I've always hated hearing people say "You don't even have to aim it" in reference to shotguns for defensive work. Thought the pictures might be interesting for some of you.

Ignore the "misses", as these guns were sighted in they were just pulled off the rack and fired. The important thing to notice is the actual pattern itself. The yardage is noted on the top of the target in Sharpie.

All the shots were from two random 870 Police Magnums with rifle sights and IC choke. The loads are Federal's 2.75" 00FlightControl.













[img]http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/...9-48AE-9F4B-99DA561F33ED_zpswkvdrykk.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/...3-489F-8323-FF82444D76F8_zpsmoultj8m.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/...F-428E-9149-58CE88BC9327_zpsf9dkdhjd.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/...A-4191-B2C9-E1EF4BCC76CD_zpsj6xzz87r.jpg[/img]

A couple of things really stood out to me.

1-The importance of patterning YOUR shotgun. These two shotguns were identical in every way. But one shot noticeably tighter, starting as short as 10 yards.

2-This Flight Control buckshot is a game changer in my opinion. With a modified choke I'd guess that you could keep all your shot on a torso out to forty yards or more.

3-You BETTER aim. All the way out to ten yards (the longest range most anyone could shoot in their home) all eight pellets stayed in a pattern that could be covered by a playing card. You're essentially shooting a rifle with a 3" wide bullet.

Thanks Blue! It looks like at close range an Ar-15 could possibly be a better choice. I worry about 00 buck vs a 62 grain soft point in a house. I almost feel the 62 soft point would be a better choice looking at the shotgun spread.

What next?

An article on how food needs chewed?.....................(wow)

Tell us, what was it like to be born with all your knowledge?

I have never shot flight control loads. Looks like I need to do some testing in my 870. Thanks for the write up.

I am now thinking Blue has posted B.S. If you need to really see "the knockdown power" of a shotgun blast check out Resident Evil 3!

Oh,I've probably shot a smidge.

Do tell,inside 10yds which 12ga loads are the "bad" one's,as fight stopping goes.

Thanks!................(wow)

The factory mod barrel with tritium sights is awesome..

But all the cool guys say that just the sound of an 870 being racked in the dark is enough to scare anyone away that tends to do you harm.

Does it matter what's loaded (or not) in the spout?

Common sense and a little savvy,is hard on folks Imaginations.(grin)

Enjoy the notion of a "bad" 12ga load,for unriff-raffing the living room.

FUNNY stuff!..................

I'd love to read an article about some guy wasting a burglar with a load of 7's out of a K80.

I'm sure more people would love to see the world from your point of view. How ever. i don't know any that can get their head that far up their ass (up-yours)

You haven't the means,abilities or faculties to begin to keep pace...but "luckily" you've got that "rewarding" Imagination and "all" of it's inherent "satisfactions".

Congratulations?!?.....................(wow)

Whatever, princess. Tell the rest of the hobbits hello for me

Happy Pretend...to you.

Laughing!.................

Hornady Critical Defense 00 Buck, Cylinder bore, 10 yards.





This ammo has what Hornady calls a "Versatite" wad....it looks like a Flitecontrol wad to me.

We call that "Belly Boil"..................(grin)

Not sure if he's a hobbit or neckbeard. Either way, he will make a nice addition to the ignore list.

You Window Lickers are certainly a "rugged" lot.

Sole question is,which one of you is gonna be crowned THE Pretend Queen...as it's one helluva "race"!......................

Guys we've been down this road about a thousand times and it'll play out like this...

BS insults someone or something
Someone takes the bait
BS calls everyone "she" "her" or "princess"
Insert "......................."
Sentence with a double negative
"Do nothing gang"
"Pry yourself off the couch"
"I make a lot of money"
Insert "................"
Sentence with a triple negative
Pictures of fish
Pictures of bears
"She" "Her" "Princess"
Insert "�................."
Pictures of dead trees
Pictures of bullets
"Make fun of where you live"
Video of dropping and / or throwing stuff
"COAL"
"Hint"
Pictures of a submerged Kimber
Pictures of a camera
Insert "..................."

Repeat as necessary.

It's, as he puts it, the only play he has. And it'll go exactly like that every time. So either ignore it or enjoy it, but don't feed it. It's always more amusing fr the outside.

Your incredibly looonnnggg list of insecurities,are VERY well founded.

Congratulations?...................

Someone got game!

Someone got WHINE!

Congratulations?!?..............

That's funnier than hell

Don't beat that drum...or you WILL suffer some IMAGINARY Pretend "Ignore"............(grin)

It's like I'm a doggone prophet or sumpthin.

Back to the topic Blue, when Federal's "BlackCloud" came out and they introduced the "flight control" wad. Alot of my waterfowling biddies jumped right on it, and peomptly saw their misses climb exponetially at "wood duck" ranges, even with straight Cylander choke tubes. So we patterned a few guns and the results were very similar to yours with the buckshot.

Why don't you gals have a Tactical Avatar Shoot-off?!?

Laughing..............

Thats funny, go to a tighter patterning load and then be amazed when you miss up close... IMHO you set up for what your most common shot is. If its close, you can get away with the cheapest steel you can buy generally. If its 35 plus... then you need to do some work...according to some know it alls, on how you hunt, according to me, on how your load patterns.

Jeff, these guys bought into the hype of BC. Being the "ultimate" final answrr in waterfowling. I shoot an extended range Patternmaster, with Either Estate, or Federal bkue box steel, and don't have a problem at any sensible range

Still awaiting The Treatise on "bad" 12ga Couch Sweeper Loads.

You gals really shoot a "bunch".................(wow)

I recall seeing an episode of Cops back in the 90's, a 6' something, 250+ pound hoodrat was laying between the bed and mind-blowing-spray-painted wall, near the open window.

Officer said something about a 12 gauge with birdshot.

Likely to leave a mark...................(grin)

Whatever I can get on sale at Dunns, used to be 99 a case for 3 inch around 1450 fps IIRC. Pattern it when you pick which one you are going to use and life is good.

Federal steel 4s have killed a LOT of birds for me.

I don't buy into gimmicks and the newest best stuff....

Me either, if Rogers has Blue box i order that. The Estate i can get locally for 11 bucks a box. The Patternmaster has never let me down. #3 and 4 for woodies and early Mallards. 1,2's for late season ducks and geese. bB's for straight geese

i never aim, but i never hit anything either.

That sumbiatch would have been good eatin'. You got a smoker in the warehouse??

If you rack an 870 when it's empty, it has a distinctive tinny sound that's quit different then when it's loaded, so, yes, you better keep it loaded.

We need a sarcasm font.

Yes.

But either way, both responses are still funny.

I was real interested in buying a Benelli M4 for a while, then saw a guy pattern one at the range one day. Then I bought more mags and ammo for the AR

Neither, he's Uncle Fester's love child, I'm sure of it.

Looks like 25yd is "select slug" range even for Flite Control loads. That ain't nothin' to bragg about. Vang/back-bored cylinder bore 870's are reputed to give 10in 00buck patterns at 35yd.

can we add "sister banging" ? Tn folks might feel left out.
Thanks

you and me both, plus I have more familiarity with the little black rifle and its a bit shorter/lighter than my Benelli M1 which is also set up with a 700 or so lumen light.

Anyone have a clue how many walls of a house 00 buckshot will penetrate? I will bet on the black gun, with a single bullet over the shotgun with what is effectively a single bullet.

That can't be right. Everyone knows that if you touch off a shot load from a 12 gauge the pattern covers a whole wall.

It'd depend on the particular shotgun and the backstop for me. One of ours kept half the pellets in the A box at 35 yards. If the bad guy were standing against a wall or good backstop I'd send a round at him and start closing the distance.

And personally I'd just transition to a pistol inside of 40-45 yards rather than a slug changeover.

And personally I'd just transition to a pistol inside of 40-45 yards rather than a slug changeover.

+1


Randy

You guys need to learn to load a shotgun. Select-slug from a side saddle is faster. 700gr and rifle sights (or even just a bead) beats the hell outta ANY handgun.

Yeah. Sure. Contact front.