramatically.
At 35 yards, #7 1/2 shot that left the muzzle at 1150 FPS are doing less than 800. #4, maybe less than 900.
As a long time dove shooter, I've been sprinkled with small shot fired from around 125 yards. Of course, I wore protective glasses and a hat. The little shot there didn't even sting.
A gun/choke/load combo that prints into 30" at 25 yards will have a "Pattern" much larger than 120" at 100 yards. Deformed shot and loss of velocity will scatter the shot over half a Zip Code.
In his master work, Brister mentions his wife saying,"Just tell them Improved Cylinder choke goes to H*ll gradually, Full all at once".
So how far does the pattern remain effective?
Not far at all. Except for the best loads and the ebst luck, darn near all patterns sre too thin or have insufficient energy to do anything over 55 yards....
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
I have tried a few shots with buck at 100 and slugs at 200. Unless one is faced with a human wave attack a'la Korea 1952, big waste of ammo.
Spread at 100 (buck) was something measured in yards, 200 w/slugs MOT (minute of truck).
Giz
Spread at 100 (buck) was something measured in yards, 200 w/slugs MOT (minute of truck).
Giz
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
Dang Eric, you must have a better SG than I did... 
Although I *do* note that you didn't mention the size of the gong!
Giz
Although I *do* note that you didn't mention the size of the gong!
Giz
Erick: The next time you run out of slugs for that 200 yard gong you could try the "Molotov Cocktail Shotgun Mortar" that Che Guevara mentions in his Guerrilla Warefare book [could use a splat ball cocktail for practice]. You mount the bottle on a stick with a cusion between bottle and stick. Remove the shot from a shotshell. Then slide the stick down the barrel till it rests on the shotshell. And presto, you can kill and cook thumper all in one shot 
I have never felt the need to try it myself but Che did mention it, I just kinda wonder if he ever tried it himself?
I have never felt the need to try it myself but Che did mention it, I just kinda wonder if he ever tried it himself?
This would reach out to 100 yards better than other shotguns.
A 4 inch 10 gauge magnum, if built for modern pressures, would be able to reach 100 yards. No? Anyone willing to stand downrange when it launches twenty 000 buck at 1400 fps?
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72786
A 4 inch 10 gauge magnum, if built for modern pressures, would be able to reach 100 yards. No? Anyone willing to stand downrange when it launches twenty 000 buck at 1400 fps?
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72786
Al Thompson
Staff Alumnus
The reach isn't the problem, the spread of the shot is... Before I left active duty, the folks who made the Atchisson fully auto 12 GA had a demo at Ft. Benning. Buddy who witnessed the demo, stated that they were knocking down E type silouhettes at 150 yards. They managed that by using bursts of 3 - 5 shots. The targets used fell if one pellet hit them, so no real group size was measured. Frankly, for the weight of the ammo needed, I'd rather have a rifle.
Giz
Giz