Max effective range for #4 Buck pellets is?

[314159]

The #4 Buck loads were a hot ticket a long while back, plenty of pellets and even patterns. However, they fell out of favor due to lack of penetration at a distance. They kicked like a mule, too.

I note that Federal is offering a reduced recoil plated #4 load these days. This might be a pretty good load for strictly indoors use. Lots of pellets and limited over penetration hazard perhaps. Does anyone have testing or data that reveals the maximum distance #4 Buck will meet the 4 layer denim penetration standard?

[warpedcamshaft]

Plated or high hardness shot in 4 buck might get adequate performance. If it deforms significantly, the results are sub-par.

This is based on past posts by DocGKR on another forum. A bit of google searching will find it, because I don't want to post a link.

I know this provides no answer for your max effective range question, but I figure it is a start...

[warpedcamshaft]

Federal PD156 is the 4 buck load you mentioned.

[Jeep]

Chuck Haggard had a post sometime ago about shootings with #4 he's seen. Short conclusion, IIRC, was that it appears extremely effective at close ranges, but even moderate cover (ie--a screen door) drastically reduced its effectiveness.

[witchking777]

Stick with #1.

[DocGKR]

With #1 buckshot available which penetrates to the same depth as common service caliber handgun loads, their is not any reason to consider #4 buckshot for defensive purposes.

[Jeep]

With #1 buckshot available which penetrates to the same depth as common service caliber handgun loads, their is not any reason to consider #4 buckshot for defensive purposes.

I just wish they made more of it to drive prices down. Plenty of reasonably priced OO shot (and of course it works too), but #1 can be pricey. I'm hoping that your work will increase demand for #1, which will in turn increase supply and make it less of a specialty item.

[xmanhockey7]

I'm surprised to see the increase in #4 and #1 buck availability. For a while it seemed like I could not find any #1 buck other than Federal Flight Control. I had an instructor say he was a fan of #4, but couldn't find much. Now I'm seeing quite a bit more. I think some people's attitude with #4 is they're just going to hit the bad guy with a giant wall of lead. That said I've been sticking with 00 Flight Control in my HD gun. At 10 yards I'm getting a 4" group which is about what I want.

[314159]

I've got a good bit of FC#1 and do prefer it. I recently moved to a much more suburban area and can't imagine a scenario that would require me to go out of doors here. Since any engagement I can imagine would be 7 yards, absolute max inside the house, I thought I could stack the deck a bit for over penetration issues.

[peterb]

With #1 buckshot available which penetrates to the same depth as common service caliber handgun loads, their is not any reason to consider #4 buckshot for defensive purposes.

If one is restricted to 20 gauge, #3 or 4 may be the best buckshot option available. That was the case a few years ago but I haven't checked recently.