Posted: 8/21/2007 5:32:16 PM EDT
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Hello all, besides 00 Buck, what would be the next best size in shot, if I were buying it by the standard 25Rd. box. Keep in mind that this ammo is going into ammo cans and is being stored away for when the SHTF. |
Next size for what exactly? If I could only store two sizes of shot, it'd probably be 00 buck and #6. The former for pesky two-legged critters and the latter for tasty four-legged critters. |
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I'd stock 00 buck and a small amount of slugs for defensive work. Bird shot is cheap and wouldn't hurt to have a decent supply of that for various uses. I don't see myself hunting birds when SHTF though. I would be more interested in trying some trapping and snaring. |
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At the risk of stating the obvious, the OO buck is a self defense round with some crossover applications for deer. If you want to be able to hunt deer at longer distances and don't have a rifle (or want a fallback option), get some slugs. Beyond that, the most common animals will probably be squirrels, ducks, geese, whatever, depending where you live, and maybe raccoon or groundhog-sized things. Or maybe quail, doves, pigeons, other little stuff. Start with a box or two of #4s, then a box or two #6s, then some BBs, and some 7 1/2s. My Dad's personal favorite was #2s for pretty much any waterfowl. Look for lead shot when you have a choice. Or switch around the order depending where you live. |
What type of shotgun/choke and for what purpose, hunting or self defense? I don't picture myself doing much goose or duck hunting with a shotgun. It's a lot easier to whack a duck on the water or a goose in a corn field with my .22 than to lure them into range with a call and good camo. Not sportsman-like but easier. 12g slug is great for deer and will also take out a car with good shot placement. Buckshot, great for people and deer sized stuff. Can be used for breaching doors if you know how. Squirrels, rabbits and small game, I'd use my .22s. Probably depends on your terrain and skill level though. 12 gauge ammo is big and requires a lot of room to store. Just my .02 |
| Depends on where you live. Here are my recommendations after 50 years of hunting: .00 Buck for defense, slugs for deer and defense, #6 shot for rabbits & Pheasants, Low brass #8 or #7 1/2 for grouse & woodcock. High brass #4 or #6 for ducks and #4 high brass for turkeys. |
Pheasant?????? In NC????????? WHERE??????????????? canigo? |
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I stock 7 1/2's for dove and quail and 4's for squirrels, rabbits, and larger birds. I prefer larger shot as it leaves less pellets in the game. I have a few rounds of buckshot, but there are very few self-defense scenarios where I would pick a shotgun over a rifle. And, I can't think of any situation where I would use a shotgun to hunt large game. I can see it if you live where it's illegal to use a rifle, but otherwise even an old 30-30 is better than slugs out of a scatter gun. David |
| I mainly stick to #4 Buck and #4 Bird shot in my survival kit. Also have a good bit of #1 Buck but the first two will pretty much do the job on anything your going to take with a shotgun. Best thing to do is ttry different loads and different sizes to see what your gun patterns the best. I found that my gun does not care much for the 3" 00 buck it spreads out to much on the target, the 2 3/4" #4 and 3" #1 Buck will keep 90% in a 30" circle at 25yds out of my Franchi with the full choke and the #4 Bird does about a 20" w/ full and 30" with Imp. Modified. Now my Mossberg on the other hand patterns all the buckshot about the same out of the Cyl. Bore barrel. Not many people take into account that even a shotgun will shoot better or worse depending upon ammo, barrel length and choke size are two major factors that come into play. |
Based strictly on your question, buying #6 bird shot in 250 round cases for an average cost of $3.25 per box. #6 can kill dove, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel but is not ideal for most. A great compromise round. Supplement it with some 100 round bricks of 7.5 or 8 from walmart. Buy it NOW. Dove season drives shotgun ammo sales and it is all over before 9/1. My answer is based on your need to buy in bulk, maybe practice and not have a ton of money tied up in ammo you obviously do not use much. If you used it, you would not have to ask about it, right? Reality is you likely just need buck and cheap slugs. Right now there is a ton of Breneke KO foster style slugs dumped on the market cheap. I hunt fur and feather, shoot clays and blast for fun and keep shotguns stoked for home and yard use so my ammo set up is different from above. |
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My two cents: As others have noted, #6 in lead is pretty much a 'do all' compromise. It will handle any smaller critters. Ideally a shotgun battery comes equipped with slugs for large game (more effective at ranges over 20 yards than buck), 00, #6. The only 'gap' left is critters in the 15-25 lb range. #6 gets a little small for these, and 00 can be over kill. I usually stock some lead #2's (hard to find now). |
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FWIW - RIGHT NOW is the time to shop game loads in most places as Dove season starts Sept 1st. Recently game loads have been on sale for $2.99/per 25 of either Winchester/Federal/Remington. Ducks/Geese/Turkey need something more like #4 magnums/high base but if its true survival food hunting (eat to live) you could poach them easier with something like a 22 Mag in most cases if you catch them on the ground/roost ughh, I hate even mentioning that last part...I'd hate to be in a situation where I needed to do that 
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Everyone here is probably presuming lead shot anyway I think. I'm going to guess that federal waterfowl regulations on non-toxic shot are going to be the last thing on anyone's minds for the brief period of time that wild game exists after a major SHTF event (before it's hunted to extinction locally). |
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2.99 a box? Last year maybe. 3.99 is a bargain now. 4.14 is the going price around here. 100rds at WW is 16.97 (4 boxes of 7.5 or 8) for Federal and Winchester. Remington is 19.97 IIRC. Buy all you can at 2.99. I agree with most of the above ; some buck, some slugs, but mostly #4-6 and #7-8 |
Some of that cheap ammo may be 7/8oz loads. I've found those to be pretty useless in my guns, though I do like the light recoil. For killing game or pests, or for busting skeet, I do a LOT better with 1oz or 1-1/8oz loads. I avoid the 7/8oz stuff like the plague now. |
I've used a bit of #4 Buck (2-3/4") for killing beaver that were flooding a corn field. It's definitely a nice load for varmints because it gives a much denser pattern than 00 making it useful at longer ranges against smaller targets. I wouldn't hesitate to use it for social purposes, but I prefer #1 or 00 for their larger pellets. |
The 100rd boxes at WW are 1 1/8 oz loads that cycle my SBE just fine. YMMV. You are correct: cheaper usually means a lighter load and those with autos need to know their gun and test a few boxes before stocking way up. And another reason to have a pump as your go to shotgun. |
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There is a huge difference in felt recoil going from 1oz to 1 1/8oz if you shoot a lot in one day in a non semi gun. I like to blast with the 1oz and stash the 1 1/8. I stay away from 7/8 oz loads all together. The first round in all my shotguns, indoors or out is #4 buck. Usually with copper plated shot. It absolutely shreds what it hits, so if you pull a shot on a dog, coyote or other vermin it will work and not send 30 caliber balls skipping all over the neighborhood. |
In the last 30 days both Bass Pro and Academy have had 1oz #6 - #8 12ga on sale for $2.99/box. BP had Remington on sale for one day only during the Fall Hunting Classic and Academy ran a two week sale on Winchester and Federal. Yes you are right - people were buying them cheap and stacking them deep  All stores had a two case limit but I saw several buying two cases and returning....noticed it while I was walking back into the store myself 
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yep! Buy it cheap and...
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I bought a box of the Winchester "50% reduced recoil and noise!" shells for my girlfriend to shoot through my 870 at the recent DFW crew shoot... Let me tell you!!! In addition to almost ZERO recoil from a pump action 12 guage... You could shoot them without hearing protection! I ran through a full mag, 6 shells... and my ears did not hurt in the slightest or ring one bit. I'm going to buy a case of these for my stash... good shit, and similar price to other field loads. I think they were 7 1/2 shot... 12 guage (of course), 2 3/4" length. My girlfriend, who is a new shooter, very much enjoyed these rounds over normal target shells.
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| I make my own duplex loads, but I think some are sold commercially as turkey loads. Number 2 and number 4 shot mixed I have found is deadly on animals up to large racoon size. I make number 4 and 7.5 shot for the smaller stuff. I don't use those loads for clays or smaller birds, but for the times when you really need something dead right now, they work great for me. |