Last edited by NPV; 01-11-2020 at 09:15 PM.
Note what you are seeing there: 8 pellets close together with a 9th pellet way off by itself. The 9 pellet arrangement of 00 buckshot generally causes one pellet out of the 9 to be more deformed than the rest, which usually results in it flying considerably different than the other 8 pellets in the load. This is often referred to as the 9th pellet flyer, and it's a thing even with FFC.
The 8 pellet FC load through your gun will likely give you a pattern about the size you would get if you cut that wide 9th flyer out of the picture all together.
I've not found the Hornady loads with the Versa-Tite wads to pattern as well as FFC does. It's the same wad design but 9 out of 10 guns seem to run the Federal stuff better.
3/15/2016
I suspect that even with the FC/Versa-Tite wad with that many pellets slamming into one another the billiard ball effect is just too great to overcome.
I suspect that's why we haven't seen any more #1 FFC on the market and Federal has instead developed a split shot load made of 9 projectiles that split in half inside tissue.
3/15/2016
I took my Gen 1 1301 (bought used) to the range with me today to shoot it for the first time. All shots were fired freestyle with factory sights (no red dot).
2 3/4" 9 pellet 00 Fed FFC 7yds, 10yds, 15yds, 25yds
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2 3/4" Fed Truball Slug 2 headshots at 25 yds
3" 12 pellet 00 Fed FFC at 7yds, 15yds, 25yds
2 3/4" Hornady Critical Defense 7yds, 10yds, 15yds, 25yds (7 & 10 on 1 target, 15 & 25 on one target)
What choke is in the 1301?
Thanks to help from Adam at Aridus Industries, I’ve been doing a little 1301 sight analysis, being dissatisfied with the OEM system. I’m still wondering why so many manufacturers sell a Picatinny rail set up in front of a ghost ring sight, when co-witness is impossible (AFAIK) with available red dots mounted to the rail. I suppose you could have a quick release mount, but those have their own set of issues. Anyway, here goes:
From the OEM starting point we have, for those such as myself with a penchant for light weight to their defensive weaponry, the stock configuration. And to me, either the ghost ring or the Picatinny rail with attached red dot are usable, not both simultaneously.
Next up, the Aridus RMR CROM with a Holosun 507C in place of the equal footprint RMR (I like the circle feature on the Holosun sights). Notice not much of an increase in weight over the stock sight AND we gain a full co-witness and less extraneous “stuff” surrounding the ghost ring.
Comparing OEM with the Aridus RMR and Aimpoint CROM’s, you can see what’s extraneous and what’s not.
Off tracking a bit, I had considered a Viridian light/laser combo. I’m getting more skeptical of its ability to be used. Plus it weighs 4 ounces alone.
Current configuration with Holosun 507C. Although it has a 32 MOA outside ring, opposed to the 65 MOA ring of the larger 503, and I would prefer the larger ring, it has too many other redeeming qualities to dismiss.
Such as a much cleaner view. And remember the lighter weight. Oh, and a perfect co-witness. The 503 has its battery compartment below the sight as compared to the Holosun 403’s and the Aimpoints which have the battery mounted on the right side of the sight. Thus, the 503 sits just enough higher to allow a co-witness, but just barely.
The weight of the 503 on the Aimpoint CROM.
The 507C.
The 503C. Notice the battery compartment below the sight barrel.
A minor correction to a very informative post:
Actually, no. The 500 series has the option of a circle-dot reticle, while the 400 series has only a dot. Where the battery compartment is, is determined by the letter following the number. B and C models have the battery tray.
For further information on Holosun model nomenclature, I found this website very useful: https://optics-info.com/holosun-symb...m-r5-g5-u-t-l/
(Yes, Holosun's model labeling system is confusing and poorly explained. Which led me to do some googling and why I had the page linked above bookmarked.)