Buckshot Patterning

Finally got around to patterning some buckshot in some shotguns I have. It was a very enlightening experience.

Took 3 guns, 12 gauge Remington 870 Express with 20" cylinder choke barrel, a 20 gauge Remington 870 Express with a 24" barrel (modified choke, I think), and a 12 gauge Stoeger Coach Gun.

I will get pictures and post them. Overall impressions:

Stoeger Coach Gun kicks like a freaking mule with 00 Buck, and beyond 12 yards barrel regulation becomes a significant issue (at 25 yards the right barrel shoots high and left, left barrel shoots high and right). Awesome for 12 yards and in, though.

Remington 870 12 Gauge, with 20" barrel and rifled sights, is far and away my favorite shotgun, and I was reminded why. Smooth action, reliable, and accurate with the sights. With std. 00 buckshot at 12 yards, pattern was reasonably small, not so much at 25 yards. However, with Federal Flite Control 00 Buck, I was putting 8 out of 9 pellets inside a 6 inch circle target with ease.

Remington 870 20 Gauge - Only buckshot I could locate was Remington 3 buck. At 25 yards, no discernible pattern. At 12 yards, very respectable.

I already knew this, but the exercise really highlighted for me that most buckshot is a 0 - 12 yard proposition. However, at that distance, it performs remarkably.

And coach guns kick like a freaking mule with buckshot. I'm gonna have to get some kind of recoil pad. Still, I love that gun.

Nice report, TJ.  

While we're blowing 00 Buck downrange: I bought a Stoeger M3K shotgun with an eye to 3-Gun and/or home defense. Stoeger recommends breaking in the gun with 100 rounds of full house 00 Buckshot.  

Wholly Carp, where do you go shoot 100 rounds of Buck? Had the operator of a outdoor range say; "Not into my phuking berm you don't."

that, and the cost of 100 rounds of full 00 buck is quite significant.