Buck & Ball for HD?

[Gary L. Griffiths]

I ran across a couple of ads for Centurion shotgun shells that combine a .65" round ball with 6 #1 buckshot pellets. At first, it looked like all the disadvantages of buckshot with all the disadvantages of a slug, but then I got to thinking: For home defense, the ball would provide the large wound channel of a slug but without as much excess penetration, being lighter, while the buckshot would provide additional wounding capabilities if the ball were to miss a vital area. Perhaps all in all, not a bad idea.

Here are a couple of pics of the rounds:

These rounds are available from Cheaper Than Dirt and Sportsman's Guide, and review I've read indicate they hit hard on both ends, although some reviewers have commented about swelling of the case where the ball is loaded, which prevented them from chambering smoothly. Others had no problems, so perhaps there was a bad lot. You would certainly want to cycle your potential defensive rounds through your shotgun to make sure they cycled smoothly!

So what do y'all think? Worth considering, or not?

 

[Jim Watson]

Can't see the point.
It is now considered irresponsible to shoot at an enemy far enough away you can't put the whole pattern on him. As the saying goes, each pellet leaves with a lawyer attached.

The suppressive fire and scattershot effect of buck and ball does not play the part now that it did a couple hundred years ago.

 

[Rampant_Colt]

Federal Tactical buckshot is half the price and twice as good

Buck n ball is a novelty load with erratic patterns not suitable for HD. That stuff has liability written all over it

 

[redlevel42]

No.

 

[Dave McC]

Maybe at Antietam in 1862, but not now.

 

[Tortuga12]

Perfect for when the redcoats invade again!

 

[markj]

Sabots out of my rifled barrel works very well for me.

tactical buckshot? is it black? whats wrong with the old winchester double aught buckshot?

 

[scorpion_tyr]

This is the same "tacticool" type loads that came out a while back. Don't remember what the problem was with this particulart load, but they all had severe drawbacks, and especially for home defense nothing performed better than good old fashion buckshot.

 

[.45 COLT]

Inside the house, not much advantage. Outside the home, with more than one target, possibly quite useful. It all depends on the situation.

Biggest problem with those type loads is that with one shot you can kill both a pelican flying at 40 feet and a chipmunk running along the ground off to the left. The extreme spreads can be tamed with proper loadings.

DC

 

[WVfishguy]

A few weeks ago I tested Winchester's version of this, PDX1. That's a one oz. slug with 3 pellets of 00 shot.

At buckshot ranges, it has no advantage over 00 buck. A big hole from the slug, three erratically placed 00 size holes in a 12 inch group.

At longer ranges, the Winchester slug was accurate, but very few of the buckshot hit the target. However, the Winchester slug is rifled, unlike the Centurion, so I'll bet the Centurion's big round ball won't even be that good at long range
I was very unimpressed with the PDX1, and I'll bet the Centurion will be even less impressive :barf:
I believe stuff like the Centurion is just a gimmick.

BTW - the PDX1 kicked like hell.

However, if you buy the Centurion ammo, be sure to write about it. I'll be the first one to admit I was wrong if the stuff shows any promise.

 

[Gary L. Griffiths]

However, if you buy the Centurion ammo, be sure to write about it.

I'll do that. Figure to buy a box to try out, once I have my Ithaca HD gun project completed. Will pattern at various distances and report.

 

[TylerD45ACP]

Ill still take 12 pellet 00B as my primary choice any day.

 

[bamaranger]

buck & ball

Haven't I read somewhere that the Brit SAS used the Browning A5/Rem 11 and 12 ga buck and ball in Malaysia or someplace fighting jungle communists, post WWII?

Now that is a hazy recollection and I sure could be wrong. I know I've seen period photos of troops w/ the humpback auto though, no matter the load.

Maybe in a military/combat scenario (no lawyers) there's still a place?
Range and penetration of a slug, multiple hit capacity and pattern of buck.

We don't arm entire units w/ shotguns of course, just pondering.

 

[Dave McC]

The Brits used a load of 00 and 6 shot in Malaya against the insurgents. The premise was if the 00 did not kill them, infections not easily treated in the jungle would from the birdshot.

 

[Tucker 1371]

Winchester is trying the same scheme as this, they have a load for both 12ga and .410. The .410 is "developed for use in the Taurus Judge revolver" and has three "defense discs" and 12 BBs. The 12ga one has a 1oz rifled slug with 3 00 buckshot pellets in front of it.

I think I'll stick to what's proven.

 

[zippy13]

Gimmicky. :barf:

 

[WVfishguy]

GSUeagle1089; Winchester is trying the same scheme as this, they have a load for both 12ga and .410.

The 12 gauge load is what I wrote about in my earlier post. :barf: