Shotgun ammo shot sizes

[blueyed-goof]

Kevin-

Journees Formula will give the range at which shot can travel. Now whether it will have the ability to damage is another story, but this is the range at which shot can travel:

Shot Size (in inches) x 2200 = max distance in yards

No. Shot Dia. Max distance (yds)
in. shot dia x 2200
12 0.05 110
11 0.06 132
9 0.08 176
8 1/2 0.085 187
8 0.09 198
7 1/2 0.095 209
7 0.1 220
6 0.11 242
5 0.12 264
4 0.13 286
3 0.14 308
2 0.15 330
1 0.16 352
B 0.17 374
air rifle 0.175 385
BB 0.18 396
BBB 0.19 418
T 0.2 440
TT 0.21 462
TTT/F 0.22 484
TTTT/FF 0.23 506
Buck Shot
4 0.24 528
3 0.25 550
2 0.27 594
1 0.3 660
0 0.32 704
00 0.33 726
000 0.36 792

Slugs of all gauges figure approx 1500 yards

If you're out in the field and can't recall the shot diameter of the shot your shooting (works only for numbered bird shot) the rule of 17 would apply: 17- shot size = the diameter in inches (ex 17-4 shot = .13 inches) so then you could just multiply by 2200 (if you're math inclined) and you can get max distance any time you're out in the field

again, this doesn't apply to whether it would damage you or not, just that's how far it could travel

Dani

[blueyed-goof]

grrrrr can't make my table display the way it does in my response box....anywho, the big number after the decimal point is the max distance in yards for each shot size....

[D Duck]

I will take issue with those numbers Dani. I know for a fact that you cannot get a #3 steel pellet to travel 308 yds even in perfect conditions. What the data doesn't give us is pellet material (I assume this is for steel) and muzzle velocity.

As for lethality, it is a general rule that for shot, a velocity of 600fps is required, and 4 hits on the target to assure clean kills. The table below gives balistics for various steel shot sizes for a given penetration.

[blueyed-goof]

Apologies, thought I stated it was for lead. Journees formula is for lead shot and is merely an approximation of max distance, not whether something could be dangerous or not. Skeet clubs use that forumla for setting up their ranges and safety zones. 7.5 shot won't travel 300 yards but that seems to be a fairly common safety zone from what I've seen and read. That's almost 100 yards further than what Journee approximates the max distance could be.

I realize that steel shot won't travel as far as lead, but if a person is asking how far they ought to move, to be absolutely safe then why not go with a general rule of thumb? Especially since you don't know if the people who are setting up "too close" are shooting steel or another nontoxic alternative that might have a density closer to lead so could potentially "fly" further than steel shot?

Again, I didn't post anything about the distance at which it is dangerous, merely the approximate max distance for someone who asked how far away is far enough? But, something doesn't have to be moving particularly fast to puncture an eye.

I am very interested in the max distance for penetration though....where'd you get your info? I'm getting ready for a huge test tomorrow and it will deal with some of that, though we didn't really get into much of that kind of thing....I still am interested...

Dani