Buckshot Tests with a Benelli M4 : Modified and Cylinder Bore Chokes
Buckshot tested:
Cheap: Winchester Super X 00, Winchester Super X #4 Buck, Baschieri & Pellagri 00.
Premium: Winchester Defender Copper Plated 00, Federal Flite Control 00
Definition of success : All pellets land inside on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. The largest measure of the critical area on an adult.
How I tested the buckshot - I measured distances in my house and on my property, then at an outdoor range I tested the buckshot brands at each distance and with both chokes.
17 feet - Top of stairs to front door / rear-most retreat in bedroom to other side of bedroom door.
24 feet - Kitchen to front door / the navigable width of my house.
35 feet - The longest shot I can take inside of my house.
40 feet - Outside - Front door to rear of my car in my driveway
65 feet - Outside - Garage door to the mailbox, where my nextdoor neighbors conduct drug traffic
88 feet - Outside - Longest diagonal distance in my back yard.
The Conclusions of the Tests:
At indoor distances, your choke doesn't matter and the brand doesn't matter. All pellets will remain within an 8 1/2 x 11 area. But, if the inside of your house is bigger than my yard then you will have to be judicious about the load; or just use an AR.
17 feet - Inside - All loads / brands tight no matter what load or choke
24 feet - Inside - All loads / brands tight no matter what load or choke
35 feet - Inside - B&P beginning to fall below the others but still passes muster
40 feet - Outside - Farthest distance where all buckshot / any choke passes muster.
65 feet - Outside - Federal Flite produces five inch patterns, others "all over the place"
88 feet - Outside - Federal Flite keeps all pellets on 8 1/2 x 11 any choke.
Best and Worst Buckshot Tested:
Federal Flite control is the tightest by more than a double margin. Winchester Super X was also a winner; being very inexpensive and available anywhere it performed well and I think it the best of the "cheap buckshot". Winchester Defender copper plated was the biggest loser of the day as it represents the least value for the dollar. It costs a premium price but was second from the bottom in performance, plus I had two faillures to eject from Winchester Defender which did not happen on any other load or any other brand. B&P grouped the poorest by a small margin perhaps due to their weird plastic end cap; however, it is the most inexpensive so maybe the value is on par?
Questions I had, now answered:
(1) Does choke matter at in-house distances? No. Up to 40 feet, all pellets were on 8 1/2 x 11 regardless of choke. I was actually suprised at how little difference the choke made. Also, no two shots were exactly the same meaning that you can shoot 10 times and get 10 different patterns. On some shots it might pattern tighter with Cylinder Bore than Modified though the party line is that's not supposed to happen. Another thing, if you have to use a tape measurer to differentiate between your Modified and Cylinder Bore results, not being able to tell just by looking at it; then as far as I'm concerned they are the same. IMHO too much theory distorts one's ability to appreciate reality.
(2) Does the cost or quality of buckshot matter at in-house distances? No. All buckshot stayed within 8 1/2 by 11 up to about 40 feet, all falling into the same acceptable spread, keeping within my standard.
(3) Does Federal Flite Control do better with Cylinder Bore than with Modified Choke? Maybe, but not alot. A cliche I've heard many times on the 'net is that Federal Flite Control is made for Cylinder Bore and does much better with Cylinder Bore. With the testing I did, I'd call that "mostly false". I was able to produce slight differences between Modified and Cylinder Bore, barely perceptible and not always reproducable. Federal Flite is just straight up great so don't overthink the choke.
(4) Can I step outside with buckshot and remain effective at yard distances? Yes and no. No if it's anything other than Federal Flite, but with Federal Flite I can engage targets at the farthest reach of my property with the same effectiveness as with cheaper buckshot at close range. That said, if I ever forced to step outside (to intervene for a family member being attacked, not to look for trouble) I'd prefer an AR.
So, I said all that to say this ....
All buckshot has very close to the same performance. If the shotgun is for the house and the rifle for outside then it doesn't matter what you feed the shotty it's going to get the job done and the pellets will land where you intend, every one of them. Somebody says "You need a backstop if you use a shotgun inside the house." Yes indeed, and that "backstop" is called "the perp" and all of your pellets will score on that backstop, sparing your walls but not sparing your carpet.
Beyond 40 feet there is only one buckshot that I'd trust: Federal Flite Control. Maybe if you go outside then it's time for the rifle, but who knows what could happen in chaos or what you'd have so it's good to know how far your tools will reach, what they can and can't. There is no distance on my property that I cannot address with Federal Flite buckshot. I'm glad that I tested and found out what I can expect from my Benelli should it ever be called upon to save life.
Disclaimer:
I'm not associated in any way with any brand or manufacturer mentioned. I have no association to any of the businesses or websites to which I've linked. The links are only so, if interested, one can see get a visual on the ammunitions in questions, what the boxes look like, shell length, velocity, et cetera.
Finally, because a photo is almost obligatory, here's the Benelli at it's duty station; a makeshift stand at my bedside. Looks comical but works great.
![Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Shotgun]( "Wood Flooring Floor Hardwood Shotgun")
It would be pointless to post the full collection of target results, but here's two of them just for a visual:
![Gesture Font Art Circle Paper]( "Gesture Font Art Circle Paper")
![Handwriting Organism Font Art Child art]( "Handwriting Organism Font Art Child art")
I also posted this ammo test on DefensiveCarry.com.
FWIW
Buckshot tested:
Cheap: Winchester Super X 00, Winchester Super X #4 Buck, Baschieri & Pellagri 00.
Premium: Winchester Defender Copper Plated 00, Federal Flite Control 00
Definition of success : All pellets land inside on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. The largest measure of the critical area on an adult.
How I tested the buckshot - I measured distances in my house and on my property, then at an outdoor range I tested the buckshot brands at each distance and with both chokes.
17 feet - Top of stairs to front door / rear-most retreat in bedroom to other side of bedroom door.
24 feet - Kitchen to front door / the navigable width of my house.
35 feet - The longest shot I can take inside of my house.
40 feet - Outside - Front door to rear of my car in my driveway
65 feet - Outside - Garage door to the mailbox, where my nextdoor neighbors conduct drug traffic
88 feet - Outside - Longest diagonal distance in my back yard.
The Conclusions of the Tests:
At indoor distances, your choke doesn't matter and the brand doesn't matter. All pellets will remain within an 8 1/2 x 11 area. But, if the inside of your house is bigger than my yard then you will have to be judicious about the load; or just use an AR.
17 feet - Inside - All loads / brands tight no matter what load or choke
24 feet - Inside - All loads / brands tight no matter what load or choke
35 feet - Inside - B&P beginning to fall below the others but still passes muster
40 feet - Outside - Farthest distance where all buckshot / any choke passes muster.
65 feet - Outside - Federal Flite produces five inch patterns, others "all over the place"
88 feet - Outside - Federal Flite keeps all pellets on 8 1/2 x 11 any choke.
Best and Worst Buckshot Tested:
Federal Flite control is the tightest by more than a double margin. Winchester Super X was also a winner; being very inexpensive and available anywhere it performed well and I think it the best of the "cheap buckshot". Winchester Defender copper plated was the biggest loser of the day as it represents the least value for the dollar. It costs a premium price but was second from the bottom in performance, plus I had two faillures to eject from Winchester Defender which did not happen on any other load or any other brand. B&P grouped the poorest by a small margin perhaps due to their weird plastic end cap; however, it is the most inexpensive so maybe the value is on par?
Questions I had, now answered:
(1) Does choke matter at in-house distances? No. Up to 40 feet, all pellets were on 8 1/2 x 11 regardless of choke. I was actually suprised at how little difference the choke made. Also, no two shots were exactly the same meaning that you can shoot 10 times and get 10 different patterns. On some shots it might pattern tighter with Cylinder Bore than Modified though the party line is that's not supposed to happen. Another thing, if you have to use a tape measurer to differentiate between your Modified and Cylinder Bore results, not being able to tell just by looking at it; then as far as I'm concerned they are the same. IMHO too much theory distorts one's ability to appreciate reality.
(2) Does the cost or quality of buckshot matter at in-house distances? No. All buckshot stayed within 8 1/2 by 11 up to about 40 feet, all falling into the same acceptable spread, keeping within my standard.
(3) Does Federal Flite Control do better with Cylinder Bore than with Modified Choke? Maybe, but not alot. A cliche I've heard many times on the 'net is that Federal Flite Control is made for Cylinder Bore and does much better with Cylinder Bore. With the testing I did, I'd call that "mostly false". I was able to produce slight differences between Modified and Cylinder Bore, barely perceptible and not always reproducable. Federal Flite is just straight up great so don't overthink the choke.
(4) Can I step outside with buckshot and remain effective at yard distances? Yes and no. No if it's anything other than Federal Flite, but with Federal Flite I can engage targets at the farthest reach of my property with the same effectiveness as with cheaper buckshot at close range. That said, if I ever forced to step outside (to intervene for a family member being attacked, not to look for trouble) I'd prefer an AR.
So, I said all that to say this ....
All buckshot has very close to the same performance. If the shotgun is for the house and the rifle for outside then it doesn't matter what you feed the shotty it's going to get the job done and the pellets will land where you intend, every one of them. Somebody says "You need a backstop if you use a shotgun inside the house." Yes indeed, and that "backstop" is called "the perp" and all of your pellets will score on that backstop, sparing your walls but not sparing your carpet.
Beyond 40 feet there is only one buckshot that I'd trust: Federal Flite Control. Maybe if you go outside then it's time for the rifle, but who knows what could happen in chaos or what you'd have so it's good to know how far your tools will reach, what they can and can't. There is no distance on my property that I cannot address with Federal Flite buckshot. I'm glad that I tested and found out what I can expect from my Benelli should it ever be called upon to save life.
Disclaimer:
I'm not associated in any way with any brand or manufacturer mentioned. I have no association to any of the businesses or websites to which I've linked. The links are only so, if interested, one can see get a visual on the ammunitions in questions, what the boxes look like, shell length, velocity, et cetera.
Finally, because a photo is almost obligatory, here's the Benelli at it's duty station; a makeshift stand at my bedside. Looks comical but works great.
It would be pointless to post the full collection of target results, but here's two of them just for a visual:
I also posted this ammo test on DefensiveCarry.com.
FWIW
