Shotgun shells for 3 gun matches?

[Glockster35]

I am shooting a Mossberg 500 in 3 gun, until I can come up with the cash for a Mossberg 930.

What shells do you suggest I use in the 500?

From what I can tell, we will be shooting mostly steel at no further than 60 feet, and a few paper targets that require buckshot.

Keep in mind, I want something that isn't going to rock my socks off, and would ratehr have soft shooting shells.

[Alaskapopo]

I am shooting a Mossberg 500 in 3 gun, until I can come up with the cash for a Mossberg 930.

What shells do you suggest I use in the 500?

From what I can tell, we will be shooting mostly steel at no further than 60 feet, and a few paper targets that require buckshot.

Keep in mind, I want something that isn't going to rock my socks off, and would ratehr have soft shooting shells.

I use 6 shot generally. But choke matters more than the shot size.

Pat

[Glockster35]

I'm running a smooth bore with no choke. The barrel is not threaded for chokes and is a home defense 18.5 inch mossberg factory barrel. I shot with it last time and had no issues knocking down plates.

[Alaskapopo]

I'm running a smooth bore with no choke. The barrel is not threaded for chokes and is a home defense 18.5 inch mossberg factory barrel. I shot with it last time and had no issues knocking down plates.

I have seen people have issues knocking poppers down at 25 yards with open choke guns. Also seen them have issues on the texas star at 15 yards.

Pat

[RH45]

I'm running a smooth bore with no choke. The barrel is not threaded for chokes and is a home defense 18.5 inch mossberg factory barrel. I shot with it last time and had no issues knocking down plates.

I have seen people have issues knocking poppers down at 25 yards with open choke guns. Also seen them have issues on the texas star at 15 yards.

Pat

I've seen that too!

[gotigers]

My cylinder bore Mossberg 930 only knocks down about half the plates and poppers at 15 yards with #5,6 and 7-1/2 shot. So i sent my barrel to Guncat (Rose Action Sports), who threaded the barrel for chokes. I should have it back any day. My Browning A-5 with modified fixed choke and my Rem 1100 with Imp Cyl knocks them down easily out to 20 yards plus.

Guncat threaded my barrel for $65 which included shipping back. Then i ordered the $5 modified, extended choke from mossberg. Mossberg shipping is $6, but they are slow as Christmas.

[atomicferret]

I go to Wal-Mart and buy the Federal bulk 12ga 7 1/2's (red hull). the work great, never had a problem with feeding, knocking down steel, or breaking clays.

The shotgun: FN SLP Mark I with modified choke.

[bkoenig]

I go to Wal-Mart and buy the Federal bulk 12ga 7 1/2's (red hull). the work great, never had a problem with feeding, knocking down steel, or breaking clays.

The shotgun: FN SLP Mark I with modified choke.

That's what I use, too. They're the cheapest shells I can find, something like $20/100. They ran flawlessly last year through my 870, and this year my 930 works well with them also. I've only used Modified choke in each, and never had a problem knocking down steel.

[DyNo!]

I'm using these for match ammo this year:

http://georgia-arms.com/fiocchi12ga2-341-18oz8shot25pk.aspx 3 1/4 Dram 1OZ 1290FPS

Why pay $300 to get into a match just to shoot Wal-Mart bulk?

I've seen Wal-Mart bulk hulls pull apart in shotguns and do other crazy things.

I do shoot them in local matches but there's no way I'm going to pay for a plane ticket and shoot anything other than the best...

They kick slightly harder but that translates into a better engagement distance and more positive hits on steel.

Edited April 9, 2011 by DyNo!

[strat81]

I go to Wal-Mart and buy the Federal bulk 12ga 7 1/2's (red hull). the work great, never had a problem with feeding, knocking down steel, or breaking clays.

The shotgun: FN SLP Mark I with modified choke.

That's what I use, too. They're the cheapest shells I can find, something like $20/100. They ran flawlessly last year through my 870, and this year my 930 works well with them also. I've only used Modified choke in each, and never had a problem knocking down steel.

This is what I use as well. Worked fine in my old 870 (modified choke only) and my current Super X2 (IC, M, and F chokes).

I've also used the Remington bulk packs from Wal-Mart with satisfactory results, as well as Winchester AA Super-Handicap and AA Super-Sport.

[urikagold]

Try several brands. One may pattern better with your gun and choke combination and it may even be the cheapest one you can buy. I shoot a 1 oz 7.5 at 1290 on everything. It is probably a little light at distance on large poppers, but I know my patterns and my guns capabilities. You have to know your zero with shot just like you do your rifle.

[BlueOvalBruin]

I like the remington sport load promos from walmart. 2nd choice is federal promos from walmart. The remingtons have a slightly better hull if you ever decide to reload in the future. I avoid the winchesters since they can be sticky and don't eject as consistently.

[Olivers_AR]

I was just at a 3-gun class, the recommendation is spend the extra couple of bucks and use the good stuff for the match. Use the Walmart packs for practice and smaller matches.

The match usually dictates the shot size, most match around me want >7.5 sized shot.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Olivers_AR

[pjb45]

You should do several things; check the velocity of your rounds-it is generally published, check the Drams, softer recoil stuff, like used in sporting clay matches is generally sufficient to knock down steel. There is always a trade off between the number of pellets and the weight of the pellet. Take your shot gun out and pattern it with different ammo. It will help you with your POA and give you an idea of what size shot you want. There will be a debate as to what is more important "I want heavy shot so it will knock down steel with less pellets" v. "I want more pellets on targets which gives more more energy at the point of impact."

Crack a beer, in my limited experience, a lot 3G more places are using clay birds along with steel. Most sporting clay shooters use 8 to 9 shot because it offers a dense patterns at a good distance. I tend to higher numbers like 8 and have no problem knocking down steel. Open choke in a Benelli.

[shred]

There will be a debate as to what is more important "I want heavy shot so it will knock down steel with less pellets" v. "I want more pellets on targets which gives more more energy at the point of impact."

From some high-speed video, I can say that if all the pellets land on a steel target, the difference between #6 and #8 shot in the same brand, low-brass loads is extremely difficult to determine.

What does matter is how fast that shot charge is going and how heavy it is. Low-brass shot loads knock down steel not much harder than a major 9mm. High-brass powers down the steel with a whole lot more authority (and, from seeing 4 DQs at the TX 3G, slugs slap down US poppers like they've been hit with Thor's Hammer )

If not all the pellets hit the plate then things also change. #6's give me an additional 5 yards on a plate rack over #8's. Clays are another story as well.

[kamikaze1a]

My buddy wondered why his new cylinder bore Saiga seemed to hit steel with so much less force than my 1100. He thought it was my shot size/load. He's never patterned his Saiga so I brought big sheets of cardboard to the range the next weekend. I shot it with my Rem Choke Mod and swapped out to improved and full chokes to show him how they each patterned. He then shot his at a fresh cardboard and instantly understood why his was not knocking down steel reliably... At 10yds, his pattern was so thin, it's a wonder he knocked any down at all. Choke/pattern more important than shot size or load, but you could possibly compensate for too open a choke with shot size or stronger load.

[diversmith]

I run a lite mod in my M2 and I just picked up a bunch of 12g from different brands from Walmart and am planning on doing some patterning very soon. So far, it has all functioned perfectly in my Benny Hill M2 just doing some range work on clays and my small MGM poppers. I will make a point of getting back to this thread with more info so to possibly help out others with similar set-ups on what cheapo bulk 12g works good and patterns well

Edited April 23, 2011 by diversmith

[Tim/GA]

Bringing some high brass can make all the difference, even with the same size shot. I was shooting a 18.5in 870 at last year's Area 6 multi-gun championship, new to the multi-gun and first major match. I brought plenty of slugs but just low brass 7 1/2s. Ran into a stage with 3 poppers out at a longer distance than I had shot before. Luckily shooters are helpful and someone offered me some high brass 6s. Took all 4 that I had to take down the 3 poppers but would have hated to be shooting those low brass 7 1/2s. (paid forward the kindness with slugs to some other guys who did not bring enough)

Last weekend was a local multi-gun match with 44 pieces of steel and a 60 second par time on one stage. Lots of the steel was out there a ways and again I messed up and brought the low brass cheap ones from WM. Paid for it on that stage. Another shotgun/rifle stage had 6 clays and 2 stars. Watched many have problems with the far star, was able to scrounge 4 high brass from a mixed box in the trunk. Low brass for the clays and close star and loaded those 4 for the last star, made the difference (that and actually aiming a bit more!).

Short answer, bring the size shot prescribed by the club/range but make sure some of it is high brass. And know your patterns and make sure you are as square to the long range steel as possible. Any angle really affects how your shot hits when the pattern is thin and the shot slowing down.

[sierra77mk]

The one thing I have not seen any comment about is the hull finish.

I will only use skived hulls if I can. The smooth hulls are too slick and are prone to fumbling especially with cold fingers.

Some Federal and Fiocchi, Rem Nitro and AA are smooth.

I like Estate and the Federal field 3.25 dram loads and the black Remington-Peters and PMC because of the skived hulls.

As you shoot more you will accumulate a variety of shot sizes and shells. Sometimes a match might require taking down steel with heavy loads on one stage or busting clays with lighter loads on another. Sometimes a spreader and slugs in the same stage... it pays to have several loads in your shotgun ammo bag.

Most commonly I use 1 1/8 oz estate 7.5's

[deltabravo555]

Last weekend was a local multi-gun match with 44 pieces of steel and a 60 second par time on one stage. Lots of the steel was out there a ways and again I messed up and brought the low brass cheap ones from WM. Paid for it on that stage. Another shotgun/rifle stage had 6 clays and 2 stars. Watched many have problems with the far star, was able to scrounge 4 high brass from a mixed box in the trunk. Low brass for the clays and close star and loaded those 4 for the last star, made the difference (that and actually aiming a bit more!).

I think I was at that same match. If so, Stage 1 ( the 60 second stage ) was my first ever 3 gun stage and only the second time I shot my 930 so hopefully I won't get bashed too bad for my slow and sloppy reloads in my video link below lol.

I shoot Walmart Federal Bulk Pack 7 1/2 in my 930 with a modified choke and it works great for me, no problem dropping steel as long as I actually hit it.

It was a fun first match and I am hooked on 3 gun!

Edited May 5, 2011 by deltabravo555

[Tim/GA]

Yep, that was the match (I was the guy you got your scoresheet from and did the scores). Fun match. I watched your video, you did a good job of moving so that you were taking the steel more direct than some and staying on the larger, closer ones. I made the mistake of spending some shells on the plate racks and some of the smaller steel out back. That and pushing the time so some of the shots were not centered. That stage made me pay for those iffy shots, higher power shells would have given a bit better margin for sloppiness. It did make me clean up my shots on the stage 2 though. Cannot change the choke on the old 1100 I am using, need to look into whether I can have the barrel threaded or not.

Any chance you got video of stage 2 with the stars and rifle through the barrel? Careful, multi-gun is addictive.

Edited May 5, 2011 by Tim/GA

[deltabravo555]

Yep, that was the match (I was the guy you got your scoresheet from and did the scores). Fun match. I watched your video, you did a good job of moving so that you were taking the steel more direct than some and staying on the larger, closer ones. I made the mistake of spending some shells on the plate racks and some of the smaller steel out back. That and pushing the time so some of the shots were not centered. That stage made me pay for those iffy shots, higher power shells would have given a bit better margin for sloppiness. It did make me clean up my shots on the stage 2 though. Cannot change the choke on the old 1100 I am using, need to look into whether I can have the barrel threaded or not.

Any chance you got video of stage 2 with the stars and rifle through the barrel? Careful, multi-gun is addictive.

Small world! You bring up another good point, choke use / selection, not just ammo use / selection.

The only other video I have of me shooting is of Stage 3.

I don't want to side track this thread incase anyone doesn't want to see the match videos but my buddy has the entire match which includes that stage recorded from his visor cam, I can post a link here or PM it to you.

Edited May 5, 2011 by deltabravo555

[bushmeat]

I'm running a smooth bore with no choke. The barrel is not threaded for chokes and is a home defense 18.5 inch mossberg factory barrel. I shot with it last time and had no issues knocking down plates.

Take the advice of Alaskapopo and others who counseled using chokes. Getting your barrel threaded for chokes will be cheaper in the long run than buying a lot of high brass shells just so you can spray a wider pattern just a smidgen faster. No reason not to use Federal 7.5 bulk packs, they work really well, for the majority of targets, out of a modified choke. Sometimes, I will run a full choke on plates with no shoots in front. I only use high brass on the pesky spinners.

[Alaskapopo]

The one thing I have not seen any comment about is the hull finish.

I will only use skived hulls if I can. The smooth hulls are too slick and are prone to fumbling especially with cold fingers.

Some Federal and Fiocchi, Rem Nitro and AA are smooth.

I like Estate and the Federal field 3.25 dram loads and the black Remington-Peters and PMC because of the skived hulls.

As you shoot more you will accumulate a variety of shot sizes and shells. Sometimes a match might require taking down steel with heavy loads on one stage or busting clays with lighter loads on another. Sometimes a spreader and slugs in the same stage... it pays to have several loads in your shotgun ammo bag.

Most commonly I use 1 1/8 oz estate 7.5's

Its a different application but I need the smooth AA hulls for the best function in my Saiga. The Estate shells are softer plastic and prone to riping and deforning in the feeding cycle. I will say Estate always has worked fine in my other autos and pumps.

Pat

[RiggerJJ]

I'm running a smooth bore with no choke. The barrel is not threaded for chokes and is a home defense 18.5 inch mossberg factory barrel. I shot with it last time and had no issues knocking down plates.

Take the advice of Alaskapopo and others who counseled using chokes. Getting your barrel threaded for chokes will be cheaper in the long run than buying a lot of high brass shells just so you can spray a wider pattern just a smidgen faster. No reason not to use Federal 7.5 bulk packs, they work really well, for the majority of targets, out of a modified choke. Sometimes, I will run a full choke on plates with no shoots in front. I only use high brass on the pesky spinners.

...and what happens when you run into a stage with steel no-shoot targets tucked in close to the shoot targets??? you are gonna want a tighter choke...

jj

Edited May 5, 2011 by RiggerJJ