Here’s a nice link from Federal’s Law Enforcement website detailing how various tactical buckshot and slug loads perform in gel and on target.
Good find.
Makes me question the need for the full power LEB 127 RS that I buy. Doesn’t seem to do anything more than the low recoil. Even only hits 10" w/heavy clothing. Impressive temporary wound cavity just a bit shallow.
My department issues low recoil Federal Buckshot. When I asked the friearms training guys about it they said they found no real difference in actual shootings and the smaller officers were able to control the 12 guage more.
Yeah, I run the low recoil 132 and 133 for that reason. I buy the full power slugs in an apparent false notion that it would do better on barriers like car doors and glass.
I am surprised at the lack of penetration of the slugs. Not what I expected at all.
I’m wondering if there would be a terminal effects difference in the buckshot at longer ranges. These tests were done at only 3.3 yards. Buckshot slows down quite a bit as you increase range. The full power loads would likely have superior penetration ability at ranges of 15-20yards.
Not that scientific, but I have noticed differences in 00-buck low recoil, and full power loads on the dozens of hogs I have shot over the years. Particularly since I’m often shooting them at ranges greater than 7 yards.
Those are very soft lead. I’d like to see some testing on their new hardened “Deep Penetrator” Truball, especially on glass and steel.
I would be curious if the Tactical Precision load would carry better down range even though it’s low velocity. Might retain it’s energy better being a solid projo until it hits its target.
Because of poor intermediate barrier penetration from most Foster style slugs, the only slugs we recommend are Brenneke.
DocGKR or Anyone:
Are there other manufactures besides Brenneke that load the same 1-oz. slug with distinctive ribs?
I have some leftover Brenneke K.O. ammo where the slug was made in Germany and loaded in the USA by Kent Cartridge @ 1,600 fps (Product Code (12 09 70). This load is obviously very stout with massive recoil in a lighterweight 18 1/2" barreled shotgun.
Conversely, Brenneke’s current K.O. loading (Product Code SL-122KO) is toned down to 1,383 fps.
Moreover, Brenneke’s even lower-recoiling Tactical Force Home Defense load at 1,256 fps seems to hit the spot just right. Is this the load you recommend from Brenneke?
http://www.brennekeusa.com/cms/l_tactical_home_defense.html
Here’s some detailed info that can be gleaned from Brenneke - see page 9 where a comparison is made between major manufacturers’ slugs:
B&P offers a low-recoil Brenneke slug. 1oz @ 1200FPS.
http://bandpusa.com/hunting/big-game/b-p-slug.html
Long discussion about the details over on SGW:
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=118&t=210449
The only reason I would buy full power 00Buck over low recoil 00Buck is if I happened to have a semi-auto that wouldn’t cycle the latter.
Luckily, I don’t…my cyclinder choked 1100 cycles the low recoil stuff 100% and shoots sub-8" groups at 25 yards with Federal’s FliteControl Tac 00Buck.
Our Mossberg shotguns shoot the Federal Tactical Buckshot like rifled slugs out to 15 yards and hold 8" groups all most to 25 yards. The fact we can put more pellets on target at greater distances sold me over any loss in energy over the same distance. At a recent NRA LEO instructors course the other students couldn’t believe the groups I was shooting. :
The FC buckshot is the only reason my 590 came out of the safe as a defensive tool again.
I’m not Doc, but YES… that is the specific slug I use (Brenneke Tactical Home Defense)…
I would recommend Federal FC for outdoors and LE use…
However, I also recommend Winchester Ranger ‘Low Recoil’ 00 Buck (RA1200) for HD… since a tighter pattern is unecessary IMHO for HD…
Just an observation when it comes to Winchester Ranger RA1200 or RA1200HD, their hardened non-plated 00-buck seems to be more resistant to deformation than the Federal copper plated shot. It isn’t scientific, but I’ve crushed each type of pellet with plyers and the Ranger hardened shot will not pancake out at all. The core of the pellet is much harder than lead. However, when I crush the Federal copper plated shot the core is still soft and will flatten out more easily.
Also, the RA1200HD has a cup similar to the Fed flight control wad.
Both of these projectiles were fired at a
Russian brown bear from less than 20
yards. At left is the remnant of a 16
gauge shotgun slug of inferior alloy; at
right, a 7.62 mm FMJ rifle bullet. Both
penetrated less than three inches
beyond the great beast’s skin.
Hmmmmm…