Choice of ammo for Deer

[LINKS001]

I have a couple of questions to ask, because I am not tooo toooo familiar with shotgun ammunition. I'm looking for a certain type of ammunition for deer hunting and i didn't know what to purchase. So I come to you Shotgun experts on CGN.

Shotgun will be a 12g Remington 1187, 24'in barrel, modified choke.

1) What is the shoot distance to hit and kill a deer with Buck-Shot/Shotgun Shot ammo (No slug and cannot be Shot No.2 or bigger shot)?

2) What loads/type/brand are more accurate? Shot spread wise?

3) What loads/type/brand will travel further?

4) What would you recommend? What loads would you not recommend?

I'm asking around and researching, so I want to hear CGN's community input.

[Mr. E]

The people I know that deer hunt with a 12G uses 0000 buck or 000 buck. (or slug)
Besides them using a blind at 30-50 yards away, thats all the info I have for you.

[crackerman]

I have a couple of questions to ask, because I am not tooo toooo familiar with shotgun ammunition. I'm looking for a certain type of ammunition for deer hunting and i didn't know what to purchase. So I come to you Shotgun experts on CGN.

Shotgun will be a 12g Remington 1187, 24'in barrel, modified choke.

1) What is the shoot distance to hit and kill a deer with Buck-Shot/Shotgun Shot ammo (No slug and cannot be Shot No.2 or bigger shot)?

2) What loads/type/brand are more accurate? Shot spread wise?

3) What loads/type/brand will travel further?

4) What would you recommend? What loads would you not recommend?

I'm asking around and researching, so I want to hear CGN's community input.

First off go down to the hunting forum, we can probably get you better answers down there.

But I want to know why you think you cant use slug ot bigger than number 2 shot? Even in the areas that are "shotgun only firing a projectile less than half the diameter of the bore" (wordy but the case in some areas of SB county, my go to turf) 00 buck works fine since a 12g is .73 caliber and 00 buck is .32 caliber.

[Reductio]

00 in Federal's FliteControl wads or Hornady Versi-wad. Same thing, and while they won't make the pellets go 'farther,' they will keep the pellets closer together at farther distances.

[BayouBullets]

00 is pretty standard for buck shot to hunt with. Most hunters use Full choke for shot, however, not Modified. If you have a fixed choke and not screw-ins, I'd go to slugs. Any reason you say you don't want to use large shot or slugs? I know you aren't describing a rifled barrel, but people have been dropping deer with slugs out of smooth bores for generations. Some modern slugs will even tend to get a little spin due to little cuts in the projectile. Not as good as a rifled barrel, but helps a little. Smoothbore slugs are fine for 50 yards. 75 for a cleanly broadside shot where you get the largest picture of the vitals. Rifled barrel and a good understanding of your rounds ballistic drop-rate can stretch that out to about 125 for GOOD shooters. Buckshot...35-40 yards ideally, but full broadside I'd stretch it to 50 with a FULL choke.

[Brd_Hntr]

From methods of take http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/

Big Game

(b) Shotguns capable of holding not more than three shells firing single slugs may be used for the taking of deer, bear and wild pigs. In areas where the discharge of rifles or shotguns with slugs is prohibited by county ordinance, shotguns capable of holding not more than three shells firing size 0 or 00 buckshot may be used for the taking of deer only.

You need to look at the regulations for where you are going to hunt.

[LINKS001]

Thanks yall. I misunderstood the regulations for that area, "No shot No.2 or bigger for TURKEY." Lol. thanks again.

[DirtyDave]

You cannot use BUCKSHOT on deer unless you are in certain areas. SLUGS are what you need. Depending on where you are at (condor-zone), you may have to use LEAD_FREE slugs.
Dupleks Steel slugs are the only lead-free slugs for smoothbore shotguns.
If you get a rifled barrel or a rifled choke-tube you can shoot Sabot slugs. I use the Federal/Barnes slugs or the Remington copper solid slugs.
Keep reading the DFG regs grasshopper

[Coyotegunner]

I use 4 buck or 00 buck on coyotes to 70 yds.00 is .32dia times pellets.4buck is If I remember .24dia with more pellets of course.On deer I would not exceed 50 yards.I use modified chokes in 3 different guns. Carlsons Dead coyote choke in another.I use to use the 00 in Idaho for a weapon sensitive area.If you can use slugs that would be a lot better according to friends in PA that have to use shotgun for deer.Then you have to have cylinder/open choke or specific threaded barrel.A friend that lives in Alaska carries a Mossburg pump,open cylinder,slugs and he shoots 3" groups at 100 yds with it.

[NpTbo]

I would use lead-free for the meat and organs. They are not sold in conventional groceries.