There are three ranges of the shotgun: short, medium and far, also known as A, B and C ranges. You have to know which is the likely engagement range and plan from there. The intended use of the shotgun has much bearing on the load you choose and the details in this article steer you in the right direction.
Brass Fetcher Ballistic Testing recently conducted an eye-opening ballistic gelatin test of buckshot at 50 yards distance. The rounds were shot from a Mossberg 500 12-gauge shotgun with 20″ barrel length and full choke. This video shows the results.
Discover the versatile Rio 12 gauge buckshot: It’s inexpensive, readily available and works great for home defense and taking out a pest. They’re great for moving from a training with birdshot to training with the real thing so students get the “feel” for the field.
A 12-gauge means that you can make 12 balls of equal size out of a pound of lead and they will each fit the diameter of the barrel precisely. This is why a 20-gauge is smaller than a 12.
