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Dixie Tri-Ball Buckshot
- Thread starter RMcL
- Start date
Double Naught Spy
New member
Here is a review I did back in 2007 on THR...
I put 15 rounds down range out of my 870 with an 18" non-choked barrel. I have a Knoxx-Spec Ops stock that helps with recoil. Recoil was still significant. It is not a cushy load at all. In fact, the three balls produce a combined weight of more than 2 oz. So that is a big load.
The patterning was bizarre and quite variable. At 15 yards, I shot 3 rounds of which two produced groups of 3" or less. The third has 2 balls touching and the third 6" off to the side. At 25 yards, the groups ranged from 3-6", often with 2 balls hitting on top of one another or impacts touching. At 36 yards, the groups opened up to 6-12+ inches, the + being shots that left the target off to the side by some unknown distance. This was on a full sized human silhouette steel target.
In short, the pattern isn't anything resembling uniform on a consistent basis. I think this likely has to do with the shot sleeve that holds the shot that sometimes holds onto two of the balls much better than the 3rd ball.
With that said, the patterns were significantly tighter than with standard 00 buck for which I get an average spread of about 1" per yard distance from target. For example, at 25 yards, I get about 22-28" spead.
On the down side, I was shooting a Marine Magnum that can handle the power and size of the rounds in the chamber, but once fired, the shells were actually longer than the ejection port and two did not want to immediately eject and hung up.
I put 15 rounds down range out of my 870 with an 18" non-choked barrel. I have a Knoxx-Spec Ops stock that helps with recoil. Recoil was still significant. It is not a cushy load at all. In fact, the three balls produce a combined weight of more than 2 oz. So that is a big load.
The patterning was bizarre and quite variable. At 15 yards, I shot 3 rounds of which two produced groups of 3" or less. The third has 2 balls touching and the third 6" off to the side. At 25 yards, the groups ranged from 3-6", often with 2 balls hitting on top of one another or impacts touching. At 36 yards, the groups opened up to 6-12+ inches, the + being shots that left the target off to the side by some unknown distance. This was on a full sized human silhouette steel target.
In short, the pattern isn't anything resembling uniform on a consistent basis. I think this likely has to do with the shot sleeve that holds the shot that sometimes holds onto two of the balls much better than the 3rd ball.
With that said, the patterns were significantly tighter than with standard 00 buck for which I get an average spread of about 1" per yard distance from target. For example, at 25 yards, I get about 22-28" spead.
On the down side, I was shooting a Marine Magnum that can handle the power and size of the rounds in the chamber, but once fired, the shells were actually longer than the ejection port and two did not want to immediately eject and hung up.
At one time Dixie was having release problems -- holding the 3rd ball too long I believe. That's been cleared up now. That could have caused the erratic patterns you saw. Also, the ones I've shot, both Dixie's and mine that were loaded to Dixie's specs, liked some choke.In short, the pattern isn't anything resembling uniform on a consistent basis. I think this likely has to do with the shot sleeve that holds the shot that sometimes holds onto two of the balls much better than the 3rd ball.
DC
bamaranger
New member
buckshot
Hound hunting deer is still legal in some AL counties and my home county is one such. It is on the decline, due to leases, posted land, the necessity for written land owner permits, and some slobs (as in any sport) in the dog hunt circles. But it is a time honored method, passed down through the generations and can be highly effective with hunters that know the crossings and the terrain. Pushed through thick cover w/ hounds, at ranges of less than 50 yds, (hopefully much less) 00B can be deadly. The dogs help with cripples, often baying same.
My daddy was a bowhunter, another fella's may have been a hound man. I can live w' it, but its not my thing.
Buckshot is not uncommon in the field, heck the stores sell the stuff left and right, and many a pickup w/ a dog box in the back will have a hand full of 00 buck on the dash. And usually an old hump backed A5 w/ who knows how many generations or kills behind it, to launch it from. The meat is often split amongst all the hunters.
I have never seen Tri-Ball afield. Most folks who hound hunt buy a box or two of the cheapest 00B at Wally World they can find and have at it.
Hound hunting deer is still legal in some AL counties and my home county is one such. It is on the decline, due to leases, posted land, the necessity for written land owner permits, and some slobs (as in any sport) in the dog hunt circles. But it is a time honored method, passed down through the generations and can be highly effective with hunters that know the crossings and the terrain. Pushed through thick cover w/ hounds, at ranges of less than 50 yds, (hopefully much less) 00B can be deadly. The dogs help with cripples, often baying same.
My daddy was a bowhunter, another fella's may have been a hound man. I can live w' it, but its not my thing.
Buckshot is not uncommon in the field, heck the stores sell the stuff left and right, and many a pickup w/ a dog box in the back will have a hand full of 00 buck on the dash. And usually an old hump backed A5 w/ who knows how many generations or kills behind it, to launch it from. The meat is often split amongst all the hunters.
I have never seen Tri-Ball afield. Most folks who hound hunt buy a box or two of the cheapest 00B at Wally World they can find and have at it.
Double Naught Spy
New member
At one time Dixie was having release problems -- holding the 3rd ball too long I believe. That's been cleared up now.
That what Dixie said at the time...that it should not be happening, but it did. So the guy from Dixie posted their results that showed much tighter patterns, though the amount of spread in the original post increased in size when he posted actual results. That decreased 2 years later and maybe the change you are talking about. Of course to get their spread, you have to be using the same chokes they use...something conveniently left out the data they presented at the time I purchased.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=273881&highlight=dixie
As noted in that thread by another, I am not sure why shooting slugs would not be better for hunting. With slugs you have much more control over where they will be impacting.
The particular change I'm thinking of was in the number and depth of the slits in the shotcup.maybe the change you are talking about.
The Tri-Ball has undergone a lot of changes since it was first brought out by Dixie Slugs. The firet (that I'm aware of) was the "Dixie Hog Cruncher", which was three .570" Balls. Somewhere along the line there was a load with three .575" Balls, but I don't remember if that was actually one from Dixie or not. Then, when he went to .600" Balls, there were several 'models', before settling on the one he has today. Those changes were mostly in the shotcup and, I believe, a change in the Buffer used.
For its primary use, Hogs in heavy cover, it shines. For some other uses, a Slug would be a better choice.
DC