shotgun ammo

[Jerome Poiret]

Never shot a shotgun match yet, but going to try next weekend with Julien, just for the fun of it.

What is the size (number ?) of the shot you usually use for knocking down steel targets ? Is it Buckshot (how many pellets: 9, 12, 18, ...) ? or birdshot (like #2 , #7,...) ?

Do you also shoot at paper target (with slugs, obviously) ?

BTW, what is the usual distance range for targets (steel & paper) ?

(Edited by Jerome Poiret at 10:16 am on July 23, 2002)

[Julien Boit]

Hey Doudou,

I bought about 100 rounds for the shotgun !

N°7 28 grs.

[tightloop]

It depends on the local club and what their rules are.  Where I shoot we use 7.5's and the steel is usually pretty close.  You can shoot buck at longer distances, but it is dangerous up close.  I have been to the hospital twice to get it removed from my body.  With 1oz of shot, 480 grains, any birdshot will take over a popper at 10 yds if hit in the wide spot.  High base ammo is even better, at 1 1/8th oz.  When you get to even the bigger sizes of shot, 4's or bigger, you begin to have serious splatter problems.  Long pants, quality shooting glasses are a must.

I don't shoot much shotgun on steel anymore, but I shoot Baschieri & Pellagri ammo from Italy.  7 1/2's at 1330 fps and it will crumple a dove at 50+ yards; should do the trick on some poppers.  

Also never went to a match where you shot slugs for score on paper.  

[Carlos]

Surprisingly, European Fiocci ammo is quite popular for 3 gun in Area 8. We mostly use #6 shot though I have used #8 in a pinch - with the exception of the heavy steel tombstones found at the 3gun nationals (they seem to require #4 or #5).

[9supercomp]

What ckoke works best at a 3-gun match, IC or M choke say if the targets are at 20 to 30 yards and shot size is 6 to 8.

[tightloop]

If the targets are full sized poppers, and you are shooting 6, 7.5 or 8, I would shoot either mod or full.  You need the concentration either of those chokes give you.  I would personally lean toward full.  Remember that while you point a shotgun, with tight choke you have to point it accurately.

[9supercomp]

Tightloop

What if you have four shotgun stages at a match and one of the stages you have to shoot slugs, full or mod would be to much choke for slugs right. And what ever choke you start the match with, I dont think you can change chocks in the middle of a match or can you.

[kurtm]

9 SC:

In all the testing we did we found that slugs( forester type) shoot the best in a modified choke tube. This has been across the board, REM, BEN, ITH, BRN, you name it it shot best in modified choke! This is also what John Shaw found. I shoot only a LT MOD choke and use #8s for regular 3-gun. This gives pleanty of pattern to knock down all large plates and poppers I've tried it on., and gives outstanding slug accuracy. At W.C.3-G I use tac buck OO or #4 because they requier buckshot

[9supercomp]

Thanks Kurtm

That's what I need to know, my Benelli Practical came with the standed lenght IC, M, F chokes, but the compensater adapter choke only came in CYL. I dont think Benelli makes the comp's they look just like the one's by Gunners Choice in Brownells catalog.

[Colt1991]

And if you’re lucky enough you might be able to take down a fifty-yard slug target with buckshot.  I’ve seen this done a few years ago at the old SOF match in Vegas.

[tightloop]

Right, you probably cannot change choke tubes in a match, although I don't know for sure.  If you are required to shoot both buck/slugs  without changing, Lt. Mod or Mod is where you need to be.  If you are just shooting shot, it will depend on your individual shotgun to see if it will put enough pellets on the popper to consistently take it down from the yardage you most often shoot, with IC.  Some will, some won't. best bet is to go to the pattern board and find out.  

If you have a definitive answer on changing the tubes in a match let me know.

[kurtm]

TL,

As far as I've ever seen at any match, you can change choke tubes between stages, as long as its done safely or in a safety area. NO ONE has ever said you can't, including S.O.F. and W.C.3-G. But this has also tripped people up when they forget what choke was last put in. Be aware

Hey Colt 1991,

not only did it happen once that year, Tommy Wong also did it for their team. I also seem to remember a certain team mate of mine doing some thing very similer at SMM3G with his rem 1100 and a mod tube and heavy #4s on a very heavy 65yd plate. Sure looked like a great pattern to me!!! Now WHO could that be?

[kellyn]

I use sixes to eights.  I prefer to change chokes rather than change shot.  Choke is important.  At the 2002 3 Gun natl', I've saw several shooters rely on fours and fives on the longer steel shots and fail to take the targets.  They were shooting cylinder or skeet.  I shot sixes with a full choke and had no problem.   One thing about tighter chokes is they make me slow down and hit the targets.  

[kurtm]

Hey Kelly:

That would explain alot! Also Quit turning your shotgun over to load it! All of these things slow a person down.

Just kidding!!!

Choke is where its at as Kelly mentioned. I also find myself slowing down to center my pattern and as a result miss alot less. when you miss less you are FASTER!! I use only Fed Multi purpose #8 loads because they are so damn cheap at Wal-Mart , and I depend on my choke to make them work, and they DO! Right on Kelly!!!                         Kurt ( where is that shotgun?)

[Neil Beverley]

I've only just read through this topic so date wise I'm a long way behind.

In reply to the question about choke tubes from "tightloop" I can advise that for IPSC and for 2002 only the changing of choke tubes during a match was not permitted with the exception of choke systems permanently fitted to the barrel and which can be adjusted by hand.  The C-lect choke system on earlier Mossbergs being an example.  Screw in or other replaceable chokes were(are) not permitted to be changed.

This is all a bit academic because for 2003 the IPSC rules have been changed so that chokes can be replaced between stages.

There have been some arguments about the concept of "practicality" and this argument will go on generally within IPSC for years but it was decided it was going to be difficult to police and did it achieve much anyway?

Most UK shooters shoot between Mod to Full with probably slightly more shooting Full.  We see more penalty targets close in to shoot targets than I think you do in the states and the tighter pattern from the full choke makes it easier to call the shot.

I agree with comments elsewhere that the tighter chokes improve the knock down power at the greater distances.  

I've found from a fair bit of testing that you achieve a similar pattern spread with full choke compared to open at twice the distance!

Buckshot is more consistent out of a mod choke.  I also think slug is better out of mod rather than full.  Breneke slugs used to recommend them being shot out of a choked gun but never went as far as saying which choke.

Mostly 5s ans 6s with only a few 7s are used in the UK.

[megaman]

our club plans to have a few 2 gun matches.  any suggestions for what buck shot shells mate well with a mossberg 500 pump.  price is a bit of an issue, but i'm willing to read your hi and low end choices.  we don't shoot enough shotgun to warrant reloading, yet.

[TBF]

Remington reduced recoil 9 pellet load seems to pattern best out of my Mossberg cyl. bore gun. YMMV. And it is not the cheapest, the cheapest I have seen is S&B it is tolerable for close work and dirt cheap. just my .02          .        Travis F.

[warpspeed]

Megaman,

any reason for the buck shot?

What are you shooting at for targets?

I've seen most of the guys shooting 3-gun use 7.5 heavey trap loads in the gas guns so I would imagine a 7.5 light target load might feel a little better in a pump gun and still do the job.

[megaman]

no reason, i was thinking about cost.  we shoot mainly steel and occasionally paper with slugs.  thanks for the feedback!