# triple-ought buckshot??
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [July 4, 2006, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140 "2006-07-04T06:11:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2006, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/1 "2006-07-04T06:11:23Z")
Today’s “classic column” (originally run April 14, 1995) contains a reference to triple-ought buckshot:
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a950414b.html](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?
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### Author:  [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2006, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/2 "2006-07-04T06:52:16Z")
Look here (scroll down towards the bottom until you see the table for buckshot):
> **[Shotgun shell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell)**
>
> A shotgun shell, shotshell, or shell is a type of rimmed, cylindrical (straight-walled) cartridges used specifically in shotguns, and is typically loaded with numerous small, pellet-like spherical sub-projectiles called shot, fired through a smoothbore barrel with a tapered constriction at the muzzle to regulate the extent of scattering. A shell can sometimes also contain only a single large solid projectile known as a slug (sometimes fired through a rifled slug barrel). The hull usually consis...
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [July 4, 2006, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/3 "2006-07-04T09:43:23Z")
Well, there ya go. Is triple ought a common load? I might like to shoot a few rounds just to compare to double ought…
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### Author:  [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2006, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/4 "2006-07-06T13:29:25Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> Look here (scroll down towards the bottom until you see the table for buckshot):
> [Shotgun shell - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell)
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.
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### Author:  [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/5 "2006-07-06T14:34:48Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/6 "2006-07-06T22:46:07Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/7 "2006-07-06T22:49:43Z")
[http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/000buck\_cefh.htm](http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/000buck_cefh.htm)
Boy was I off on the number of pellets…old age sucks.
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### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [July 6, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/8 "2006-07-06T23:06:13Z")
Federal and Winchester both make commercial 000 shells. You can find info on them on their sites.
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### Author:  [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/9 "2006-07-07T00:05:27Z")
They even have .410 loaded with [000](http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showpage?saleitemid=273721&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=free&utm_campaign=653) . [A 3" version.](http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=170759)
There is also an [air pistol](http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/model.pl?model_id=350) / [carbine](http://www.pyramydair.com/cgi-bin/model.pl?model_id=444) that shoots 000.
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### Author:  [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2006, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/10 "2006-07-07T13:52:37Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/11 "2006-07-23T22:12:50Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@tmc1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tmc1)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/12 "2010-07-01T13:40:31Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/13 "2010-07-01T13:41:48Z")
> [@tmc1](#):
>
> 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.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/14 "2010-07-01T14:40:51Z")
> [@Exgineer](#):
>
> 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.
Dude, accepting the correction gracefully can only make you look good.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/15 "2010-07-01T14:56:08Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#):
>
> They’re good for zombies.
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.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/16 "2010-07-01T15:27:30Z")
> [@bdgr](#):
>
> 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.
Will even a 000 penetrate a car door? All I know is what I see in movies, etc.
Peace,
mangeorge
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/17 "2010-07-01T15:50:34Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/18 "2010-07-01T17:56:57Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> 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:
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### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/19 "2010-07-15T12:31:40Z")
**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.
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/triple-ought-buckshot/363140/20 "2010-07-15T12:59:54Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#):
>
> They’re good for zombies.
Bring [on](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FeeamC4qk) them there zombies.