Duplex loads? Multiple shot sizes... good or bad?

B

Badger Arms

New member
Duplex shot loads have come and gone but I'm wondering what other's opinion is on these.

From my point of view, we hear lots about the effectiveness of multiple hits, incapacitation, penetration, pattern, etc. What I am speaking of in particular is military and self-defense use.

I've toyed with the idea that a load of, say, 6 pellets of 00 buck mixed with some #4 or smaller shot should give you the best of both worlds. Penetration from the buckshot and multiple hits from the smaller stuff. I'd like to see a load with the smaller shot loaded in front of the larger stuff so you get better dispersion with the 00 spreading the #4 apart.

Are there any other opinions on the matter. Am I missing the boat and everybody knows I'm wrong?
 
Not being an expert, or even close,

My guess is that it's one of those things that offers no significant advantage over what's already there. Some day, it might, kinda like a bottle neck pistol round or the .41cal anything or even the fletchette(sp) round. Some things just catch on, while others don't, even when they do offer a significant advantage over what's already there. Sometimes it just boils down to what's cheaper to feed.( Just look at the Sony Beta format vs the VHS format) I read something a few years ago about the early fowling pieces, and how they would sometimes mix shot weights, so the idea goes back a long time. Probably one of those things that the time isn't right for it.
 
A standard militia load during our Revolution(the first one at least) was buck and ball, one bore sized ball with some smaller balls along. One load I saw dissected in a museum had a 69 caliber round ball with about 4 of maybe 35 caliber in the paper cartridge.

Duplex loadings of buck may possibly have some advantages, but there's no such thing as an ineffective buck load to begin with, so most folks are happy with the standard stuff.
 
I use #4 bird shot to buffer my 000 buck shot loads, the bird shot dosn't really casue the buck to shoot tighter patterns, but I figure, the space between the buck shot pellets are just being wasted if I dont' put something in there, so that's what I do. as for traditional buck and ball? I've tried 58 cal round balls over 4 pellets of 000 buck and buffered with #4 shot, the round ball always ended up striking 2 feet higher than the buck and bird shot at 15 yards, I figure if you aren't in powder burn range, then stick to standard buck shot, I abandoned the idea, and started with duplex rounds, 2 or 3 58 cal round balls in line in the shell, it was a waste of powder. stick to traditional buck shot, or add some bird shot for extra psycological effect( the birdshot may not add to killing power, but all those extra holes bleeding on the skin will definately add to the psycological trauma of the victum of the shell) good luck and happy hunting.
 
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