I discovered this when I was about 16 years old soon after I got my first winchester model 1300 12ga pump gun. I. Did lots of testing and found that I could put more pellets on target using a 2.75 inch 9 pellet shell at 40 yards than a 12 or 15 pellet shell. Why? I DFK. Probably has something to do with those pellets on the bottom of the shot column aren't round when they leave the gun. Nobody believed me. Also I could fire off 3 shots of 9 pellet faster than I could fire 2 shots of heavy 3 inch magnum. 25 yards and under yeah the 3 inch shells ruled. Well here it is. If you are using 00buck I found some loadings a full choke was worse than a modified, most were about the same, which was weird.
Depends also on barrel length, choke if any and the #of shot, whether it is lead, tungsten, or steel. My old Winchester 1897 patterned much differently than my new Mossy 590A1.
And always check the choke for yourself no matter what the manufacturer claims it to be. I have seen “full choke” barrels that barely gauged as “Modified” ! My fav back in the 90s was an Ithaca M37 that came out of Vietnam. 18inch (short barrel and but for the Asian contract) barrel that gaged tighter than my Winchester Xtra Full Winchoke. I do miss that little shotgun
Just helped a neighbour clean a 1960's 77B Savage with adjustable choke down . 4hrs later it slides and is nice feeling . Lube works so nice for more than fishing rods / golf clubs ... Sloth
Oh well, we've been knowing for years some buckshot will get a flattened side while running down the tube catch a little air and become ''flyers''
shotguns aint worth owning .If you will use the shells with the plastic sawdust, mixed in with the pellets, youll have less pellet deformaation and tighter patterns, but you still wont have nearly as much range as a pellet gun and you'll have made all of that noise. Forget the shotgun and use steeel traps, cable snares, bait, netting roteone fish poison, treblehook trotines, bird lime to do your protein providing and BURY a lot of food around your BOL, at night, leaving no sigh and using no light. Leave some empty drums buried un case you're able to peserve most of a cow's carcass
Well, my shotty ain't for getting food. But, you are right @kven that in a survival situation why waste shotgun shells when you have more productive means of acquiring sustenance. Then, my shotgun isn't for hunting.
Still going to have a shot gun as I haven't devised a way to snare the flocks of geese and ducks flying over head this time of year.
@oil pan 4 … I am sure Andy from Down Under could get you one of his bush buddies to send you an Australian Throwing Stick… Chuck one of those at a flock of and birds just taking flight, and you are bound to get a couple…
And breaching locks and hinges on Doors… amazing how well 1 oz of lead traveling at 900ft per second can destroy any door locking mechanism…
Yeah my model 1300 is a registered sawed off shotgun with 13 inch barrel. It runs 2 inch mini shells like it was designed specifically for them, holds 8 of them.
……. A ‘rang will do that. Hard work though. 12ga is a more workable choice . Shotguns have their place. They have been feeding people for centuries! A good air rifle will get you much of the same game but absolutely does not have the versatility of a good shotgun.
It takes a certain amount of skillzs to use a shotgun, Some never master the lead. Found 4 feet lead was perfect shooting skeet several days ago.
…… this is true. I shot AA grade here in DTL and ISU Skeet for most of my 20s - 40s so am happy I can knock dinner down if I need
