Shotgun Ammo for 3-Gun

[mjk0311]

I am new to 3 gun and am looking for advice on shotgun ammunition. I have an SLP MK1 12 gauge. Any good brands, bad brands, shot size, anything that you have found will be helpful.

[blairmckenzie1]

What ever your gun will eat for practice.

I usually shoot Remington STS or Nitro Gold for matches. 1 1/8oz 7's @1235 work good for me.

I also keep a couple of boxes of some high base 6's for heavy/ long range steel.

Edited December 23, 2013 by blairmckenzie1

[bishop414]

Find some low recoil slugs that your gun likes and know where they hit out to 100yds. Need some 00 buck on occasion.

Most matches allow up to #6 or smaller for bird. Most common used seems #7, #7.5.

Welcome to the fun.

[TwoShot]

I shoot an R&R Saiga with a mid barrel comp. The Remington Premier Nitro Sporting Clays have a reliability for me of 90% I know others shooting the same gun as mine shoot this ammo with 100% reliability. I have found the shell recommended by the guns builder to run 100%, imagine that. My chosen ammo is Winchester Super Sport Sporting Clays, 1 oz of 7.5's at 1350 fps' While what works for me with a comped open gun, it probably won't work for you. My point is to try several different ammo configurations till you find one that works 100% When you do, go out and buy a truckload of them!

[mwx40x40]

What ever your gun will eat for practice.

I usually shoot Remington STS or Nitro Gold for matches. 1 1/8oz 7's @1235 work good for me.

I also keep a couple of boxes of some high base 6's for heavy/ long range steel.

Clean up from one of the stages at the SE3GC a couple of weeks ago indicated I lot of shooters were shooting the Remington STS and Nitro Gold. I was surprised thinking I would have seen an equal amount of AA's. Personally , I am kind of partial to the AA SuperSports. On the more economical end we picked up a lot of Estates and RIO's.

[HRider]

Depending on division, I shoot either a Benelli M1 auto or a Benelli Nova pump. I use Walmart Federal value packs for practice and club matches, they pattern good and have good reliability in the M1 ( I believe I have had two failures in the last 1000 rounds) and have always worked in the pump. For matches that I travel to, I use Winchester AA Super Handicap 7.5 (1 1/8 @ 1250) for 95% of steel targets. For clay targets, I will use Winchester AA Light Target #9s. I use Federal Tactical low recoil slugs and Winchester 00 buck also as stages dictate. I always carry a smaller assortment of high brass #4, #6 and #7.5 for the occasional target that might benefit from them.

Try several different loads and or brands with different chokes, find what works and know where it patterns. Then, like was already mentioned, go buy a bunch of it.

Hurley

[goat68]

Remington STS 1 1/8 oz 3 to 3 1/2 dram equivanent or Winchester super handicap. #8 or #7 1/2 shot.

[Lead-Head]

Federal bulk packs from wal-mart. 7.5 or 8 shot. Sometimes the federal "target" load, which is the same thing but in individual 25rd boxes, is actually cheaper. Used it in SLP, M2, and 1301 with very few issues.

Built Winchester are not bad. Bulk Remington's are many times deformed and crappy.

If you can find an economy load that works, why pay twice as much for a box if SG shells at a major? I just shoot the same load everywhere I go as long as I am confident in it.

[charliedelta]

I have an SLP Mark 1, and I shoot 2-3/4 dram, 1-1/8 ounce loads. Typically shoot the Federals from WM, but have also had good luck with Estate. My gun hates the 1600 fps, 1 ounce slugs. I need to find some 1400 fps, 1 oz to try. Managed recoil buckshot is not potent enough to cycle reliably. Hope this helps.

[HRider]

The reason that I use Winchester Super Handicap AAs for big matches is that they pattern better and have a more consistent pattern in my guns than the bulk pack stuff. It just depends on what your particular gun/choke likes. My M1 patterns terrible with Winchester AA Sporting Clay loads (7 1/2s at 1300), does really well with Super Handicap AAs (7 1/2s at 1250). It is funny how 50fps makes such a difference.

Hurley

[Moltke]

Rem 27 Nitro & #6 for heavy steel, you'll be fine. Get a choke set and learn what patterns your gun throws at multiple distances.

[LSnSC]

Ive been shooting alot of Rios lately. They perform well and are priced right.

Edited December 24, 2013 by LSnSC

[Lead-Head]

I have heard good things about Rios from some serious SGrs.

[EkuJustice]

Rios are pretty good shells for the money. They have come along way over the years as they use to be junk

[dauntedfuture]

You're going to need 1 1/8 oz at 1250 fps or better to work the gun. Look for brass caps. You can experiment to see if your gun will run light loads with heavy gas ring; you will get less recoil. Low recoil slugs and mild buckshot are mandatory. Stay away from Winchester cheap ammo with aluminum cap, it's crap.

[prc77]

1000's of RIO 3dram 1 1/8oz. 7.5's through my 3 year old SLP. Pistons sealed this past summer and it eats up everything.

[toothandnail]

We shoot Win. AA 1145 fps in our MKA 1919's. Take several pack of 1300 fps for extreme instances. Seems the AA's have some of the best hulls.

Never had the Win Universal bulk work* in any semi, barely work in a pump.

* By WORK, I mean reliably

Edited December 25, 2013 by toothandnail

[Gentleman4561]

I run the cheapest stuff I can find at Dicks or Walmart.

Rio, Winchester, Remington and Federal. It all runs 100% in my Benelli.

[mjk0311]

There is a lot of good information here. Thanks to all of you for your feedback.

[slymantis]

i always get Winchester AAs. They're good,reliable and with the mail in rebate they run each year they cost the same as running the cheap bulk stuff

[ziebart]

Federal bulk or Winchester, they both work good in my SX3. To be fair I never really patterned them. I may look at some of these other options if they are cheaper.

[warpspeed]

I have been having issues with the steel hulls lately. They are separating from the hull.

Not a huge issue for practice but for times when someone else is running the clock, I like Win AA's or Remington STS