Unobtanium
12-18-2017, 11:04 AM
Federal alleges that the Truball loadings are roughly twice as accurate as their conventional slugs. For this test, I used my 18.5" Benelli Supernova Tactical with ghost-ring sights, a sandbag, and cardboard "shooting mat". I performed my test at 50 and 25 yards.
I used Federal TruBall LR and Federal Hydrashok LR loadings, and fired 3 5-shot groups of each. 2 groups at 50 yards, and 1 group at 25 yards. I alternated loadings, beginning with the Truball.
The first Truball group was fired at 50 yards, and measured edge to edge, 2.8", with the possibility that 1 round was off paper (group was near the edge of the target), or that 1 round went through the cluster of holes.
The second Truball group was fired at 50 yards, and measured, edge to edge, 3.5" with all holes clearly visible.
The first Hydrashok group was fired at 50 yards, and measured 7.6" edge to edge, with all shots accounted for.
The second Hydrashok group was fired at 50 yards, and measured 5.5", edge to edge, with all shots accounted for.
I moved to 25 yards.
The Truball group was fired at 25 yards, and measured 2.25" edge to edge, with the shots in such a cluster as only 4 distinct impacts could be discerned, but a VERY HIGH likelyhood exists that the 5th round passed through this cluster, as it was just right of the bull.
The Hydrashok group was fired at 25 yards, and measured 3.75" edge to edge, with all shots accounted for.
It is my opinion that the Truball loadings is EASILY capable of matching federal's accuracy claims, and that their estimation of its improvement over their pre-existing/conventional loading, is honest and accurate.
I would also note that these slugs go transonic at around 30-35 yards, yet the accuracy achieved at 25 yards extrapolates well at 50 yards, thereby indicating to me that the foster slug is very stable when going transonic, unlike many boat-tail rifle projectiles.
A final group with the Truballs was fired standing, off-hand at 25 yards. It was not measured, but I guestimate it at 3.5-4" E2E, and it is worth noting that this group was distributed evenly over the bull. All of my prone groups were to the right of the bull. I held the weapon firmly. The shotgun needs to be zeroed in the fashion it is to be shot. Weapon movement occurs when the slug is still traversing the barrel, and the position you take while firing the weapon has an impact on the effect this recoil takes on the slug as it does so. Keep this in mind when zeroing a slug gun and using it at 50+ yards.
I used Federal TruBall LR and Federal Hydrashok LR loadings, and fired 3 5-shot groups of each. 2 groups at 50 yards, and 1 group at 25 yards. I alternated loadings, beginning with the Truball.
The first Truball group was fired at 50 yards, and measured edge to edge, 2.8", with the possibility that 1 round was off paper (group was near the edge of the target), or that 1 round went through the cluster of holes.
The second Truball group was fired at 50 yards, and measured, edge to edge, 3.5" with all holes clearly visible.
The first Hydrashok group was fired at 50 yards, and measured 7.6" edge to edge, with all shots accounted for.
The second Hydrashok group was fired at 50 yards, and measured 5.5", edge to edge, with all shots accounted for.
I moved to 25 yards.
The Truball group was fired at 25 yards, and measured 2.25" edge to edge, with the shots in such a cluster as only 4 distinct impacts could be discerned, but a VERY HIGH likelyhood exists that the 5th round passed through this cluster, as it was just right of the bull.
The Hydrashok group was fired at 25 yards, and measured 3.75" edge to edge, with all shots accounted for.
It is my opinion that the Truball loadings is EASILY capable of matching federal's accuracy claims, and that their estimation of its improvement over their pre-existing/conventional loading, is honest and accurate.
I would also note that these slugs go transonic at around 30-35 yards, yet the accuracy achieved at 25 yards extrapolates well at 50 yards, thereby indicating to me that the foster slug is very stable when going transonic, unlike many boat-tail rifle projectiles.
A final group with the Truballs was fired standing, off-hand at 25 yards. It was not measured, but I guestimate it at 3.5-4" E2E, and it is worth noting that this group was distributed evenly over the bull. All of my prone groups were to the right of the bull. I held the weapon firmly. The shotgun needs to be zeroed in the fashion it is to be shot. Weapon movement occurs when the slug is still traversing the barrel, and the position you take while firing the weapon has an impact on the effect this recoil takes on the slug as it does so. Keep this in mind when zeroing a slug gun and using it at 50+ yards.