exotic shotgun ammo testing
- Thread starter Newton24b
- Start date
Bill DeShivs
New member
Are you being overrun by gelatin? 
By testing 'Exotic Ammunition', I'm guessing you mean stuff like "Centurion", "Pit Bull", "Rhodesian Jungle" and similar, right? Kid of hard to test "Bird Bombs" or "Dragon's Breath" on any type of medium.
The fancy-named stuff is just a mixture of Buckshot and various larger round balls. I think the Rhodesian Jungle junk is Birdshot and a few Buck, I disremember exactly. The Buck and Birdshot penetration is documented pretty well, although I serious doubt the value of Gelatin. The larger balls will penetrate more deeply (of course). Buckshot is just Buckshot, no matter what it's called. There is also a computer program that will calculate gelatin penetration, but one's testing things himself would, in my opinion, be more useful than any calculation.
The 'Exotic' crap is mainly designed to seperate you from your money. Its penetration is not normally a problem, the real test would be where it puts its various components - pattern. I've seen Pit Bull loaded in three different configurations - two guaranteed to splash Buckshot unpredictably, the third some better but still not real great. When you buy it, which will you get? Purely a crapshoot.
My opinion, which may or may not be worth something, is to save your money and leave that stuff alone. If you have a craving for good Buck and Ball loads, learn to reload and make your own.
DC
The fancy-named stuff is just a mixture of Buckshot and various larger round balls. I think the Rhodesian Jungle junk is Birdshot and a few Buck, I disremember exactly. The Buck and Birdshot penetration is documented pretty well, although I serious doubt the value of Gelatin. The larger balls will penetrate more deeply (of course). Buckshot is just Buckshot, no matter what it's called. There is also a computer program that will calculate gelatin penetration, but one's testing things himself would, in my opinion, be more useful than any calculation.
The 'Exotic' crap is mainly designed to seperate you from your money. Its penetration is not normally a problem, the real test would be where it puts its various components - pattern. I've seen Pit Bull loaded in three different configurations - two guaranteed to splash Buckshot unpredictably, the third some better but still not real great. When you buy it, which will you get? Purely a crapshoot.
My opinion, which may or may not be worth something, is to save your money and leave that stuff alone. If you have a craving for good Buck and Ball loads, learn to reload and make your own.
DC
.351winchester
Moderator
LOL
I thought "Bird Bombs" are now NFA DD? Or soon to be?
Is there documented results of a 'bolo' round performing as the mind imagines?
Superhouse 15
New member
This is the video you're looking for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ievbU3xIYGQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ievbU3xIYGQ
SamStafford
Moderator
Whoo boy, those are some scary 12 ga rounds. I would hate to see person hit with a Bolo round. 
Housezealot
New member
I havent looked at the local gunshop for a few bucks a months but they used to sell bird bombs for about $9 for a three pack, they are a blast!
when I was a kid my dad had a flare gun I used to shoot them out of, looking back the practice seems insane.
as an adult I have had some detonate just out of the barrel of my shotgun
and a one that went off in the barrel.
the thought of one going off a couple of inches out of the barrel of a plastic flare gun...............
