Heads-up on defensive shotshell deformation!

R

Rampant_Colt

New member
I was just rotating new shotshells into my shotgun and observed that the Fiocchi buckshot shells appear to be a bit "softer" and/or less rigid than Remington, Winchester and Federal shotshells.

What tipped me off is when i removed them from the magazine tube they seemed to cycle a bit slower and harder than when i first used them. Sure enough, they're slightly compressed laterally outwards making chambering and cycling the action much more difficult. I'm too tired to take comparison pics right now.. They've been loaded in there for several months now, but the crimp appears to be weakened, potentially dumping buckshot pellets into the action if cycled too vigorously with catastrophic results in an emergency situation..

If you've had shells loaded in the magazine tube▬especially hi-cap magazines for any extended amount of time, be sure to keep fresh shotshells rotated in there for safety's sake!


I bet paper shotshells don't have a very good "magazine life".. I think Wolf and S&B shotshells are weaker as well
 
Thanks for the headsup. I've been preaching ammo rotation here and elsewhere for decades. Some ammo is more sensitive than others to collapse and telescoping.

Note, last year when I did a T&E on a Saiga I used up some 30 some rounds of old "Duty" ammo I had rotated out of my HD tools. It included a mix of Estate, Winchester and Federal 00. None showed any signs of telescoping or collapsing after 3-6 months in the extended mags of my 870s, but better safe than sorry.

All of that worked in the Saiga. No probs.
 
Agreed. Ammo rotation is always a good idea; not just for shotguns either. In addition, downloading by one or two could not hurt either. Less tension in the spring, less tension on the ammo. Scientific fact? I do not know. But from what I have discovered, it seems logical to me.

When using guns for HD, I tend to rotate ammo (in the shotgun) every 4 months or so, in addition to downloading by two. Given that it is a high cap tube, this works for me. For handguns, the cycle happens every 6 months or so, along with all single stack mags being downloaded by one and double stacks being downloaded by two.

As has been mentioned before, better safe than sorry.

Of course, using "appropriate" ammo never hurts either. In terms of the shotgun, I have found that Federal LE loads are quite resilient.
 
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me too!

Been trouble shooting a recalcitrant 870 and have noticed that the Win Low Recoil loads are occasionally swelled at the crimp as well. Loaded in the mag makes the problem worse.
 
when it comes to buckshot, I'd stay with one of the big names(winchester,remington, or federal), and use the hunting stuff.. They have tough cases, and I've had no issues with the rounds,, shooting them after 15 years...
 
In my unscientific observation, it appears to me that the clear shotshells are structurally weaker than domestic brands like Remington, Winchester, Federal and Hornady. Therefore, i would strongly suggest for the guys who rely on specialty shotshells like less-lethal, Dragon's Breath, bolo, flechettes, etc, to rotate their ammo even more frequently due to the softer clear plastic used in those shells.

Spare buckshot or slugs in a side-saddle to top off the magazine is an excellent idea for you folks who insist on using inadequate, under-penetrating birdshot or less-lethal shells..
 
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