Performance Shotgun with Erik Lund

[jlw]

link to review

"Every shotgun is a snowflake." --Erik Lund

[ranger]

I have taken that shotgun class from Erik previously and thoroughly enjoyed the class. I also took Eric's one day pistol class and one day carbine class. I like the one day format and I enjoy his classes.

[SeriousStudent]

Interesting AAR, Chief. I like your point about the ammo carriers and potential for issues.

That remark about snowflakes and patterning is a keeper, I'm borrowing that with attribute.

[Wheeler]

Interesting AAR, Chief. I like your point about the ammo carriers and potential for issues.

That remark about snowflakes and patterning is a keeper, I'm borrowing that with attribute.

For some reason, students of defensive or combat shotgun overlook the patterning of various shotguns even with the same ammo. I personally never gave it much thought until I started shooting sporting clays and swapped guns.

[SeriousStudent]

For some reason, students of defensive or combat shotgun overlook the patterning of various shotguns even with the same ammo. I personally never gave it much thought until I started shooting sporting clays and swapped guns.

Agreed, and it baffles me. I think it goes back to the "Cone of Death" myth, just aim it someplace in the same room, and the opponent will be vaporized.

I've had real good luck in all three of my defensive shotguns with the aforementioned Federal Flite-Control 8-pellet 00 Buck, and the Federal Tru-Ball Deep Penetrator Slugs. Both loads pattern consistently, at nearly the same ranges. My Winchester Model 12 does seem to be a wee bit tighter than the 870 Police Magnums, though. I can get about 2 more yards out of the 00 buck with it.

[jlw]

My beloved old 870P does really well with Remington 8-pellet 00 buck. It currently has a modified choke. Erik and Todd mentioned that when shot through the tighter chokes they have seen the Flight Control stuff actually open up. The Flight Control stuff worked well in the 590 that I ran in the class; so, I may switch out the chokes in my 870P and see it likes it. I'd like to be able to run the same load in both guns.

Oddly, my 870P came with a cylinder bore barrel, but I had it threaded while at a 40-hour shotgun course to improve the pattern with the issued buckshot, and it worked.

[Wheeler]

My beloved old 870P does really well with Remington 8-pellet 00 buck. It currently has a modified choke. Erik and Todd mentioned that when shot through the tighter chokes they have seen the Flight Control stuff actually open up. The Flight Control stuff worked well in the 590 that I ran in the class; so, I may switch out the chokes in my 870P and see it likes it. I'd like to be able to run the same load in both guns.

Oddly, my 870P came with a cylinder bore barrel, but I had it threaded while at a 40-hour shotgun course to improve the pattern with the issued buckshot, and it worked.

I talked to some mutual acquaintances about why "cop shotguns" were usually cylinder bore. I got a look like I was stupid and was told it was so the pattern would open up more and they'd have a better chance of hitting the bad guy. That made sense from the time lawmen carried shotguns up until the 1960's or so. In today's litigious society it's a bad idea for cops and private citizens. I'm guessing its a holdover from a time honored tradition and making the choke tighter to keepcthecpattern tighter sort of defeats the idea of having a shotgun at all. That's a whole other conversation though.

I like SeriousStudent's "Cone Of Death". That right there pretty much describes most folk's thoughts of how a shotgun works.

[SamuelBLong]

My beloved old 870P does really well with Remington 8-pellet 00 buck. It currently has a modified choke. Erik and Todd mentioned that when shot through the tighter chokes they have seen the Flight Control stuff actually open up. The Flight Control stuff worked well in the 590 that I ran in the class; so, I may switch out the chokes in my 870P and see it likes it. I'd like to be able to run the same load in both guns.

Interesting. I saw the opposite with my Benelli M1 in my own testing last year. A modified or light modified choke holds the 00 FC Buck in an 8 - 9 " circle out to 35 yds for me, and only 25 or so with the open choke. Slugs shot more accurately as well.

I have active shooter training coming up soon. Our Lt. is a big fan of shotguns vs carbines in that role. I'll experiment again soon to see if I have the same results.

[jlw]

Interesting. I saw the opposite with my Benelli M1 in my own testing last year. A modified or light modified choke holds the 00 FC Buck in an 8 - 9 " circle out to 35 yds for me, and only 25 or so with the open choke. Slugs shot more accurately as well.

I have active shooter training coming up soon. Our Lt. is a big fan of shotguns vs carbines in that role. I'll experiment again soon to see if I have the same results.

Thanks for the info. I'll test with my current choke prior to ordering anything else. One other hand, the current barrel hates slugs. At 50 yards. I consider it strictly a buckshot platform.

[Dave Williams]

I have active shooter training coming up soon. Our Lt. is a big fan of shotguns vs carbines in that role.

Fan of shotguns for active shooter scenarios?