SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/hunt-shotgun-pellet-range

According to the NSSF, how far can shotgun pellets travel?

About 500 yards. Slugs can go over half a mile.

  1. About 50 yards
  2. About 500 yards ✔
  3. About 3 miles

Why: Pellets lose energy fast, so most shotgun shots at game are 40 yards or less. But the pellets keep traveling much farther than that. Your danger zone is far bigger than your effective range.

Huh, didn't know that: Texas hunter education suggests patterning your shotgun at the distance you expect to shoot game.

The dad joke
Why do shotgun pellets never get lonely? They always travel in a group.
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Sources

  1. NSSF, Rules of Firearms Safety https://www.nssf.org/safety/rules-firearms-safety/
  2. TPWD Hunter Education, Chokes and Patterns https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/firearms-and-ammunition-1/chokes-and-patterns

Test yourself in the game

Hunting SafetyAccording to the NSSF, how far can even a small .22 short bullet travel?Hunting SafetyWhat can happen if a 20-gauge shell is loaded into a 12-gauge shotgun?Hunting SafetyWhy is an open break-action shotgun easy for others to confirm is safe?

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