Long range shotgun - crows

[Master Carper]

Pretty sure I have the GM hulls and Fed primers, but evidently, Ballistic Products will be getting some more of my money.

Have you ordered fro BP lately? They’re horribly slow shipping. I bought some #1.5 buckshot (.490 diameter) to use in my 50 cal muzzleloader for round ball shooting, and it took almost a month to ship.

I order my steel shot wads and other items from BPI, and they take from a couple of weeks up to a month or so before they ship. Very aggregating to say the least!

 

[retrieverman]

Did you chronograph the load or is that the published velocity?

You state a .680 choke. Which is an Extra-Full or Turkey choke. This makes no difference on barrel length. An 18" or 36" barrel, will shoot the same. The difference is short barrels tend to have more open chokes and long barrels tend to be tighter choked. Short barrels are light and fast. Long barrels control your swing and maintain follow through on long shots.
Having screw in chokes allows versatility.
Get a turkey choke, put it on your short barrels and pattern it.
Same goes for gauge, 20 Ga Full is same as 12 ga. The difference is the number of pellets. Pattern size is the same.

What is allowing those ultra long kills is the same thing that allows long shots with rifles. VELOCITY and HEAVY SHOT (bullet)

I found some turkey loads of #4s @ 1500 fps. They are good to 80 yards, using any 870 28" barrel with Extra-Full choke tube.

I have some 3" Lead BB loads. They will fully penetrate a large gobbler (back to front) @ 110 yards, but patterns density is the problem.
I seen them shot, did not make it.

The biggest problem will be finding #2 shot.
Since nontoxic shot became law, #4 is about the biggest lead available.



Choke Tube Diameter and Constriction Table - WaterfowlChoke

In about 1978 or 79 when lead shot was still legal for ducks, I killed a mallard drake coming off a pond south of Jet at over a hundred yards. I don’t remember what the ammo was, but it was with a bolt action 20 ga with a fixed full choke. It was A LONG WALK around the pond to get to the duck, but it was well worth it. It’s the only duck I’ve ever killed with a band.

 

[Master Carper]

Since Oklahoma has the screwed up rule that you can only use a shotgun and no larger than #6 shot for hunting coyotes at night, I’m wondering how this load set up would work with #6 shot.

I don't know how it would do as a coyote load, especially with #6 shot.

I use copper plated #4 shot for wing shooting crows and pheasant, and it does very well out to 80+ yards. I use a different load but still shoot a 1 1/8 oz. load.

 

[Master Carper]

Did you chronograph the load or is that the published velocity?

I chronograph every load that I shoot, as well as pressure test every single load!

 

[O4L]

Kinda glad I don't crow hunt anymore. This could get expensive!

Sounds like fun though!

 

[Master Carper]

Kinda glad I don't crow hunt anymore. This could get expensive!

Sounds like fun though!

It can get a little bit expensive, but it sure is fun!

I wish Oklahoma would go back to no closed season on crow, just like what they have for coyote, then it would be even more worth the expense of reloading high performance loads!

 

[Master Carper]

A different high velocity load with copper plated #4 at long range -

I shot these pheasant a couple of years ago, with an average shooting distance of 80 yards!

 

[turkeyrun]

I don't know how it would do as a coyote load, especially with #6 shot.

I use copper plated #4 shot for wing shooting crows and pheasant, and it does very well out to 80+ yards. I use a different load but still shoot a 1 1/8 oz. load.

6s are too light to maintain velocity. 50 yards is going to too far on something as big and tough as a coyote.

2s would be good. #1 buck better.

 

[Master Carper]

I load magnum T shot and it makes an excellent long range coyote load!

Depending on how well a gun patterns, T shot is deadly on coyote out to 100 yards.

 

[cjjtulsa]

LOL. My Hunter's Safety instructor when I was a kid would fill his shorts from a lot of stories here; this is what they referred to as "sky busting".