12 ga SD Loads

[Old rookie]

If asked before, please overlook the repeat.
Most of what I read about short-barrel SD Shotgun says 00 buck, or HP slugs are pretty effective (assuming sighting accuracy). Five round +1 semi Mossberg....any benefit in stacking 00 for a couple, then a couple slugs, or some other mix in magazine? Better off with just 00, then reload slugs if needed, or vice versa???

 

[_CY_]

sounds like you need to pattern your shotty .. here's an old thread about doing just that

Have You Patterned Your Home Defense Shotgun Yet?
http://www.okshooters.com/threads/have-you-patterned-your-home-defense-shotgun-yet.110832/

 

[Old rookie]

sounds like you need to pattern your shotty .. here's an old thread about doing just that

Have You Patterned Your Home Defense Shotgun Yet?
http://www.okshooters.com/threads/have-you-patterned-your-home-defense-shotgun-yet.110832/

Yep. Did that. Good thread.

 

[MadDogs]

I used to alternate 00 and #4 buck in my mag tube because I like the big pellets of 00 and the density of #4 buck. Never really thought about alternating buckshot and slugs.

I did switch over to running a straight load of Federal 00 LEO buck. Produces a really tight pattern at 20 yards.

My main social shotgun is a Mossberg 590A1. It has a SpeedFeed stock that has four slugs and a SideSaddle that has six 00 buck. I also keep two Tuff-Strip/Speed Strips loaded in case those pesky zombies want to come to Edmond. I keep one strip loaded with 00 and the other with #4.

 

[HiredHand]

I think Docgkr recommends Federal #1 Buck for a duty/self-defense load.

 

[YukonGlocker]

Yep, #1 Buck is the way to go. The Federal Flightcontrol load is out of stock everywhere...I emailed Federal and they said they'll make more in around August. So, I purchased the Winchester #1 Buck (XB121) load, and it looks good out of my Mossberg...it is full-power, so it kicks a little more than the Federal, but golly gee I wouldn't want to be the one to soak up all them .30 cal pellets.

 

[Old rookie]

Why #1 buck over #00 ?? Pellet count? Mass density/range?
Just curious...

 

[HiredHand]

A couple link to articles about shotgun ammunition choices worth reading.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-56-federal-flight-control-1-buckshot/

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4340-12-gauge-shotgun-loads-for-LE-duty-use

 

[Shadowrider]

Winchester #1 buck 2.75" has 16 pellets and runs 1250 FPS. It is my inside the house load. Pattern out of my 590A1 is in the pics.

Some notes about Federal Flight Control vs Hornady Critical Defense with their Versatite wad. Both of these are the same exact wad but they perform vastly different, but still both perform very well. The Hornady load is a full house 1600FPS load and the Federal load is a low recoil 1145FPS load. Patterning difference is shown below. The Hornady opens up far faster because it's traveling faster. The wad has 3 tabs that open up and acts like an air brake on a plane. The Federal being slower moving covers more ground before separating from the shot load. The Federal will keep all of it's pellets in the upper A-B zone of a USPSA metric target at 25 yards, at least out of my gun it will. From the pics below it's pretty clear that's not going to happen with the Hornady load.

The bottom line is to know what your gun is going to do and test it at distances that you are going to using it at.

 

[Old rookie]

A couple link to articles about shotgun ammunition choices worth reading.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-56-federal-flight-control-1-buckshot/

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4340-12-gauge-shotgun-loads-for-LE-duty-use

Appreciate those links very much; very informative. Thanks!