# 12 GA, 00 Buck: 9 Pellet v. 12 Pellet



## dheat (Jul 27, 2005)

What are the general differences between these shells? That is, besides 3 pellets and about 10 cents. The shells are the same length. Is there a difference in recoil?

Also, anyone have any experience with Sellier & Bellot 12 GA 00?

As always, thank you for your help,

Doug


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Shot some seller and beloit while back dont recall if the were 9 or 12 i think 9 , they went off , i didn't pattern them , but they hit the target well enought that there were holes in it 

they may use a smaller wad , buy a box of each and try them both and take one of each apart and see what they are made of , you can pry the crip open or cut just below the crip with a razor knife then pour out the shot then remove the wad , then pour out the powder 


just don't do any thing to strike the primer while your taking it apart


if your concerned with what to do with the powder when finished examining soak it in some water then dispose of it 

for the primer soak it in oil or water for a few days then discard


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## wogglebug (May 22, 2004)

Can't tell you specifically about 12ga 00, but Sellier & Bellot is as good a brand as they come, shot or bullet, short of specifically made target shells. They make those too, but their ordinary cartridges come a lot closer to the target grade than do most.

So far as I know, for buck, 9 vs 12 is just reduced recoil. They go just as fast (if they're loaded that way - some aren't), but the basic law of physics, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction", says that if you're throwing only 9 balls of a given size as fast as you would 12, the recoil the other direction will be only 3/4 of what you'd get with 12 balls at the same speed.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

The 9 shot is a 2 3/4 inch shell.
The 12 is a 3 inch shell.
More materials, more kick.
Topside


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## Guest (May 29, 2011)

Sprinkle the powder on the garden and wet it down. Great nitrogen fertilizer. Works with reloading powder that you don't use anymore or has got too old. 

Caution, If you sprinkle it on the garden and drop a lit cigaret in it before you wet it down we will not be responsible for the results.


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## dheat (Jul 27, 2005)

Thanks all. Sounds like I need to get off the interest and my duff, buy a variety and try them out. Sounds like fun.

topside1, both the 9 and 12 pellet shells I've looked at are 2-3/4". I think you can get 15 pellet shells in 3", however.

Thanks again,

Doug


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

Not to change the thread, but why do people prefer 00 buck? I load up with #4 buckshot (27 .24cal pellets) If something is close and I want it to stop immediately.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> but why do people prefer 00 buck?


Better penetration


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## dheat (Jul 27, 2005)

Regarding the preference for 00, prevalence and convenience: #4 is difficult to find in stores here and I live in city of nearly a million.


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## NewGround (Dec 19, 2010)

S&B is okay but I find federal patterns better. Tactical loads are I believe a little less powder but the most important thing is the pattern. You want to know the likely spread at given ranges in case there are "friendlies" nearby or some bad guy is hiding behind your propane tank etc...

Know your patterns in your specific gun...

There is a time for slugs and a time for buckshot


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

BTW ... The F.B.I. prefers #4 buckshot in their shells. There are 24 buckshot in a #4 12 gauge load.
Each 00 buckshot has about 200 pounds of energy/stopping power. Multiply that times 10 buckshot, and you have hit someone with 2000 pounds of stopping energy !! That is why a shotgun with buckshot is such a good manstopper.
Ohio Rusty ><>


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## dheat (Jul 27, 2005)

I did some shooting today. The patterns for Remington and Winchester for both 00 and #4 were virtually identical. The Federal patterns for 00 were much tighter than Rem and Win 00. (I couldn't find any Federal #4 locally.)

Rusty, not that it really matters, but there are 27 #4 pellets in a 12 ga load. Each pellet, however, is .24" in diameter--that's probably where you remembered the 24 from.


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## AR Aaron (May 26, 2010)

dheat said:


> I did some shooting today. The patterns for Remington and Winchester for both 00 and #4 were virtually identical. The Federal patterns for 00 were much tighter than Rem and Win 00. (I couldn't find any Federal #4 locally.)
> 
> Rusty, not that it really matters, but there are 27 #4 pellets in a 12 ga load. Each pellet, however, is .24" in diameter--that's probably where you remembered the 24 from.


\

What range did you pattern them at? I need to get my new house shotgun patterned. Haven't had a chance to check it yet. Although inside the house not sure really going to matter which is why I haven't put it on top of my priority list.


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## dheat (Jul 27, 2005)

AR Aaron,

patterned 00 (which I had a lot of) at 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 yards. Patterned #4 (which I didn't have a lot of) at 5, 10 and 15 yards.

Where in AR are you? My parents were Arkansans: Dad was from the Russellville area (Pottsville, to be precise) and Mom was from Paris.

Doug


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## AR Aaron (May 26, 2010)

dheat said:


> AR Aaron,
> 
> patterned 00 (which I had a lot of) at 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 yards. Patterned #4 (which I didn't have a lot of) at 5, 10 and 15 yards.
> 
> ...


I am a transplant here. 30 Miles North of Little Rock, smaller community named Beebe.


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2011)

Back in the day I bought 25 pounds of #4 buck to load for pass shooting the geese that came off the refuge in ND at about 70 yards high.They were out of range for smaller shot sizes. I loaded a 2 3/4 inch AA hull with Dupont 4756powder, a federal 209 primer, a Herters unsplit wad, 23 pellets of #4 buck, and ground plastic buffer from Ballistic products. I was trying for a 1 1/2 oz load. 23 pellets plus the plastic seemed to be about right. The load patterened close to 100 % inside a 30 inch circle at 30 yards. I did get some geese but it wasn't long after I worked up the load that they banned lead shot for waterfowl. A plastic tray from 209 primers worked great for the pellets. Each pellet fits perfectly in the hole in the tray the primers used to be in. I just covered up the other holes with tape and left 23 open. Dip it in the shot and clear off the ones that were not in the uncovered holes and you had 23 every time. I still have 20 pounds of #4 buckshot. It used to be the same price as other sizes. Now it's like 5 times as much. I need to load up some for home defence but I don't think I need the plastic buffer in them.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Nimrod said:


> I need to load up some for home defence but I don't think I need the plastic buffer in them.


I reload for every purpose except personal defense. They say if you ever shoot an intruder with reloads, the scum lawyer will have you in front of a jury, telling a tale of you in your basement, brewing up a special man killer load, excited about shooting some idiot. Use factory ammo and there is one less thing that they will bother you about later.

I love the way you counted buckshot. The old time reloaders were some of the most creative people around. I also remember that first year of steel shot, trying to get a goose hit and actually killed. We were some sad fellows. Where we had always sat on a dam and knocked them down as they came off the lake in the morning, now they wiggled their wings and kept going. We said, these are supposed to be more humane?


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