What ammo would you use for 12ga shotgun bowling pin shoot, 15 yrds?

[CindyE]

We might be going to a shoot soon, and they have asked that we use #4 buckshot or larger. #4 is hard to find around here, and expensive. #00 is more available, still expensive. What would you use? I don't know if there are any other alternatives to #4 or #00. Another thing...4 shot and #4 buck shot are not the same thing, are they?
Thanks

 

[snorko]

Midway has Estate 00 rounds for $80.00/case of 250. The reviews are very good and you can not get much cheaper than $0.32/round.

Estate Ammo 12 Ga 2-3/4 00 Buckshot 9 Pellets

 

[SSGSAD]

We might be going to a shoot soon, and they have asked that we use #4 buckshot or larger. #4 is hard to find around here, and expensive. #00 is more available, still expensive. What would you use? I don't know if there are any other alternatives to #4 or #00. Another thing...4 shot and #4 buck shot are not the same thing, are they?
Thanks

I reload using #4 buck..... 27-30 pellets, instead of 9..... Use what is available, in your area..... I would offer my reloads, but all are packed away .....

 

[CindyE]

Midway has Estate 00 rounds for $80.00/case of 250. The reviews are very good and you can not get much cheaper than $0.32/round.

Estate Ammo 12 Ga 2-3/4 00 Buckshot 9 Pellets

That is a good buy, but i think i may need them sooner!

 

[BillD]

I've got 6 boxes of Estate 8 ball 00 buck 12 ga, if you're interested.

 

[CindyE]

I've got 6 boxes of Estate 8 ball 00 buck 12 ga, if you're interested.

Thanks, but i think i'm pretty far from you! We can probably get what we need at RK, now that i have a better idea what that is!

 

[Twangbanger]

Sounds like a good plan on the match director's part. Bowling pins like to shoot back, and shotgun pellets are the worst offender, especially if any pins are laying sideways. Safety first! 10-15 yds. is close for hard, curved targets.

 

[rhino]

We might be going to a shoot soon, and they have asked that we use #4 buckshot or larger. #4 is hard to find around here, and expensive. #00 is more available, still expensive. What would you use? I don't know if there are any other alternatives to #4 or #00. Another thing...4 shot and #4 buck shot are not the same thing, are they?
Thanks

The 00 buckshot will remove pins from the table with more authority than the #4 buckshot.

Buckshot is available in sizes from #4 to 000, with 000 having the largest pellets.

#4 shot (aka #4 birdshot) is not the same as #4 buckshot. For what it's worth, "we" used to shoot bowling pins with shotguns frequently and we used #4 birdshot. It works fine and it's actually what I used to use for everything in 3gun matches. I can't speak for your match organizer, but the likely reason for a minimum shot size is to minimize the risk of backsplatter of the shot from the pins. Small shot is far more likely to hit the pins and bounce back toward the shooter and range officer. I can say that having been pelted before, #7, #7-1/2, and #8 shot is too small for bowling pins for that reason. #4 birdshot works great. Any buckshot will work fine.

 

[CindyE]

We used 00 buckshot, found a case of 80 for $39.99 at RK. It was fun, I didn't win anything but H had a good day and won. I had no problem knocking the pins down, but they were so beat up they didn't want to roll off the table. Sometimes the pins fly up into the air, and land back on the table. I did horrible at the handgun. Shotgun put a smile back on my face, though.

 

[bwframe]

We used 00 buckshot, found a case of 80 for $39.99 at RK. It was fun, I didn't win anything but H had a good day and won. I had no problem knocking the pins down, but they were so beat up they didn't want to roll off the table. Sometimes the pins fly up into the air, and land back on the table. I did horrible at the handgun. Shotgun put a smile back on my face, though.

No video?

 

[rhino]

We used 00 buckshot, found a case of 80 for $39.99 at RK. It was fun, I didn't win anything but H had a good day and won. I had no problem knocking the pins down, but they were so beat up they didn't want to roll off the table. Sometimes the pins fly up into the air, and land back on the table. I did horrible at the handgun. Shotgun put a smile back on my face, though.

For future reference, bowling pins should be retired from target service long before most people are willing to let them go. Once they have a lot bullets embedded in them, the chance for ricochets coming back at the shooter is much higher (like steel targets that get damaged).

 

[CindyE]

No video?

I'm thankful there is no video of the handgun shoot!

 

[CindyE]

For future reference, bowling pins should be retired from target service long before most people are willing to let them go. Once they have a lot bullets embedded in them, the chance for ricochets coming back at the shooter is much higher (like steel targets that get damaged).

That sounds like a good point. We did hear a ricochet yesterday.