Beyond the Barrel: A Comprehensive Guide to Shotgun Ammunition

 

source: reerangeamerican.us

The ammunition is the fundamental part of any shotgun. It has a pivotal role in the safe operability of the firearm in question and its effectiveness. That’s why a shotgun cannot be used without proper shotshells. It will be just a useless piece of metal. However, picking the right shotshells can be an overwhelming task given the wide range of options available. To help you pick right, here are some of the most important factors to take into account when picking.

Types

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Take your big-game hunting to the next level with quality and outstanding shotgun ammunition. Modern shotgun shells are classified into two types: shotshells and slugs. Shotshells contain numerous pellets, whereas slugs are essentially shotgun bullets, with a single large solid projectile.

All modern shotgun ammunition is centre fire. Looking at the bottom of a shotgun cartridge, you'll notice a spherical metal button in the centre. That is the primer, which the gun's firing pin strikes to ignite the powder. The ensuing pressure drives the projectiles out the barrel's end.

There are two types of gun barrels: rifled and smoothbore. "Rifled" indicates that there are spiralling grooves down the inside of the barrel. Rifling applies the proper spin to a bullet for accuracy. Except for shotguns, all modern firearms have rifled barrels. Shotguns are smoothbores with no rifling at all.

They're smoothbore, which means the shot comes out as a tight, coherent group of pellets that gradually spread out as it moves forward. When a shot is fired from a rifled barrel, the pellets begin to spread instantly in a spiral, dispersing the energy and shooting extremely fast without forming a tight group. It's also not a good idea to shoot through a rifled barrel frequently because it destroys the rifling.

Rifled slugs" are peculiar to shotguns in that they feature rifling on the projectile rather than inside the barrel for use in a smoothbore. The slug's rifling imparts spin, causing it to travel like a bullet in a rifle or handgun. This provides accuracy through a smoothbore.

Gauge

The shotgun shell box includes all of the information you need to know about the rounds inside. The gauge certifies compatibility with a specific shotgun barrel diameter. Thus, the 12-gauge shotgun fires 12-gauge bullets. The most common rounds on the shelf are 20- and 12-gauge.

It's worth noting that 20-gauge shotgun shells are usually always yellow, whereas 12-gauge shells come in a variety of colours but not yellow. More of an industry standard than a legal mandate, the transition to 20-gauge rounds having exclusive rights to yellow shells began in the 1960s to assist prevent mistakenly mixing them with 12-gauge shells, a potentially fatal mistake.

Length

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The length of the shotgun ammunition, measured in inches, corresponds to the length of the gun's chamber. Knowing the size you need requires more than just "point and shoot" knowledge of your firearm. If you are unsure where to begin, consult the owner's manual or someone familiar with your firearm's make and model. Also, examine your barrels for the chamber length, which may be stamped into the metal. Typically, sportsman stores stock 2¾- or 3-inch rounds.

Size and Weight

Moving from the left side of the box to the far right, you will find the shot size of the bullets. That is the size of each pellet inside the shell. This is what eventually strikes the target. As shot size increases, pellet diameter decreases. So 6 shots are less than 4 shots, 4s are less than 2s, and so on.

The number to the left of the shot size indicates the measured weight of the shot packed in each shell. It is measured in ounces. Shells typically vary from ½ to 2 ounces. For comparison, there are approximately 135 4-shot pellets per ounce.

Power of the Load

The final figure on the box that we have not discussed yet is the "FPS" or feet per second. This figure is related to the gunpowder content of the shell. Once the gun is discharged, this figure is roughly similar to the shot's velocity as it exits the barrel. On occasion, you will notice a measurement for dram equivalent or "Dram Eq" on the box in addition to, or instead of, FPS. It is also an old shot velocity value that is no longer commonly utilised. A higher power load allows the shot to go quicker and with more inertia, but it will also strike your shoulder harder.

Lead vs. Non-Toxic

The final piece of information on the box that the new ammo purchaser should notice is the "Lead" or "Non-Toxic" label. These appear in a variety of places, including within phrases (such as "high-velocity steel shot") and as an isolated label at the top of the box. Because hunting rules vary by area, it is especially vital to understand what species you are hunting, where you are going, and what the shot regulations are for that particular land. If you are hunting waterfowl or will be in an area that requires a non-toxic shot, you should choose lead-free shells. If you're hunting upland birds in an area with no shot composition restrictions, lead is a possible option.