Taking it to the limit.

[redfish28 50]

Howdy,

 

Long time no post. I was wondering what is the max range of the saiga 12, using buck shot? I know what the ballistic charts say, but I'm looking for people to chime in here with real world experience. Choke/no choke...it doesn't matter. I never have shot buck shot at extended distances and need some input from all the good folks here.

 

Thanks,

 

RF

[YOT 3,743]

Maximum range is about 600 yards, but I think you're actually asking about effective range. Two entirely different things.

 

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/mr.cfm

 

http://mscg.yuku.com/topic/4164/Maximum-Effective-Range-12ga-Shotgun#.T-aEOhdtqSo

[redfish28 50]

Yes Sir, you are correct. Effective range is what I'm seeking . I'm also looking for stories where the shooter was surprised by the results of the buck shot at a longer distance.

Edited June 24, 2012 by redfish28

[corbin 621]

Only used buckshot out to about 50 yards myself. Was some dog that was trying to attack our horses. Of the 9 pellets fired, 4 hit (that I found anyway). The one that put him down was a single pellet to the spine. I'd say it was luck, though a couple of the others probably could have killed him eventually, looked like they punctured a lung. That was with a modified choke.

[Mullet Man 2,114]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hZ8qiyvi-M&feature=plcp

[YOT 3,743]

Many years ago, I did take a turkey in flight at about 80-90 yards with 00buck. It flew another 200 yards then fell out of the sky like a 20 lb. rock. One pellet pierced it's heart. 1 out of 15. It was a single shot full choke NEF Pardner. I wouldn't try it again.......and shouldn't have then.

 

 

[45Bretired 19]

While I didn't do it with my Saiga I shot a Wild Hog that no BSing looked like the size of a couche (maybe the heat of the moment affected my size judgement) at about 20 yards broadside with an unchoked Mossberg 590 20" barrel with Remington 3" OO buck. It knocked him over and he squeeled but got up bucked like a bull and ran off into the brush. I know he was hit but found very little blood and never found the Hog. Several members of my family swear to have shot one matching the discription over the years and as far as I know he's out there still, but carrying around alot of lead. I'm fairly sure a 3" slug would have had different results. It's legel to use Buckshot in La. Even today but I switched to slugs just in case I see him again. I have a 835 that has a 28" barrel and patterns 30" at 100yrds with a modified choke. It probably would have done it too.

 

Oh the 835 at 100yrds was using 31/2" OOO Buck at a 40" piece of cardboard

[redfish28 50]

Good stories and info. I thank everyone for sharing. Keep them coming. I love stories like these.

[Orestis35 0]

Best slug for the longest effective shot for saiga 12? I'm talking about 125 yards or so... even though l would like (if out there, something for 150-175 yards) Can't realy decide, having read A LOT. Has anyone ever tried that kind of shot? what was the result?

[Goose 95]

I fired a few 2 3/4 00 buck shells at a sheet of cardboard at 25 yds not too long ago. My poly choke cranked all the way down I got about a 6 inch group. It was kinda hard to tell though, it wasn't the first thing I shot which was a mistake. Lots of bird shot hole from the saiga, and my buddies new 10 ga. But it still seemed pretty consistent.

[gunfun 3,931]

To the Floor had some unknown brand OOOOB loads in clear hull with felt and no shotcup I shot one about a hundred yards through a full choke using the winchoke adapter Cobra sells. Looking at the dust pattern on the backdrop, the spread appeared to be about a yard. My #4 buck loads with WAA12 wads patterned a bit tighter, but I don't trust my recollection well enough to give a number. If I were shooting at any couch/pig hybrids, I think I would want a slug, but between the two loads close up, OOOOB would be the way to go. Dixie makes some commercial products suitable for that kind of job.

 

Federal flight control wads significantly improve range and tighten groups. Their Black Cloud line of products uses the same wad in a black color. I don't know of any high power offerings using that wad though as most are designed for goose& predator hunting, or LE (read wimpy) applications.

 

Hastings sells some slugs that should perform better at extended ranges out of smoothbore and rilfled. Sauvestre sells the ultimate if you are willing to spend a fortune. for more common offerings, Brenneke type slugs generally do better than fosters in terminal performance, trajectory and accuracy.

[gunfun 3,931]

I forgot to ask-- What is your intended application?

 

Hunting - if so what animal? light pellets that don't penetrate don't work every time. big pellet loads with small pellet count tend not to be able to guarantee a hit at long ranges. I wouldn't want to hit a deer with one or two ~ .3x caliber pellets that have shed all their velocity by the time they hit. That is cruel and wasteful.

 

 

 

Wilderness defense against dangerous critters? I'd want magnum loads with big pellets here, or better yet slugs. For having a back porch/pickup/boat gun in Alaskan bear country, I think I would want an S12 with the first several shots as DDupleks Hexolit 32 and the last 3 shots in the magazine something like OOOO Buck made by a reputable manufacturer or myself. No practical experience of seeing what either of those will do to dangerous game though. Only theory and armchair quarterbacking. I did buy some of the dduplex slugs for my father to keep on his fishing boat for bears though.

 

HD against people? - The poor pattern density of typical OOB offerings is one of the reasons I favor smaller pellets such as #4Buck or #1 buck, with slightly increased velocities for superior penetration. The black Cloud coyote load might be a very good choice but I need to check them out. to be sure. Long range lots of pellets, high velocity, flight control wad and hardened pellets with buffer = a very tight pattern. I would expect this load to add about 15 -20 yards of usable/effective range to standard loads of the same pellet size.

[Nephilim7 107]

My "wimpy" Managed Recoil Federal Tactical LE #1 Buck with Flight Control wad has been said to reliably drop coyotes dead in their tracks at 70 yards with a properly tuned choke. Just what a couple of guys on another forum were saying about using these loads... They feel like shooting bird shot, but cycle out of the MD-20 on factory gas setting "1". If you can find them, give them a shot.

 

For a police application against unarmored bad guys, I would guestimate 0-50 yards for Flight Control #1 buck and 0-100 yards for most slugs. Regular 00 buck from Walmart, I would use out to about 35 yards. Again, this is just speculation based on, well... not much. LOL

 

 

*** ETA: Keep in mind that tighter choke doesn't always produce tighter pattern. The pattern will start to suffer after a certain amount of constriction. This is especially true of Flight Control wads at long range. They are a new kind of animal. You must pattern each load scientifically to discover the best combo in each different gun.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Nephilim7