Buckshot Explained: Sizes, Pellet Counts and Range
Buckshot is large lead shot for shotguns, sized from #4 buck (.24 inch) to 000 buck (.36 inch). Bigger pellets mean fewer per shell.
Last updated: October 12, 2026 · Originally published October 4, 2026
Buckshot is the shotgun load people argue about most and understand least. The sizes sound like a code, the pellet counts change with shell length, and a 12-gauge hull can hold anything from a handful of large pellets to a dense cloud of smaller ones. That mix of old nomenclature and modern loads is why two shooters can say “buckshot” and mean very different things. This is a plain look at what buckshot is in a 12-gauge shell: the sizes, how many pellets you get, and what range those loads are really for.
Here are the sizes, the pellet counts from Federal’s published specs, and what they mean for hunting and home defense.
Safety and legal note. Know your target and what is beyond it, every time. Some states restrict or ban buckshot for deer hunting, and waterfowl hunting requires non-toxic shot, so check your state’s hunting rules. Match shell length to your chamber. Popular Ammo has no affiliate or paid relationship with any maker named here.
What I want you to walk away with
- Buckshot sizes run backward: 000 buck is the biggest at .36 inch, #4 buck is the smallest at .24 inch.
- In Federal’s 12 gauge 2¾-inch Power-Shok line, 000 buck holds 8 pellets, 00 holds 9, #1 holds 16 and #4 holds 27.
- The same size can carry a different count in a different shell: Federal’s P156 00 buck is 2¾ inches with 12 pellets.
- Virginia’s wildlife agency puts buckshot’s effective deer range at less than 50 yards, realistically 30 to 40.
Buckshot Sizes Chart
| Size | Diameter | Pellets, 12 ga 2¾ in |
|---|---|---|
| 000 buck | .36 in | 8 (Federal F127 000) |
| 00 buck | .33 in | 9 (Federal F127 00) |
| 0 buck | .32 in | |
| #1 buck | .30 in | 16 (Federal F127 1B) |
| #2 buck | .27 in | |
| #3 buck | .25 in | |
| #4 buck | .24 in | 27 (Federal F127 4B) |
Diameters from the ANSI/SAAMI Z299.2 shotshell standard and the Federal catalog, as compiled on our 12 gauge shells page. Pellet counts from Federal’s Power-Shok product pages, all at 1,325 fps. Blank cells are sizes where we did not verify a 2¾-inch count.
Why the Pellet Count Changes
A shell holds a certain weight of lead, so bigger pellets mean fewer of them. That is why Federal’s 2¾-inch 000 buck holds 8 pellets and its #4 buck holds 27. Shell length and load change the count too. In our 12 gauge shotgun shells guide, Federal’s P156 00 buck is a 2¾-inch shell with 12 pellets at 1,290 fps, while Winchester’s Defender SB1200PD is 2¾-inch 00 buck with 9 pellets at 1,145 fps. Same size, different box. Read the count, do not assume it.
Buckshot in 20 Gauge
20 gauge buckshot uses smaller sizes. Federal lists a 2¾-inch 20 gauge load with #3 buck at 1,175 fps and a 3-inch load with #2 buck at 1,100 fps. If you are choosing between the two gauges, our 12 gauge vs 20 gauge comparison lays out the rest.
Buckshot for Deer Hunting
Buckshot is a close-range deer load where it is legal. Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources puts it this way: “The effective range of buckshot was less than 50 yards. In all reality, it was more in the 30-40-yard range.” The same article notes that some states no longer allow buckshot for deer, so check your state’s rules before the season. Popular Outdoorsman’s state hunting season hub links every state’s regulations.
The Virginia article’s other advice is the same thing I tell anyone with a shotgun: pattern your gun. Try different chokes with different buckshot loads and see where the pellets land at the distance you will shoot.
Buckshot for Home Defense
Federal markets its Power-Shok buckshot for both hunting and home defense. For defense, the practical questions are the same as for hunting: how tightly does your gun pattern that load at room distances, and what is behind your target? Pattern it, and think about your home’s layout before you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest buckshot?
Of the common sizes, 000 buck at .36 inch.
How many pellets are in 00 buckshot?
The count varies by shell. Federal’s 2¾-inch F127 00 has 9 pellets, and its 2¾-inch P156 00 has 12. Check the box.
Is #4 buck the same as #4 shot?
No. #4 buck is .24 inch. #4 birdshot is .13 inch, per the same SAAMI table.
How far is buckshot effective?
For deer, Virginia’s wildlife agency says less than 50 yards, realistically 30 to 40. Pattern your own gun to know your range.
Pick the size, count the pellets on the box, and pattern it at the distance you will shoot. That is everything buckshot asks of you. Our cost per round calculator will tell you what a case of it costs per shot.
Sources: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.2 and the Federal catalog, as compiled in the Popular Ammo 12 gauge shotgun shells guide; Federal Premium, Power-Shok buckshot product pages (F127 000, F127 00, F127 1B, F127 4B) and buckshot listing; Jim Draper, “Buckshot for Whitetails,” Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (January 2020).
Ammunition reference desk
Three charts readers come back to: what a round costs today, what a cartridge name really measures, and what shipping and tax add.
| .22 LR | 6.59¢ |
| 9mm Luger | 26.98¢ |
| 5.56 NATO | 44.95¢ |
| .270 Win | .278 in |
| .30-30 Win | .309 in |
| .308 Win | .309 in |
| Case price | $269.80 |
| Shipping and tax | +$18.89 |
| Per round | 28.87¢ |
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