Thread: Shotgun on Goats

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

In my experience 00 buck is reliable to no more than 20 yards even then the 9 pellets have spread out so the pattern has some pretty wide holes. Yes it will work at greater range as that 303 sized pellet has a lot of energy but it needs to hit something vital, and I hate the sound of screaming goats that need to be tracked down.

Think 20 it a bit short
I did a pattern test way back when I was a Kid - but big enough to take the recoil of shottie - and that SS Miroku kicked like a mule too
Distant at 40m with sheets of iron up against big Pumice bank
7 in a straight horizontal and 2 slightly above middle line of 7

BUT - I have heard and you prob know better than me - it can differ hugely depending on Gun and chokes etc
I think the Miroku was full open and mod
It had 28" barrels that I do remember
I did shoot goats out to 100m - but it was a fluke pellet and was in neck or head

I used the /shotgun as Dad only let me use 22 until 12yrs and the 303 he was strict on (silly ah) and had to be 15 with FAL (was 15 wasn't it) or was it 16 ??
So the Shotgun was a huge step up from a 22 - but in all honesty sticking with 22 would have been way better (not to mention way cheaper but Dalgety's sold Buck shot by the case :-)

Just 3 days ago I smelt something rotten above Quad track through regen Pine block
Found the remains of a Deer that the pigs had been feeding on and because it was so steep they had slowly slid it down the hill and got hooked up on a scrub just on edge of track bank
I shot that Deer with 00 Buckshot off Quad about 4-5 weeks ago and looked for blood listened etc etc and came to the conclusion was a 50m miss and it was a snap shot at one of the 4 Deer vanishing around track corner

As I have said on here before - Roar the Buck Shot in my view is excellent - but no scope gives the identify issue - lack of, but it is lethal and I can keep glasses on and shoot which is a big plus for me.
Inside 40m - nothing has walked away
No bloody Ponga Frong or the ever lovely Supple Jack barsted stuff etc deflection with the 00

I've been to the place you are talking about a couple times, and I second the 357, suppressed if possible. With .38special for the closer stuff (25-50m) it's as quiet as suppressed 22. You'll be able to catch them sunning themselves pretty often, need to get in there quietly with a 4 stroke bike with the gun on the bars or something and get the jump on the pricks. It would be good to chuck a couple cameras in to see where they are and when (also to catch the neighbours having a wander).

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

In my experience 00 buck is reliable to no more than 20 yards even then the 9 pellets have spread out so the pattern has some pretty wide holes. Yes it will work at greater range as that 303 sized pellet has a lot of energy but it needs to hit something vital, and I hate the sound of screaming goats that need to be tracked down.

My sentiments exactly. Shotguns are for birds.

Originally Posted by Sarvo

Think 20 it a bit short
I did a pattern test way back when I was a Kid - but big enough to take the recoil of shottie - and that SS Miroku kicked like a mule too
Distant at 40m with sheets of iron up against big Pumice bank
7 in a straight horizontal and 2 slightly above middle line of 7

BUT - I have heard and you prob know better than me - it can differ hugely depending on Gun and chokes etc
I think the Miroku was full open and mod
It had 28" barrels that I do remember
I did shoot goats out to 100m - but it was a fluke pellet and was in neck or head

I used the /shotgun as Dad only let me use 22 until 12yrs and the 303 he was strict on (silly ah) and had to be 15 with FAL (was 15 wasn't it) or was it 16 ??
So the Shotgun was a huge step up from a 22 - but in all honesty sticking with 22 would have been way better (not to mention way cheaper but Dalgety's sold Buck shot by the case :-)

Just 3 days ago I smelt something rotten above Quad track through regen Pine block
Found the remains of a Deer that the pigs had been feeding on and because it was so steep they had slowly slid it down the hill and got hooked up on a scrub just on edge of track bank
I shot that Deer with 00 Buckshot off Quad about 4-5 weeks ago and looked for blood listened etc etc and came to the conclusion was a 50m miss and it was a snap shot at one of the 4 Deer vanishing around track corner

As I have said on here before - Roar the Buck Shot in my view is excellent - but no scope gives the identify issue - lack of, but it is lethal and I can keep glasses on and shoot which is a big plus for me.
Inside 40m - nothing has walked away
No bloody Ponga Frong or the ever lovely Supple Jack barsted stuff etc deflection with the 00

Snap shot 50 metres with shotgun at four running deer disappearing around corner. There just has to be something wrong in that, wouldn't you think?

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

That sounds impressive!

I am going to try a ranger 870 with 00 or number 3 or 4 falcon. 5 round tube so no worries there.

This is in tight native Bush.

#3-4 wont do it unless you are under 5 yards......trust me it wont work,tried it on wallabies which are thinner skinned with lighter bones. 00 is good but pattern can get patchy thus why I suggested #7 buck or BBs.

Originally Posted by Rushy

Barefoot, buy a box of 12g solids and come out here and have a play on my range with my little tactical pump action on your way home one afternoon. It will give you an idea of accuracy. I also think I still have some double ought and know I have some number four buck shot that you can have a blast with.

Ta, will do.
Need to stop off and see Rambo as well so will tee up a date to suit.

No.4 buck might even be better on goats if you keep the range closer. A lot more pellets than 00. I haven't seen any for sale locally though.

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Ta, will do.
Need to stop off and see Rambo as well so will tee up a date to suit.

I start early and am generally home by four every afternoon.

We used to shoot pigs on a pine block growing up with 00 buckshot. Max range was 40mtrs,very effective if you hit them in the shoulder, head/neck area. We would encounter them when spotlighting for bunnies and possums. The dairy farmer was happy as one winter we took 50 pigs. Lots of fun for 17yr olds.

Almost any centerfire rifle caliber will be better
Something around 243
Shotguns can and will but it's messy and slow deaths
They are just too inconsistent and it sounds like you want to shoot more than one.
You really need to be really close to see the effectiveness with 12g
It will mean you'll have to pass up shots that would be piss easy with a rifle

Shotguns are commonly used on white tail deer in the states. Many states have a shotgun only season before the main hunting season opens and a lot of deer are taken with buckshot. A full grown whitetail is a lot bigger than a goat.

Originally Posted by outlander

My sentiments exactly. Shotguns are for birds.

More Deer shot with Shotgun (Buckshot) last 10+ years than any other firearm
Did you know than ??

And that statistic will be growing rapidly more so now

Originally Posted by Beavis

Lever action .357? Semi Auto .22 magnum? I've never actually used buck shot on anything bigger than hares. At least if you use a rifle you can use 10 shot mags.

Agree, lever action with a big heavy slow pill. Still suitable for odd longer range. Shottie still be great though as well.

Originally Posted by Sarvo

More Deer shot with Shotgun (Buckshot) last 10+ years than any other firearm
Did you know than ??

And that statistic will be growing rapidly more so now

No, I don't know 'Than'? What did he say and how did he establish that more deer are shot in the last 10 years with a shotgun in NZ? Could you post the statistics therefore too? Also, why are the number of shootings growing rapidly? So many questions...

from a chopper in search n destroy by DOC and will go up as more S&D happening as numbers creep up...thar are shot same way,many a big bull has been recovered with 00 in its body somewhere.