Ammunition

Throwback Thursday: Understanding Shotgun Shells 101

The shotgun is designed to throw a group or “pattern” of many small pellets called “shot,” which makes hitting a flying or moving…Read More >

Ammunition

Throwback Thursday — Decoding Shotshell Markings to Determine Powder Charge

Did you ever wonder how hard a shotshell will hit—both you and the target? Some boxes are marked “low recoil” but there is another way to tell. It is printed on most boxes of shotshells, but few people know how to find it or what it means. Do you?

Ammunition

Throwback Thursday: Buckshot or Birdshot for Home Defense? Let’s Ask Science.

The conclusion of the testing I observed was simple. Birdshot will do the job at shorter ranges, but it has major drawbacks for home defense. Read the entire story to understand the the limitations of birdshot and advantages of buckshot including a comparison of 00-buck versus .380 ACP, 9mm, .45 ACP and .223/5.56.

Shotgun laying across a target with Winchester PDX shells in posed position

Ammunition

Top 8 Best Shotgun Ammo Guides

The shotgun is such a versatile weapon—home defense to skeet shooting to hunting virtually any game—one can argue that the shotgun is all you need. However, with each task, a different shotshell load is requirement. You use slugs for deer hunting, birdshot for dove and non-toxic for waterfowl. And home defense ammo? There are many myths and incorrect information out there. These eight blog posts will guide you in the right direction of what shotgun ammo to chose.

Firearms

Ammunition

Best Slugs for Deer Hunting

For many, a shotgun was the weapon we used for our first big game hunting experience. Hunters today have everything from A-Z to pick from to use to hunt with. Archery, rifle, handgun, shotguns or even zombie type guns can be used in many areas around the country. Despite the trend towards using fancy tricked-out tactical guns or lean, mean high-powered rifles, or even souped-up elite compound bows, a good shotgun outfitted with a slug barrel is still a very popular weapon of choice. Here are a few shotgun slug choices worth considering.

Tan box of Hornaday Buckshot with red lettering on a white background

Ammunition

Using the Shotgun and Shotgun Loads

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.

Ammunition

How Does Buckshot Perform at 50 Yards?

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.

Ammunition

Shotgun Ammo Guide

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.