Range Report- Defensive Shotgun Loads

[Jeff Freeman]

Just wanted to give some input on two loads i've been testing.

Winchester PDX-1 Buck & Ball-

2 3/4 inch 12 Ga.

It has performed very well for me out to 25 yards. It literally shoots a flying triangle from hell. A heavy rifled slug is paced by 3 pellets of 00 buck. At 30 yards out of my 590A1 I had two periphial hits with the buck, one pellet flew off, but the rifled slug shot A-Zone. I really like this load for any thing that needs to be taken off their feet within reasonable distance. At close range it seems to take stopping power to a new level. I like the added insurance of the buckshot, and for creating a larger wound cavity. (As if the slug isn't enough!)

The other load I have been shooting alot of is

Hevi-Shot's Personal Defense

2 3/4 "T" Shot

I throws 35 .20 Caliber Pellets, and I am incredibly impressed with the way they shoot out of my Mossberg. At 25 yards they open up, but I have never thrown shot this uniform out of any shotgun, let alone a cylinder bore. I absolutely cannot say enough about this load. Highly reccomended for the house, or for any rural shotgun for critters. I cannot wait to shoot some coyotes with this. The shells are bright orange, If you find some, buy all of them. I did.

Pictures will be added, and hopefully one soon with a sleeping yote.

 

[criticalbass]

Unless your coyotes are pretty close, you probably aren't going to like the results. I have a #4 buck load (I think #4 is .25) which will do 'em in at about 60 yards, but I don't think the "T" will do any better, even benig the heavy non-toxic stuff. I don't know if it's tungsten of bismuth, but even with tungsten, you aren't going to get a lot of range with a shotgun.

The one I killed with the #4s was a target of opportunity on a sandhill crane hunt several years ago. He was at about 60 yards, and it laid him down very convincingly, but I wouldn't want to push it more than maybe another 10 yards. That load is an ounce and a half of hard lead 4 buck--32 pellets in a 2 3/4 inch AA case. Goes a little over 1200 fps and kills cranes very dead. CB

 

[madokie]

i agrre with criticalbass,#4 buck(20 grains weight a pellet) is light enough,main reason to use 27 pellets of #4 is on moving targets at medium to long range25-50yds becasue of wide dispersion area.T shot(13.7grains a pellet)is too light in my book and besides that hevi-shot costs some bucks now dont it??#4 buck is way more cheaper and a more dependable killer.

 

[MadDogs]

Didn't the FBI switch to #4 buck due to the density of the load?

In case I run into some zombies, I load my 590A1 with alternating loads of #4 and 00 with the last round being a 3" loaded with #4 (41 pellets). I keep four slugs in the Speedfed stock with six more rounds in the SideSaddle (3 #4 and 3 00).

To the earlier post on what caliber is #4 is ... I always thought it was 24 caliber and 00 was around 33 caliber.

 

[madokie]

you are right #4 is .24 & 20 grains and 00 is.33 & 54 grains.#1 buck is .30 caliber,& 40 grains . 000buck is .36 & 70 grain,0000buck is .380 &85 grain,T shot is .20 & 13.7 grain .1 oz slug is 438 gr 1&1/4 oz is 547 gr. 20 ga 5/8 oz slug is 273 gr ..410 1/5 oz slug is 88 gr.1/4 oz slug is 110 gr.smaller shot does not drop velocity faster than hevier shot ,but it has less foot lbs of energy per pellet due to less mass.

 

[TJay74]

Nice report, I personally keep and shoot Federal Tactical loads in my Remington 870 Tactical. They are 00 - 9 ball shells and do very well for home use from what I saw at the range.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Thank you sir, for the report!

 

[Dimmuburger]

This is great info, thanks for posting!