Buckshot Parkers

[jeffery c]

I've heard of reference to guns that were requested to pattern well with buckshot. Does anyone own such a gun? Would you be up for posting pictures of your gun and letter? How do they pattern? Do they have a regular shotgun sight or rifle sights? What are the actual choke restrictions?

[Bill Murphy]

My buckshot gun, the "Charleston Gun", a two barrel Bernard CH made in 1897, was described in a long thread several years ago. It was ordered by the owner of a large plantation, the 32" barrel set ordered to "shoot buckshot". No size of buckshot mentioned and I have never patterned the gun with buckshot. No sights other than beads on this gun. The original thread brought to the top on this subforum "A C grade without barrels" for your enjoyment. I would pattern the gun with buckshot if I had some. The "Buckshot" barrels are full choke, both sides.

[jeffery c]

Thanks, Bill! I thought I had read buckshot chokes were more open. I'll read over that thread, I sure appreciate your bringing that thread to my attention.

[Phil C]

Bill it might me interesting to know the actual bore dimensions and choke constriction if you have recorded these.
I wonder if they back bored the barrels, or altered the length of the choke. You may have already done this and might shed some light on what was done to pattern for Buckshot

[Bruce Hering]

From my reading and talking to some very old timers in GA and SC, years ago, it was traditional to deer hunt with hounds (dont shoot the messenger here). Especially in the "low country" of both states.

I also found many of them alluding to "buckshot" in their loads . However the term "buckshot" seemed to cover somewhat of a variety of shot. Some referred to casting soft lead in .36 caliber pistol molds while others said they bought "Buckshot" by the bag to load in brass shells.

No one seemed to be able to put a definitive size to their shot. I do know that #4 buck will pattern in a mod choke quite well from shooting it back in the day at geese. (Not sure how that would work on deer.) I, however, have trouble getting 00 to work as well out of a full choke.

Just a comment and MHO.....

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Bruce Hering

From my reading and talking to some very old timers in GA and SC, years ago, it was traditional to deer hunt with hounds (dont shoot the messenger here). Especially in the "low country" of both states.

I also found many of them alluding to "buckshot" in their loads . However the term "buckshot" seemed to cover somewhat of a variety of shot. Some referred to casting soft lead in .36 caliber pistol molds while others said they bought "Buckshot" by the bag to load in brass shells.

No one seemed to be able to put a definitive size to their shot. I do know that #4 buck will pattern in a mod choke quite well from shooting it back in the day at geese. (Not sure how that would work on deer.) I, however, have trouble getting 00 to work as well out of a full choke.

Just a comment and MHO.....

There are many so called “rules” about buckshot that aren’t necissarily so . The number one rule was more open chokes perform better with larger sizes . And while that “may” be a good “general” rule it isn’t necissarily so in ALL guns . I’ve spent the most time with 10 gauge guns and a larger percentage of them are choked tight . I however have had better than expected results with buck sizes 3 all the way up to 00000 in 10 gauge handloads . Now let’s clear up one matter , 25 yard groups are all I ask for most time with buckshot and I’ve been able to take plenty tight choked Parker 10’s and have them meet my parameters with all sizes and have killed deer with all the sizes from #3 up to 00000 buck . I’ve gone one size larger to 000000 but that’s strictly for the 8 gauge . Now all my buckshot loads for 10 , 12 or 16 are loaded with the expectation that they might be shot in damascus or twist barrels so the velocity will be below factory levels . I’m kinda of the opinion of velocity and pressure are less that just might play into my hand of getting usable patterns from tight choked barrels . #3 on up to 00 are relatively easy to get shooting well in 10 gauge tight choke , 000 - 0000 and 00000 take a little thinking outside the box but it can be done .

[Stan Hillis]

I hunted deer in the Savannah River swamps of GA and SC for many years with dogs, and shotguns stoked with buckshot. As has been mentioned, there were several different buckshot sizes available but the most used ranged from #1 up to 00. Admittedly, many men shot at deer too far with buckshot, so they tried to use the biggest size shot they could get that would pattern decent and "hold tight" at distance. Almost everyone used 3" loads, to get a few more pellets in it. As I recall, in 00 size, a 3" shell held 3 more than a 2 3/4", which is significant when you're talking so few pellets total.

The percentage of men who used #1 was very small, with the majority of gunners using 0 and 00. I was a shotgun "patterner" at an early age, having read of the importance of it in articles and books. My tightest shooting shotgun for deer was a Rem. 1100 with a factory full choke barrel. I remember well when the copper plated buckshot factory loads were introduced. I bought a box and patterned them in my gun, and was astounded at how much the patterns tightened up. I thought it had really increased my range significantly.

I quit using buckshot for deer when I shot a very nice buck one day at about 30 yards dead on in the front of his chest, as he was walking straight to me. He bled a few tiny droplets of muscle blood and I eventually lost his trail. I killed him the next year a few hundred yards away with a .300 Savage 99. When I skinned him I found several buckshot pellets lodged just below the skin and encased in a clearish gristle-like substance, but completely healed, healthy and fat.

My buckshot today is reserved for self-defense, and I like the smaller sized pellets for that. I never could get 000 to pattern to suit me, but did no reloading in those days. Working a farm for a living left precious little time for me to fiddle with testing "specialty loads" for deer.

[charlie cleveland]

on the side of the old Remington buck shot boxes it recommended full choke for buckshot...charlie

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Stan Hillis

My tightest shooting shotgun for deer was a Rem. 1100 with a factory full choke barrel. I remember well when the copper plated buckshot factory loads were introduced. I bought a box and patterned them in my gun, and was astounded at how much the patterns tightened up. It thought it had really increased my range significantly.

When Remington was loading buckshot and turkey loads with Hevi Shot I got some of the 2 3/4" 00 12 gauge stuff to use in a Pre 64 Model 12 I had that sometime before I got it had a PolyChoke put on the end of the barrel . I do not think you could crank that thing down to tight for 00 in that gun . It shot some awesome patterns at 40 yards . But then 25 years ago at about $3 a shot it shoulda done very well .

[jeffery c]

Originally Posted by Stan Hillis

I hunted deer in the Savannah River swamps of GA and SC for many years with dogs, and shotguns stoked with buckshot. As has been mentioned, there were several different buckshot sizes available but the most used ranged from #1 up to 00. Admittedly, many men shot at deer too far with buckshot, so they tried to use the biggest size shot they could get that would pattern decent and "hold tight" at distance. Almost everyone used 3" loads, to get a few more pellets in it. As I recall, in 00 size, a 3" shell held 3 more than a 2 3/4", which is significant when you're talking so few pellets total.

The percentage of men who used #1 was very small, with the majority of gunners using 0 and 00. I was a shotgun "patterner" at an early age, having read of the importance of it in articles and books. My tightest shooting shotgun for deer was a Rem. 1100 with a factory full choke barrel. I remember well when the copper plated buckshot factory loads were introduced. I bought a box and patterned them in my gun, and was astounded at how much the patterns tightened up. I thought it had really increased my range significantly.

I quit using buckshot for deer when I shot a very nice buck one day at about 30 yards dead on in the front of his chest, as he was walking straight to me. He bled a few tiny droplets of muscle blood and I eventually lost his trail. I killed him the next year a few hundred yards away with a .300 Savage 99. When I skinned him I found several buckshot pellets lodged just below the skin and encased in a clearish gristle-like substance, but completely healed, healthy and fat.

My buckshot today is reserved for self-defense, and I like the smaller sized pellets for that. I never could get 000 to pattern to suit me, but did no reloading in those days. Working a farm for a living left precious little time for me to fiddle with testing "specialty loads" for deer.

Thanks for the detailed reply, Stan. It would seem a tighter choke patterns better, in your experience.