Lets Talk About Buckshot

I've never been much of a shotgun guy. Ive had a few over the years, and currently have 4 of them. I've often promoted them for home defense, But I've always used a pistol and a lever action myself (Current one is a 44 mag carbine)

Now I do have a Mosserg 590A1 as well as a Turknelli both kept loaded with 1oz low recoil slugs, but recently decided maybe I'd be better off with buckshot. I haven't messed with buckshot much in any of my current shotguns, so I decided to pattern some loads from the 590 and realized that my buckshot stash was pretty much depleted.

Now two things I do know about shotguns. This first one is something I've noticed across the board, but its especially noticeable with the 3.5" magnums, more velocity means more spread. And the second is something I never relly played with much, but I was told when I used to shoot 3 gun that 8 pellet buck will usually pattern better than 9 pellet. Now I know that some companies produced 8 pellet 00buck but I've never seen it here in Alaska. My load of choice was 2.75" 8 pellet 000buck as I felt like it hit harder and patterned better than 9 pellet 00buck. 8 pellets of 000 also weights more than 9 pellets of 00. I don't know what the percentage difference in mass per pellet is, but the 000 is about 20 grains heavier per pellet.

Now the problem - I can't find 000buck anywhere right now. I ended up buying a case each of cheap S&B 9 pellet 00, and Federal Flight Control Tactical 9 pellet both in 2.75" shells. Neither of these is a hot rod load, with the federal moving at an advertised 1145fps.

Im curious to see if the flight control wad will be enough to mitigate the 9th pellet flier. The cheap stuff doesnt look to have a shot cup, and is also not plated with anything. While it does not say so on the box, I do believe that the flight control is copper plated.

Will be interesting to see how much difference I get in pattern with these 2 loads

Let us know your results. As for self defense, I don't think the bad guy will care how tight the pattern on his chest is.

Terry

The one thing I remember about patterning buckshot while at the academy was that we could easily miss a man-sized target at 50yards while putting shot all around it so I've always figured it was useless beyond 30 yards or so. I keep mine loaded with 3" #4 buck.

I’ve got 3 gauges, one is a 1978 era 30” full choke blued one & that’s my baby ….

Other 2 are home defense kind of guns, a Beretta 1301 & a ithaca 37 CHP gun

I’ve ran all kinds of buckshot thru them and keep coming back to Flite Control 8 rd 00, wanted to get # 1 buckshot but could never find it & Bonefrog always seems to have flite control OO

I’ve got 3 gauges, one is a 1978 era 30” full choke blued one & that’s my baby ….

Other 2 are home defense kind of guns, a Beretta 1301 & a ithaca 37 CHP gun

I’ve ran all kinds of buckshot thru them and keep coming back to Flite Control 8 rd 00, wanted to get # 1 buckshot but could never find it & Bonefrog always seems to have flite control OO

Federal seems to have dropped their 8 pellet load, so that leaves only Hornady making 8 peellet 00buck I believe, however I've never seen it, only the #4 varmint load.

Alrighty, I just came in from testing 3 loads at 7 yards. I found a few rounds of Fiocchi Exacta nickel plated buckshot on my ammo shelf so decided to throw it in on the test. This is a star crimped round with a wad and is a 9 pellet 00 load.

I had not considered the sun shining through my target board, and will try to get better photos on the next round of targets. I fired 2 rounds on each target, one on the head and one on the torso.

Ammo fired from a Mossberg 590A1 20" barrel with cylinder bore choke.

First up we have the Federal 9 Pellet flight control. It pretty much hit like a slug at 7 yards which I must say is pretty impressive.


Next up was the Fiocchi. After having had the Federal ammo hit like that on the first target, I was surprised at the spread on this load. Remember, this is 7 yards, 21 feet. Across the living room in my house is 28 feet.


And lastly is the S&B which is a roll crimped round with no shot cup. Notice we are already starting to see the 9th pellet flier even at this close of a range with both of the non Federal Loads.


I'm gonna finish my cup of coffee and then head back out to the range and will post the 15 yard results in a bit.

I’ve got 3 gauges, one is a 1978 era 30” full choke blued one & that’s my baby ….

Other 2 are home defense kind of guns, a Beretta 1301 & a ithaca 37 CHP gun

I’ve ran all kinds of buckshot thru them and keep coming back to Flite Control 8 rd 00, wanted to get # 1 buckshot but could never find it & Bonefrog always seems to have flite control OO

Federal seems to have dropped their 8 pellet load, so that leaves only Hornady making 8 peellet 00buck I believe, however I've never seen it, only the #4 varmint load.

12GA Federal Tactical 00BuckShot 8 Pellet with FliteControl Wad 2 3/4 (LE133 00)

$66 for 50 rds at bonefrog

12GA Federal Tactical 00BuckShot 9 Pellet 2 3/4 (LE12700)
$66 for 50 rds

12GA Federal Premium Tactical 1oz Slug 2 3/4 (LEB127RS)

$50 for 50rds

I can’t get links to work

I’ve got 3 gauges, one is a 1978 era 30” full choke blued one & that’s my baby ….

Other 2 are home defense kind of guns, a Beretta 1301 & a ithaca 37 CHP gun

I’ve ran all kinds of buckshot thru them and keep coming back to Flite Control 8 rd 00, wanted to get # 1 buckshot but could never find it & Bonefrog always seems to have flite control OO

Federal seems to have dropped their 8 pellet load, so that leaves only Hornady making 8 peellet 00buck I believe, however I've never seen it, only the #4 varmint load.

12GA Federal Tactical 00BuckShot 8 Pellet with FliteControl Wad 2 3/4 (LE133 00)

$66 for 50 rds at bonefrog

It may still be in stock some places, but federal no longer makes it and no longer list it on their website. Of course with being in alaska, it's not sosimple to just mail order and stock up either.

Ok, 15 yard results are in. I did things a bit different this time, and used poster board with a blue sharpie mark as an aiming point, and fired 2 rounds of each shell on the same aiming point.

That 9th pellet flier is starting to become much more noticeable that 15 yards, including with the Federal flight control wad.

Federal


Fiocchi


S&B - Starting to notice a much bigger difference, and also interesting to note that the sound of the rounds firing is very different from the other two rounds.