CHOKES and buckshot

[dawei]

Delete Please

[Franco]

I appreciate the suggestion about not unloading and I don't plan on it. I realize in the heat of the moment under attack you won't or can't do what I suggested, But I have my reasons, lets just say I plan ahead, or I put it as the number two shot in my magazine, or that I am foolish and try.
 
So can anyone tell me if I would damage a turkey choke or my gun or myself if I shot Buckshot 0 or 00 or 2s or 4s, not birdshot? 
 
What about a slug?

[Cut N Run]

Shooting a slug will probably mess your choke or barrel up. Slugs are supposed to be shot with pretty open chokes. Anything you turkey hunt with will have too much constriction and the slug may bulge it. I've seen a slug bulge a fixed modified choke barrel before too.

Take one of your turkey loads at shoot it at anything at close range and watch what it does to the target. Cougars, bears, wolves, bobcats, or coyotes just ain't gonna walk through too many of them I guarantee.

Jim

[allaboutshooting]

ORIGINAL: Franco

I know this is off the wall question, but do any of you hunt around cougars or mt lions or any animals or situations you are concerned about?

Do any of you carry anything for self defense?

Can you shoot buckshot through a turkey choke? (not for turkeys).

My choke said lead or hevi but the only thing it said not to was steel.

As some others have stated, it is also true that in Illinois it is illegal to have any other gun or any shot sizes larger than #4 in your possession while hunting turkeys. I have had encounters with wild dogs, a pack of 3 pit bulls and coyotes while turkey hunting. It can certainly be unnerving.

In all of the instances I've mentioned, except with the pit bulls, as soon as they realized that I was a person (I removed my hat and head net and stood up.) they left the area quickly. The pit bulls instead spread out into a semi-circle and advanced until I spoke forcefully to them and leveled my gun. They seemed to "think about it" and then ran off.

We have big cats here, both cougars and bobcats and a friend on neighboring property was stalked by a very large bobcat while deer hunting. I have not had that experience...at least I don't know that I have. The cat population here is growing very rapidly and more and more of us are seeing more sign and cats than ever. It is still illegal to shoot them in Illinois.

A 2 oz. load of #6 tungsten-based shot is quite lethal for any of those animals, if it's properly placed and at a reasonable range. That of course could be a problem, given the excitement that would probably be present in such a situation but that's my best suggestion. Changing loads under stress would not be a good idea.

Most lead shot can be fired through rather tight chokes. Slugs would very likely damage both your choke, your gun and possibly create a dangerous situation for the shooter. That would not be an option that I would choose and would strongly advise against it.

I hope that helps some.

Thanks,
Clark

[Franco]

I am not worried about bobcats, dogs well maybe dogs a little, coyote's, wolves, bears, foxes, but I am cougars. I let my kids run down paths at a campsite. They hike these trails and gather firewood and such and its near where I will hunt and that area DNR has provided signs of cougars. I am in not the least worried about one for me, but for my kids sake I am. I am not fan of them, this is not the rockies, we are a rural area. I don't care how many deer, calves, pigs or goats they eat, but one kid is too many for me. So lets just say I am not a fan.

So I eliminate a slug, but what about 0 or 00 buckshot?