Today’s “classic column” (originally run April 14, 1995) contains a reference to triple-ought buckshot:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a950414b.html
Is this a typo? I’ve never heard of anything bigger than double ought buckshot. I am aware that some shotgun shells are loaded with deer slugs, but that isn’t considered shot, is it?
Look here (scroll down towards the bottom until you see the table for buckshot):
Well, there ya go. Is triple ought a common load? I might like to shoot a few rounds just to compare to double ought…
That table sucks. It calls for 8 shot per ounce for 00, when everybody and his grandmother knows there are 9. There’s your problem with open-source information: you can’t trust any of it.
I’ve never seen commercially available 000, but I’m not going to say it doesn’t exist. But then, I’ve never really looked very hard, and wouldn’t use it if I found it.
You know, it’s not particularly difficult to Google “000 buckshot”.
It’s also not difficult to Google “00 buckshot” and “per ounce”. As far as I can see, 8 00 buckshot per ounce is correct. Looks like you and your grandmother have been using single-ought.
I think I still have a 000 shell around here some where. I used to carry them in my shotgun when I worked security a couple of decades ago. It was a heavy gang area and I wanted a load that would punch through a car door in case of a drive by. IIRC it has six pellets about .38 caliber but thats from memory and I’m old. I bought them at a gun store. If I can find one of the shells I’ll try to get a picture of it.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/000buck_cefh.htm
Boy was I off on the number of pellets…old age sucks.
Federal and Winchester both make commercial 000 shells. You can find info on them on their sites.
They even have .410 loaded with 000 . A 3" version.
There is also an air pistol / carbine that shoots 000.
I actually went home last night and weighed some 00 buckshot, and man was I wrong. It’s 8 per ounce, and nine per shell (2 3/4").
I have an excuse, but nobody wants to hear it. I may have spent too many years loading my own shells, because I actually forgot that 12 gauge shot loads properly range between an ounce and a eighth and an ounce and a quarter. I put an even ounce in my skeet loads, because 12 gauge recoil in a fixed-breech gun gets tiresome for me after the first hundred rounds. Cutting the shot load back a little really seems to help, and one ounce still smashes up targets just fine.
On a board ostensibly dedicated to fighting ignorance it’s embarrasing when I pop off with bad information, especially when I really do know better. I’m endebted to John W. Kennedy for jerking me up short when I needed it.
I found quadruple-aught (0000) buckshot on a Google search! .38" ball compared to .36" for triple-aught. Apparently it’s rare but you can get it.
I bought the triple ought at a gun store in Newnan. They are Remington Magnum Buckshot 12 ga 3 inch 10 pellets at 1225 fps.
They’re good for zombies.
Dude, accepting the correction gracefully can only make you look good.
Oh, good. Than I’m prepared. I have two boxes of the stuff in the safe. That ought to get me out of the neighborhood at least.
Will even a 000 penetrate a car door? All I know is what I see in movies, etc.
Peace,
mangeorge
It will, at any reasonable range. Car doors aren’t all that sturdy and puncture-resistant. A little sheet metal or plastic, open space, a glass window (if it’s down) and a liner. Not much to stop a decent weight shotgun pellet or 6.
Well, then. I’m not going to drive slowly and suspiciously past bdgr’s house any time soon. At least not in my candy-apple green and pink Buick with 24s and spinners.
:eek:
tmc1, welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, we’re glad you’re here.
Just to let everyone note, prior to tmc1’s post, the prior post was from July 2006. That’s what we call a “zombie” or “resurrected” thread, hence explaining Nars Glinley’s otherwise cryptic comment. We’re OK with such resurrections in this forum, so long as there’s new information. However, please be aware of that gap. For instance, if you’re commenting on someone’s post from four years ago, don’t be surprised if you don’t get a response.