Thread: 000 in 12ga

Hi all. Can 000 buckshot be loaded into 12ga 2-3/4 shells?

of course it can.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

of course it can.

I can't find any load data to support it

really???? have you weighed a single ball????
then work out if you going to get 9 or 12 or 16 balls inside your wad within given weight for a load you do have...the payload TYPE doesnt matter as much as the payload size and weight.
I GUARANTEE there is load data for it..you just need to look. now if youve got the specific components it calls for is another matter.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

really???? have you weighed a single ball????
then work out if you going to get 9 or 12 or 16 balls inside your wad within given weight for a load you do have...the payload TYPE doesnt matter as much as the payload size and weight.
I GUARANTEE there is load data for it..you just need to look. now if youve got the specific components it calls for is another matter.

I was looking at buying a mold and wasn't sure if they'd fit into a 2-3/4 shell

they will fit..as to how many fit is another story..being lead,you can actually get away without wad petals at all.....if Ive got it the right way around your 000 buck is smaller the 00 so its more .30 cal than .32......we used to buy a 12 ball load in 2 3/4" case many years ago.... as said...do the weight thing and go from there.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...Buckshot-loads

I know when we were doing a lot of aerial goat shooting the best we got was federal 9 pellet I think it was 00 - the 12 pellet was useless maybe that was 000 not sure but both were 2 3/4 shells

00 buckshot (.33 cal) stacks nicely in layers of 3 pellets, usually 9 or 12 pellets in a standard load.

000 is bigger (.36 cal) and I guess doesn't stack as well, usually 8 pellets in a standard load.

You may have to experiment with wads and/or case length to get the correct height for a good crimp. As Micky Duck says, the shot weight will determine the powder charge.

With such large pellets, I would be shooting a few patterns with different chokes to find the best combo. Let us know how you get on.

See images below taken from Lyman Shotshell Handbook 3. No specific loads for 000 but same payload weight, 6x 000 ?, as listed and you should be good.I'll keep looking for old reloading notes but probably been binned as havn't loaded BS for years now.

I have even had 000 in 2 1/2 inch shells I think it was the Polish stuff. Maybe it was called boar?
I used it in a IPSC match cause i could get an extra round in. IIRC it was 12 balls as well....people got upset (only allowed 9 scoring hits per target).