Barak, it's actually 14 7/8" but I rounded up. I bought a box of 5000 sheets of this stuff for $5.00 on closeout at Staples sometime in the late 90's and have been using it for my targets since then. The 1/2" color bars give a useable estimate of height for sighting scopes and knowing how many clicks of elevation to use.

[Linked Image]


MontanaMarine, your 870 is the shotgun I've decided on except I'm getting the regular 4 shot magazine version for various reasons and will add a mag extension. These models have a 1/4" shorter LOP than a standard 870 and after trying Express models, Wingmasters and these personal defense models that 1/4" makes a felt difference in mounting it. One of my big concerns with this, as with any shotgun, was that it fit me. For some lucky reason Remington has my body type dialed in. wink Their shotguns come up and point right where I'm looking which is among my top priorities in a defensive weapon.

Thanks to all for the additional info on performance and patterning. I had picked up some of the cheaper ammo ($5 to $6 a box) just to get an idea of what to expect. But when I load this for real I'll use the best copper plated, hardened shot I can find. Even if it costs $2.00 per round it would be well worth it if it came to actually use it.

I don't figure on taking out any animals with this and the longest shot in my house from bedroom hallway to front door is a measured 12.5 yards or just about 38 feet, so longer range patterns aren't really a concern.

We all love our handguns but arguments abound about effectiveness of this caliber over that or this bullet over that. But when you absolutely, positively have to put someone on their ass and stop them right now, I've never heard anyone knocking a shotgun for the job.

Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!