12 Gauge Buckshot is a 12-gauge shotshell family loaded with larger lead pellets for close-range patterning from compatible shotguns. Current Federal, Remington, and Winchester pages list commercial buckshot loads across 00, 000, 1, 0, and 4 buck designations, while Marine Corps training material identifies A011 Cartridge, 12 Gauge #00 Buckshot M162 as service-shotgun ammunition rather than a standalone weapon system.
Public sources describe 12-gauge buckshot through ammunition standards, range-safety rules, training manuals, and shotgun compatibility rather than through a single model lineage. SAAMI publishes voluntary pressure and velocity standards for shotshell ammunition, while Army range-safety guidance groups 12-gauge buckshot with slug and other shot larger than 7 1/2 shot for small-arms direct-fire surface-danger-zone data.
SAAMI Z299.2 covers voluntary industry performance standards for shotshell ammunition used by commercial manufacturers.
NAVMC 3500.61C identifies A011 Cartridge, 12 Gauge #00 Buckshot M162 for Marine Corps service-shotgun qualification.
The FY2007 Navy and Marine Corps ammunition budget book links A011 M162 to M500, M590, and M870 12-gauge shotguns for training, combat, and guard purposes.
DA Pam 385-63 directs all 12-gauge buckshot to use the 12-gauge direct-fire safety data for slug and shot larger than 7 1/2 shot.
Army and Marine Corps guidance treat 12-gauge buckshot as ammunition fired from compatible 12-gauge shotguns, not as an independently cataloged weapon with direct conflict-use rows.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 12-gauge shotgun | Army range-safety guidance says all 12-gauge buckshot uses shotgun surface-danger-zone data, and Marine Corps deer-hunt guidance allows 00 or 000 buck shot in 12-gauge shotguns. Sources: Range Safety, Deer Hunt Bulletin |
 | Pump-action shotgun | The FY2007 Navy and Marine Corps ammunition budget book identifies A011 Cartridge, 12 Gauge #00 Buckshot M162 for use with M590 12-gauge shotguns. |
 | Pump-action shotgun | The FY2007 Navy and Marine Corps ammunition budget book identifies A011 Cartridge, 12 Gauge #00 Buckshot M162 for use with M870 12-gauge shotguns. |
Current manufacturer pages show buckshot as a load family rather than one fixed cartridge. The snapshot below uses official rows to show how shot size, shell length, velocity, and package size vary across Federal, Remington, and Winchester examples consulted on 2026-07-04.
| Maker | Example load | Listed data |
|---|---|---|
| Federal | 12 Gauge 00 Buck Shot | 2 3/4 in shell, 1325 fps, lead shot, 5-round package, big-game use. |
| Federal | 12 Gauge 000 Buck Shot | 3 in shell, 1225 fps, lead shot, 5-round package, big-game use. |
| Federal | Buckshot with FLITECONTROL Wad | 3 in 00-buck shell, 1325 fps, lead shot, 5-round package. |
| Remington | Express Buckshot 0 Buck | 2 3/4 in shell, 1275 fps, lead shot, 5-round package, big-game use. |
| Remington | Express Buckshot 4 Buck | 2 3/4 in shell, 1325 fps, lead shot, 5-round package, big-game use. |
| Winchester | Super X XB1200 | 12 gauge, 2.75 in, 5-round box, hard-hitting buckshot with buffered payload; ballistics data was not exposed on the consulted page. |
Sources: Federal Buckshot, Remington Express Buckshot, and Winchester XB1200.
The FY2007 Navy and Marine Corps ammunition budget book described A011 Cartridge, 12 Gauge #00 Buckshot M162 for training, combat, and guard purposes with M500, M590, and M870 12-gauge shotguns.
Sources: FY2007 Navy Marine Corps Ammunition Budget Book
DA Pam 385-63 applies shotgun surface-danger-zone data to 12-gauge buckshot, placing it inside normal shotgun safety guidance.
Sources: Range Safety
NAVMC 3500.61C lists A011 Cartridge, 12 Gauge #00 Buckshot M162 as required ordnance for a service-shotgun qualification event.
Sources: NAVMC 3500.61C
The Marine Corps' deer-hunt bulletin allows 00 or 000 buck shot in 12-gauge shotguns, showing buckshot's continued regulated hunting use.
Sources: Deer Hunt Bulletin
