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Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:35 pm
by rotor
Finally got a chance to try out my new Mossberg Maverick 88, 18" barrel and was somewhat apprehensive about the kick using buckshot. I ordered some S&B 00 and 4 buck to try both out. Shot a bunch of Winchester Wallyworld #8 shot and switched to buckshot. Maybe 15 feet or so. Hard for me to get used to not having an automatic and the need to pump to load the next round. What really surprised me was that the kick was not much different between the three different rounds. I think the buckshot is a little heavier than the 1 1/8 oz in the Winchester shells and the speed is probably the same so the buck shot should have a bit more kick. The Maverick handled it well though. In any event the pattern was quite tight considering this is a cylinder bore. For the home use I will stick with 4 buck. 27 little wicked pellets. Never let a good cardboard box go to waste. 4 buck on left, 00 on right.
http://imgur.com/yUvBeNs
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:54 pm
by Jusme
Go buy some Federal Flite-Control #1 buck, and never look back. You'll thank me later. You will get that same pattern as your #00 buck or #4 buck, at 20-25 yards. 15 pellets, per round. Nasty stuff.
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:58 pm
by carlson1
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 3:20 pm
by WTR

In 2 3/4 " shells. Can be hard to find. I got mine from
www.sgammo.com ...it took awhile to come in stock.
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 3:56 pm
by puma guy
Jusme wrote:Go buy some Federal Flite-Control #1 buck, and never look back. You'll thank me later. You will get that same pattern as your #00 buck or #4 buck, at 20-25 yards. 15 pellets, per round. Nasty stuff.

Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 4:04 pm
by Bitter Clinger
Jusme wrote:Go buy some Federal Flite-Control #1 buck, and never look back. You'll thank me later. You will get that same pattern as your #00 buck or #4 buck, at 20-25 yards. 15 pellets, per round. Nasty stuff.
https://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o- ... -buckshot/
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 4:19 pm
by puma guy
WTR wrote:
In 2 3/4 " shells. Can be hard to find. I got mine from
http://www.sgammo.com ...it took awhile to come in stock.
The only place I've found that currently has it in stock is Ammunition to Go $4.19 bx/5
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 4:43 pm
by allisji
Jusme wrote:Go buy some Federal Flite-Control #1 buck, and never look back. You'll thank me later. You will get that same pattern as your #00 buck or #4 buck, at 20-25 yards. 15 pellets, per round. Nasty stuff.
Yeah, I got it from SGAmmo last year. They were out of stock for 6 months or a year, but I signed up to get a notification when it came in stock. Eventually I got the notification and I bought a case of it.
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 5:09 pm
by puma guy
I just found Federal Tactical 12 Ga 2-3/4" 15 Pellet FLITECONTROL 1 Buck Shot (LE132 1B) in stock at the Ammunition Store for $155.99/250rnd case or $3.29/5rnd box, plus shipping cost. I ordered a case and with shipping is $185.35. That's the cheapest I've seen lately and it's in stock.
https://ammunitionstore.com/search.php? ... y=LE132+1B
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:02 pm
by Pawpaw
Add my name to the Federal FliteControl #1 buckshot list.
Here's how it patterns out of my 18" Mossberg 930 SPX cylinder bore:
This will give you an idea about terminal performace (what it'll do to a BG).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNb2uvezzx0&t=1s
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:11 pm
by Bitter Clinger
puma guy wrote:I just found Federal Tactical 12 Ga 2-3/4" 15 Pellet FLITECONTROL 1 Buck Shot (LE132 1B) in stock at the Ammunition Store for $155.99/250rnd case or $3.29/5rnd box, plus shipping cost. I ordered a case and with shipping is $185.35. That's the cheapest I've seen lately and it's in stock.
https://ammunitionstore.com/search.php? ... y=LE132+1B
Wow! Thanks!

Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 6:22 pm
by rotor
I was concerned about over penetration with 00 buck indoors. Watched a bunch of Paul Harrell on youtube. That's why I went with 4 buck instead of 00 for in the house use. That 00 buck looks like it might be good as a hog stopper in the field though. The other issue was expense and S&B was inexpensive.
https://youtu.be/CiHHgjaR0TI
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2017 5:05 pm
by LTUME1978
I have little experience with buckshot. The only time I have used them was when I was a kid hunting in my grandfather's rice field in south Louisiana. We would use number 4 buck to shoot high flying geese or crawl up on them when they were on the ground in big flocks. I see the posts on the performance of the flight control buckshot and the tight patterns. Why not just use slugs if one wants a tight pattern. What is the advantage of the flight control buckshot over the slug. I was thinking that one would want the buckshot to spread out some. Please explain.
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2017 5:14 pm
by Jusme
LTUME1978 wrote:I have little experience with buckshot. The only time I have used them was when I was a kid hunting in my grandfather's rice field in south Louisiana. We would use number 4 buck to shoot high flying geese or crawl up on them when they were on the ground in big flocks. I see the posts on the performance of the flight control buckshot and the tight patterns. Why not just use slugs if one wants a tight pattern. What is the advantage of the flight control buckshot over the slug. I was thinking that one would want the buckshot to spread out some. Please explain.
Upon striking a body, each pellet "carves" its own path. Slugs are devastating, but a load of buck shot will have a better chance of striking vital areas, even with a slightly misplaced shot. Spread is not your friend, because some pellets may not even hit the target. This is even more critical if your shot is not perfectly on target, which is a definitely possibility, in the dark, under stress, in a hurry. If possible, test it yourself. If not, there are multiple videos on line showing gel tests, meat tests, etc.
Re: Buckshot for home defense
Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2017 5:30 pm
by Pawpaw
You need to know how your shotgun performs with the ammunition you are using.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NVJVaxrxWo