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Q: What size does buckshot come in, and what's the best size for hunting?
A: Buckshot ranges in size from No. 4 (.24 caliber) to 000 (.36 caliber). Generally speaking, the smaller the size of the buckshot pellet, the more pellets loaded in a shell. For example, the 12-gauge, 2 3/4-inch Hornady Varmint Express No. 4 buckshot load contains 24 pellets. The company's 12-gauge, 2 3/4-inch Superformance 00 buckshot load contains just eight pellets. The smaller buckshot pellets are normally used for hunting varmints like coyotes, while the larger sizes are better suited for deer. In any size, buckshot loads are best used at short ranges.
