Educate me on different types of shotgun ammo

M

mssurrey

New member
Although I have a few handguns, I've just bought my first ever shotgun and was looking for ammo. But it's very confusing with all the amko types.

Mine is a 12ga and I know it can take either 3in or 2 3/4 in cartridges.

I will be using for HD purposes mainly and I've read that buckshot is better for that purpose but even in buckshot there seems to be a great variety.

And for gaming purposes - what do the oz, the shot number etc mean?
And how does this differ from buckshot? :confused:

:)
 
By "gaming", I am going to assume you mean the shotgun games of trap, skeet and sporting clays.............for those games, any loads from 3/4 ounce to 1-1/8 ounce and shot sizes from 7-1/2, 8, 8-1/2 or 9 will suffice

for HD, any of your basic buckshot, i.e., 00 or similar, will work just fine
 
Try here for starters (In terms of whats best for HD, well..thats a somewhat subjective topic): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun Once here, scroll down to the "shot" topic, found under the "Design Factors" heading. Im sure there are better explanations out there, but this should give you the gist in terms of explaining size, weight and type.

Generally speaking, buckshot (the 2 3/4" variety) is usually considered the most effective for HD due to its, Im assuming, large shot size/penetrative power vs. birdshot. Of course, this penetrative power can also become a detriment if one is not careful. Hence, this particular topic has sparked many debates over which is best/most practical for HD use.

Besides buckshot and birdshot, there are also slugs to consider (these are not necessarily ideal for HD, IMHO). Slug rounds basically contain a single lead "column" and generally have a bit more kick to them vs the various "shot" loads. They are also best for longer ranges as compared to buckshot or birdshot.

With slugs you have either Sabot (smooth, non-rifled) or (Foster type?) rifled slugs. Sabots are best used when fired out of a rifled barrel, while the rifled slugs (the rifling is "embedded" within the round itself) are best used with smoothbore barrels.

These are but generalizations as Im no expert regarding this stuff. But, I hope the previous explanations will steer you in the right direction. I apologize if I have hit you with a bunch of stuff here. But, you asked for an "education" on shotgun ammo. Thus, I'm assuming that mere "opinions" were not all that you were seeking.

Welcome to the world of shotguns!
 
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Keeping it simple:

For home defense go the Walmart and buy Remington 00 buckshot 2-3/4" 9 pallets. Anything more is overkill and more recoil than you need for a HD situation.

For basic skeet and trap go to Walmart and get 1 ounce #8 dove and quail loads. For casual target shooting they work fine and will save you a buck or two a box over AA target loads.
 
I apologize if I have hit you with a bunch of stuff here. But, you asked for an "education" on shotgun ammo. Thus, I'm assuming that mere "opinions" were not all that you were seeking.
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That's a great start. Thanks.
For home defense go the Walmart and buy Remington 00 buckshot 2-3/4" 9 pallets. Anything more is overkill and more recoil than you need for a HD situation.

For basic skeet and trap go to Walmart and get 1 ounce #8 dove and quail loads. For casual target shooting they work fine and will save you a buck or two a box over AA target loads.
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Went there today - no buckshot (and no handgun ammo either). Lots of game shot so bought some 1 ounce #8 for the range. Thanks for the heads-up. Much appreciated.
 
Yes they are. Most firing ranges are within urban areas and game (by game I mean hunting) loads are usually in excess of 32 grains and do longer distances. They're likely to fall of somewhere they shouldnt be.

Our range doesnt allow game loads. Only skeet/trap loads.

I was once hit by a shower of skeet loads from 100 yards. Although it felt like small pebbles falling from the sky but they did hit with a little harder impact. A game loads wouldve caused an injury for sure, not significant but an injury is an injury. Could've hit the eye.
 
LordofWar said:
Correction. #9 for skeet & #7 for trap. Pls buy sporting loads. Using game loads could be dangerous.
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To avoid confusion, it should be #7-1/2 shot for trap. If available, #7 shot would be too large to comply with most governing organizations rules.

Oneounceload is correct with his:
By "gaming", I am going to assume you mean the shotgun games of trap, skeet and sporting clays.............for those games, any loads from 3/4 ounce to 1-1/8 ounce and shot sizes from 7-1/2, 8, 8-1/2 or 9 will suffice
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However, he forgot to include the Little gun, the .410-bore with its 1/2-oz of shot. ;)
 
Whenever I have went out to shoot clays I have always had good results with the 100 shell bricks sold at most sporting goods stores, even Walmart. Last time I checked they were around $16 for the 100-rd brick...good value! For home defense I alternate full power 00 buckshot with Federal Hydra-shok foster type slugs (full power). I also have a 3" 000 buck in the chamber. Call me crazy but that's how I roll. :)
 
However, he forgot to include the Little gun, the .410-bore with its 1/2-oz of shot.
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Only because he was asking, I thought, about 12 gauge loads... ;) - all the ones I mentioned are good for 12, although I am sure someone is messing with handloading a 1/2 oz 12 load to save shot... :D
 
zippy,

You are right.

Shot sizes and their numerical values differ in different parts of the world. We do not have a 7 1/2 so we stick with #7.
 
LordofWar
Is your ammo sold with metric designations, English, a confusion combination of the two, or what?
In the US, we're shown news videos of very primitive ammo manufacturing in the Khyber Pass region. Hopefully your sporting ammo comes from more reliable sources.
 
Haha Dont believe everything that the media shows.

Yes English metric designations indeed.

They dont make shotgun ammo @ Khyber Pass only rifles & pistols. It's a highly skilled cottage industry which seriously needs to be regulated. Those guys are brilliant. They will make copies of anything that you show them. Obviously the quality is inferior because they do not have access to quality materials & machinery. If you need engraving on your firearm that is the place to go.

About sporting loads we use "Shaheen Skeet/Trap" loads from Pakistan Ordinance Factories WAH.
 
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