Buckshot will certainly travel well over 100 yards. It won’t shoot through a decent sized tree, but it could be dangerous to anyone hit with it at that range.

Consider a modern full-rifled 12-gauge slug gun firing a high-tech 260-grain sabot slug that leaves the muzzle at about 1,900 fps velocity. If zeroed at 50 yards (still a popular sight-in distance among slug hunters), that slug only drops 1.7 inches by the time it gets to 100 yards.

Maximum effective range is limited as much by the slug’s rapid decay of energy and velocity as by its poor accuracy.” Published in 1964, the “Fact Book” states that a typical 12-gauge, 1-ounce slug traveling at 1560 fps loses 60 percent of its energy at 100 yards.

A slug also becomes increasingly inaccurate with distance; out to 100 yards, it drops approximately 5″ and has a maximum range of approximately 400 yards. In contrast, centerfire projectiles from rifles can travel miles. Shotgun slugs are best suited for uses over short ranges.

The Brenneke Magnum Crush is their most powerful cartridge and is only available in 12 gauge 3″ chambering. The projectile features the Brenneke sliding rear that slams into the front section on impact.

The short answer however, is up to 200 yards if your shotgun can group as tight at 3-4 inches at 100 yards with the right load your gun happens to like.

Sterling 12 Guage Tornado slugs, designed for accuracy. These hard-hitting slugs are aided by rifling that allows your shots to hit their mark consistently. Each slug weighs in at a little over an ounce, and the Tornado rifling provides accuracy and precision on target.

00 buck is used to hunt deer, moose, caribou and any large game. The preferred range for shotgun hunting is usually 50 yards or less, but a well-patterned weapon can go further.

nine pellets
A “standard” 12 gauge load of #00 Buck contains nine pellets. The #4 Buck pellet weighs 20.7 grains. The #00 Buck pellet weighs 53.8 grains. By way of comparison, a common .

A Lightfield rubber slug is the best 12 gauge home defense ammo option for people who want less-lethal ammunition. It will stop most attackers, but they have a decent chance of surviving. The rubber slug has a muzzle velocity of about 600 FPS and is intended primarily for use at room distance.

Most powerful slugs in either 12 gauge, or 20 gauge, are Dixie Slugs . It is a modern reintroduction of the old cordite-powered Paradox Loads, good for everything from pigs to pachyderms. Dixie’s slugs would be much more appealing to me if he could load them faster.

You must use 12 gauge ammunition for a 12 gauge shotgun, 20 gauge for a 20 gauge, etc. A 20 gauge shell will fit in a 12 gauge gun, slide about halfway down the barrel and stick if you try to fire it. This can be very dangerous, so it’s critical to make sure you buy the appropriate size of shell, regardless of style.

You can indeed fire a 12 gauge flare round from a shotgun. You cannot fire a 12 gauge round from a flare gun. They will not fit, and if they did, you would blow up the flare gun. The flare gun chamber tapers just enough to prevent a 12 gauge round from being chambered. So as the guy on TV says,” Don’t try this at home”.