If you were targeting raccoons, most likely via a caller, using a shotgun, which size shot would you use? I’ve always used a 22 or 17HMR but will be closer with multiple targets and think a shotgun will be key.

Doesn’t matter
They will be coming in hot

That's something I've never done, but I've shot a coon or two. I think I'd go with #4 if using a shotgun. That might not be necessary, but I'm imagining shooting them from 30 yards or so. From ten feet #6s just might do the job.

I'd go with #4, especially if there are some big boys. Remington and Sellier & Bellot still made regular ol #2 lead loads too. Some raccoons are bigger than coyotes.

I like larger shot than most when shotgunning. #6 for dove and quail, #5 for pheasant, #4 for rabbits, #2 for ducks. I like them dead right there, and I don’t like picking tiny shot out of my dinner. I’d go #4 for coons for the DRT option.

#4 buck is what I shotgun predators with.

#4 just because I love em

#4 all the way for coons

Bird shot

Another vote for #4 buck

Go bigger in case something bigger and cooler comes out

#4

Like Sasquatch? I’ll be targeting raccoons, if a coyote comes out I’ll still take a shot.

You eat coons?

Yep. There are 27 .24 pellets per ounce. Devastating to anything smaller than deer. T and F shot were the most popular years ago until the dumb steel shot became necessary for waterfowl.

Nope. Just a comment on why I use larger shot than most other people. You did notice the statement “I’d go #4 for coons for the DRT option”, right?

You ever had it? Better than opossums, not as good as porcupine

Nope. Missed that.

Once. It was not as good as Armadillo, but better than...um...better than...better than starving I guess? Maybe if it was cooked by a cajun it would be good.

#5’s, always #5’s. It’s the only shot size I use for forest dwellers.

most expensive shell I have ever used but it rolls coyotes, Greaters, cranes, turkeys and every thing in between was Hevishot Dead Coyote T shot

Only time I’ve called in raccoons I got 3… with a 7mm Weatherby and 160 grain partitions, lol it hurt more than recoil to pull the trigger 3 times on them.

We killed a coyote with with 7 and 8 birdshot this year, I’d bet either or will do fine, but I’d err on the side of bigger, have a stash of #4 buckshot that would rip em.

Y'alI I think he is talking about regular #4 or #6 lead shot, not buckshot or steel shot.

My houndsman years I usually carried a .410 with #4 lead for knocking coons out of trees over dogs. Never gave me a problem, but they were stationary. For calling coyotes I often use a 10GA. I preferred BB Lead, but as that option became non existent with the ammo companies in 10GA, I started using #2 Tungsten/Hevi Metal. I would not want to waste that expensive ammo on coons though

IMHO, #4 lead in a 12ga would be adequate and you probably have it already. If you wanted lead BB just in case something bigger shows up, Federal offers a box of 25 for a reasonable price. If your plan was something I would be doing often, I would probably split the middle and order a box of #2 lead dedicated just for ambushing those hoards of bandits. #6 I think a bit too small and range restrictive. #4 buck I think overkill on pellet size, too low on pellet count, and opens up too many holes in your pattern for your purpose.

And to be honest. For coons, I would probably be gathering up a mix of whatever loose old shells I had in larger shot sizes to use them up and not pay much attention to what I was loading each time. They all kill.

Back before the non toxic nonsense, T, F and BBB were made by all the manufacturers and it instant death for a running varmint. I miss it.

I hunt squirrels with 4 shot. A buddy of mine in South Dakota, a fellow trucker, hunts raccoons with 00 buck. They spotlight them from trucks at night, on farms out there. He told me they pay $50 per raccoon, from the state.

I think #4 buck is pretty much the standard for shotgunning predators. I think lead BB would be ideal. I an pretty sure Hornady still makes and sells a lead bb load.

Lead BB is a nasty nasty load. It’s got the optimum combination of pattern density and penetration.

Buck shot patterns can be kind of iffy. Lead BB will throw a nice pattern.

Here is that Hornady bb load

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002086175?pid=219267

I mostly hunt on the public, in a area that specifies no lead, and no larger than 4 shot. So i picked up the biggest tungsten loads i could find, #7 turkey shells. I will let you know how they work, I am sure a turkey load of #7 tungsten will kill anything that needs killing.

#7 for anything but a bird would be a no go for me regardless of what they are made of.

He is probably talking about #7 TSS loads. Tungsten Super Shot is denser than lead. Depending on the actual density of the shot in his load, #7 TSS is probably equivalent to #4-#5 lead, but with greater penetration and a whole lot more pellets.

This is what I’m dealing with. He’s big enough the worth pasture poodle didn’t pick a fight.

Yes, I know Tungsten is 60% denser than lead but it's still a #7 wound. I will stick to birds with #7.

Smart coyote.

My dog got into it with a big coon up around Cloudcroft years ago. That was some rodeo. The coon lost but my dog had my help. They can be some mean bastards!

Here is my dilemma. It’s either #7 tungsten, or #4 steel. Or a bow or a muzzle loader. My favorite place is overrun with coyotes and they are too bold. I camped out there with my kids last year and woke up surrounded with hairy turds. Trapping them is not an option.

It is strictly non toxic shot there. I get two months out of the year I can use a spot light and hunt after dark and i am going to give them as much hell as i can with what legal means I have.

#7 tungsten is the biggest size tungsten I can find. Should outdo the #4 steel. But, I got some 3.5” 1550 fps steel as well.

So within my legal means, this is what i have to work with. If i could use anything I wanted to use it would be lead BB all day long. If it were legal to shoot lead BB, it is the only load i would buy for everything.

The tungsten #7 load will give you maybe 3 or more times the number of wound channels than the #4 steel. The larger steel shot will have more drag in flight and lose downrange energy faster than the smaller tungsten shot will. And with that same physics your wound channels for each #7 tungsten will be deeper than the ones for the #4 steel. Both because of the smaller size having less resistance into the animal and the greater density per pellet than each larger diameter #4 steel shot pellet. I can tell you from experience a #7 TSS load at equal ranges is many times more devastating to a Turkey head and neck than a number 4 steel load.

If money is no object considering your not shooting a whole lot like you would for a bird hunt, there are 12GA Remington HD Tungsten #2 and BB loads available from Able Ammo. Great loads I used on resident Geese back in the day when the ammo was much cheaper.

^ this. pattern #7 TTS and dont think twice unless you want to save money then step down to #5/6 bismuth

These areas are also restricted to no larger than 4 shot around me. I already know the #4 steel is about a 20-25 yard deal at best, but inside this close range it would be devastating. I know nothing about tungsten but turkey hunters around here kill a lot of coyotes with the tungsten turkey shells.

I wish I could find some good #4 tungsten shot. It os out of stock everywhere.

I just found .22 mag cci game points though, I ordered some up and i dont even have a .22 mag. Guess i better fix that. I will be lucky to get out more than a couple of times to hunt predators but i plan to give them absolute hell within my limited means and methods allowed.

So i am gonna to with the #7 tungsten loads then. And get a .22 mag, too.

If you can shoot a 22 mag there you’re gold. One of the most underrated cartridges.

I have seen several coyotes that ran into a goose spread killed with #2 steel shot.

So limited to no larger than number #4 shot.
Remington HD tungsten blend #4 and on clearance.
Link sent via pm.

Thanks brother. That’s remington’s proprietary alloy i guess, it is a tungsten blend and basically a non-toxic match for lead, little bit more dense. But the #7 TSS is superior.

I ordered up a 22 mag today and ordered ammo for it last night. That’ll be my solution. For the same cost as 65 rounds of tungsten on clearance or about 112 rounds of this remington load I got a new rifle and 500 rounds of .22 mag

Yeah i got way out in the weeds learning about tungsten on the interwebs. .22 mag is the way to go for me.

A good size raccoon can take a load of #4 shot and get away, a load of #4 buck though will decimate a raccoon. If you are trying to anchor them, 4 shot will work close but you are not knocking them out of the tree tops.

Even a good sized fox squirrel can take a couple loads of lead 6’s from high in the pines and keep on trucking. I actually hit one 3 times as it scrambled down the tree and he still got away. I know i hit him, you could see the impact in his hair and the way he reacted to it. Burned me on 6 shot.

Inside 20 yards if you have the pattern density, sure, it doesn’t matter. The smaller the shot the faster you need it to go. But apparently a given size of shot pretty much has the same energy at 45 yards no matter how fast they start out, until you start looking at buckshot or TSS.

A 22 Mag is my go to for everything varmint sized on the ranch

Dayum. When you pull that sexy mf out it is over

Old school for me. Mine is a Marlin 783. I think I bought it at the local Target when they still sold guns. So a looong time ago. Over the years I have shot lots of squirrel heads, turkey heads, varmints, even coyotes. All outdoorsmen should have a 22 mag in the arsenal.

Showing your age. I remember those days i must have been age 5-10, so 1985-1990? When K mart had a nice Marlin 30-30! When did Target start to suck?

At least you are hunting with a 7 Wby.

I would love to see what happens when you hit them with one or those

Use whatever’s in the door of your truck. I killed a deer with rio 3” #5 steel

Ended up with #2 Kent Faststeel 3 inch. 1500fps. Is modified the toughest I can use with this and the Optima chokes?

That is not a coon load my friend. Center pattern on the head, it should work ok inside 20 yards. I would pattern it, #2 steel does not like a tight choke.

Might as well tell it like it is. A lot of people are not giving good advice, I would not target coons with less than a lead BB load. Sure I will use what i have on hand to shoot them, coyotes too, no doubt. But it is sub-optimal to say the least. If you are limited to non toxic shot by law use the biggest steel shot allowed.

Not saying it won’t kill them but you might be disappointed. Pattern the gun and pick your shots.

It’s the best I have on hand besides 00 buck shot.

We shall see. Couldn’t find anything better in the stores around me.

May have some turkey loads but I think they are at the lease.

Will also have the 17wsm

00 buck is a damn fine coon load. Commonly used at night in SD to bust coons. 17 wsm… why even fool with the shotgun

It’s what we always used in Louisiana. 22’s were only for head shots if they were being shy. Pretty sure back then we just used whatever duck load we had and would tree them way up in the pines and hardwoods. Hoping Sunday they are on the ground coming to a call

From the top of the pines, i bet a good size coon can soak up some steel shot. 2’s might be ok but do you have any BB’s?

17wsm worked, not great. #8 bird shot worked instantly on 2, 00buck shot worked. All shots were under 20 yards

Most unnecessary thread ever

Most unnecessry comment ever. But it’s already been said, 20 yards good pattern density shot size doesn’t really matter.

I know what i know, #6 shot is not enough for even a fox squirrel in tall pine trees. I wouldn’t even shoot 6’s at pigeons. Hunted strictly with a 12 gauge for years, i know what i know.

8’s were wiping out the crows today without issue.

From 20 yards i don’t doubt it

I have killed greys from about 70-75 yards with 2 3/4” #4 steel, so that would compare to lead 6 shot. But i still would not recommend it.

Shooting that distance i used to rip two shells out fast as i could to make up for poor pattern density.

Realistically, stretched out to 50 yards or so, you’re lucky to get 2 or 3 hits each carrying less than 2 fpe. A single .177 airgun pellet from my gun would be more deadly and it’s not killing drt, it will take a couple minutes for a raccoon to die unless i brained him.

Whatever distance you’re drt-ing crows with lead #8, its still got pattern density to pepper the head/neck or in a high velocity load there might be pellets stuck/smashed together in clumps. Especially cheap stuff.

Close enough i bet you could kill a bear. But would it be typical?

But regardless, there is nothing wrong with trying to make do with what you got and i am not one to judge, keep shooting until they die. I know someone that hunts raccoons with dogs and uses cb caps for dispatch. Have been told stories about goose hunting with lead 8’s, gotta hit head/neck. I know for a fact you can neck shoot whitetails with a 22 mag. Sometimes it doesn’t work.

Kind of like shooting raccoons with bird shot.

Good luck