Buckshot...... technology give us more choices..... updated

[Salty1]

Greybeard gave me some new buckshot to try out for my HD shotgun, I am a fan of the reduced recoil versions for this purpose so my wife can practice, defend if ever necessary, and not get thumped. Up until now I have always used the Remington Law Enforcement Reduced Recoil 12 Ga with 8 pellets (RR12BK8-00) and it had a good spread although not as tight as I truly would have liked. The new load is Federal Premium Law Enforcement 9 pellets with the flight control wad (LE132-00). The actual difference is amazing, in the picture below the shots were at 50 feet, the Remington pellets can be counted and are at the left side of the picture, The Federal made 1 big hole (upper right 8 ring). As an FYI this is a Mossberg 500 with an 18.5 inch barrel and only has a front bead on it so far, sights or basic aimng device will be added in the near future for accuracy. Personally I can see utilizing a combination of both shells for my HD shotgun..... Just wanted to share, sometimes technology actually is wonderful.....

[LeonCarr]

Is that the shot pattern in the picture at the upper 8 ring or is that the wad?

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[Salty1]

It is actually the shot pattern, the wads are much lower and out of the picture I took. Next time we meet up at the range I will bring some over to play with. Spoke to the local LEO this afternoon and this is what they use, also there are some Federal slugs that he was raving about as well.

[puma guy]

I am surprised there is no shot dispersion at 50ft in the Federal round. Did you repeat the test and if so were all the Federal still a virtual single projectile like the target pictured?

[Greybeard]

Puma Guy - Salty1 may reply more completely later, but I am pretty sure he shot a "group" almost identical to that one with the Flight Control shot cup out of the Mossy a few days prior. I had also shot one out of an 18 1/4" "chopped" single shot and it put the group of 9 all in about 4". I was amazed at that out of what was virtually a totally "cylinder" choke, then even more amazed at the even tighter group out of the short barrel Mossy - presumed to have just about the same (lack of) choke constriction. I am anxious to be able to get out to hunting lease and test some of this stuff out at 50 yards.

A man in private CHL class recently said Federal uses similar technology in some of their turkey loads, that he had taken turkey down clean with it at 80 yards with 6s. And at 40 yards, taken one's head clean off. It's almost not sporting.

edited to add: ya will have to scroll down a ways, but there are two differnet photos I took of some of this at http://www.facebook.com/dentoncountysports?sk=wall" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[LeonCarr]

This is the same stuff we use. At 15 yards from cylinder bore 870 Express HD it will keep all 9 inside the neck on a B-27 and at 25 yards it will keep all 9 inside the head on a B-27.

Basically negates the need for slugs in about 99% of what you might encounter.

Good stuff.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[puma guy]

This is the same stuff we use. At 15 yards from cylinder bore 870 Express HD it will keep all 9 inside the neck on a B-27 and at 25 yards it will keep all 9 inside the head on a B-27.

Basically negates the need for slugs in about 99% of what you might encounter.

Good stuff.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Leon,
Thanks for the extra info. The Federal wouldn't fit the need I have. I want a see a wider spread at shorter distance than it has. The LV Remington does nicely, though I haven't tried it in my Winchester 1300 Defender.

[LeonCarr]

Mr. Puma Guy,

If you want to see big spread at short distance, try the Sellier & Bellot 00 Buckshot that comes in the clear hulls in the 10 round boxes. The old saying about buckshot spreading one inch for every yard of distance applies big time to the S&B Buckshot. No plated shot, no buffer of any kind.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[Greybeard]

I too want more spread out of a HD shotgun that what this stuff does. Despite having quite a bit of it and more on the way, I did not change out the buckshot loads already in the guns I have. Am anxious though to test it one of these days at 50 yards or so and see what difference, if any, with screw in choke tubes.

[puma guy]

Mr. Puma Guy,

If you want to see big spread at short distance, try the Sellier & Bellot 00 Buckshot that comes in the clear hulls in the 10 round boxes. The old saying about buckshot spreading one inch for every yard of distance applies big time to the S&B Buckshot. No plated shot, no buffer of any kind.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Thanks for the heads up.

[Salty1]

Spent some time at the range last evening with LeonCarr, we tried out some more different buckshot for use in home defense situations, personally I do not want a lot of spread so I eliminated the Remington. The more I shoot the Federal LE the more I like it, at 50 feet it is not a pattern but a tight group, sure to ruin somebody's day. The photo below shows the results of the various manufacturers products fired from an 18 inch Mossberg pump, once again at 50 feet. I find it interesting as the the different "patterns" have a fairly wide contrast. The pic shows how everyting turned out, the top unmarked pattern is from the Remington LE. Once again the Federal LE has the tightest group by far. The tear under the Federal Vital shock is from a wad and it tore more when removing it from the target carrier.



From left to right (all are low recoil)
Hornady Critical Defense- OO Buck 8 pellets
Remington LE- 00 Buck 8 pellets
Federal Premium Vital Shock
Federal Premium LE Tactical 9 pellets

[LeonCarr]

Good times all around Friday night shooting shotguns with Salty1.

The one hole groups (I won't call them patterns) shot at 50 feet with Salty1's Mossberg 500 and the Federal Low Recoil Flitecontrol 00 Buckshot are for real. I have been shooting shotguns as a condition of employment since 1991 and they are easily the tightest buckshot patterns I have ever seen from a shotgun, regardless of gauge, choke, or barrel length. Shooting the same ammo from my Remington 870 Express HD produced a group that stayed inside the 10 ring on a B-27 at 50 feet, a group about the size of a racquetball. The Federal Vital-Shok load mentioned in Salty1's last post uses the Flitecontrol Wad also, except it has a velocity of 1325 fps instead of the 1145 fps of the Low Recoil LE load.

Federal Flitecontrol is the only buckshot I will purchase from now on.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

[puma guy]

Very usefull information. I couldn't help but notice on your target... The Anti-Smiley