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Thread: 00 Flitecontrol - bad pattern

  1. #11
    Got out to the range again today with my 870P, 18.5" unported IC barrel. Tried out some Federal Law Enforcement #1 buckshot w/ Flitecontrol wad

    15yd pattern on a standard size IDPA/IPSC repair center target . Lot # 5V-02PG123. This is a wider pattern than Remington's 8-pellet 00 buck that has no flite control wad.
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    Recovered wad #1. Does not seem like it opened up correctly
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    Recovered wad #2
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    Wonder if this is something I should bring to federal's attention?
    Last edited by shootist26; 12-20-2016 at 06:44 PM.

  2. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    South Central Us
    No Benelli I ever used it in worked well with it. I used it in M4's though. It did horrible. Same load from a mossy would keep all the lead inside a basketball at nearly 50 yards. I never was a fan of it though. Erratic performer. I use(d) Ranger HD and loved it. Super predictable, and very hard lead.

  3. #13
    I believe the "petals" are on the rear portion of the wad. They create drag (much like feathers on an arrow) that slowly pulls the wad cup away from the shot column. There are also some air brake type of flaps on the forward portion of the shot cup that also create drag and help the wad separate. The mangled petals might have been created after the wad and shot separated, and the wad impacted the target or dirt base forward. I haven't shot lots of flite control, had have had a few weird patterns (vertical stringing o target) so one might imagine the wad not separating cleanly from the shot from time to time, but most of my patterns from my 870 and Moss. 590 have been crazy tight, as advertised. I imagine the wad works best with cylinder barrels, chokes could grab the wad a bit and create more of the crazy patterns I mentioned. All my barrels are cylinder.

  4. #14
    quick update:
    I sent three boxes of LE132-1B back to Federal to take a look at. They told me that Flight control spec is to fire 5 rounds with a total allowed group size of 15" max @ 25 yards. They tested my ammo and it did not have a problem meeting this requirement, even though it patterns worse than the Remington 8-pellet 00 load out of my barrel. Federal was nice enough to enclose a $20 check for the ammo I sent them.

    This shotgun is an indoors shotgun, so I may stay with the #1 buck.

  5. #15
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Brooklyn NY
    You may wish to try Tom Givens' solution to a bad patterning 870.
    In the shotgun classes I took with him, he suggests that you buy a new 870 barrel
    and sell your old barrel at a gun show. He says some barrels are just worse
    than others, and that is what gun shows are for (not for buying other peoples useless crap).
    "To achieve any significant technological breakthrough, much Derp must be endured." -Rich@CCC
    "Your shotgun is running a bit frenetic, you should add some lavender to your lubricant, that should calm it down." -Aray, Oils and Lotions SME


  6. #16
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    OKC
    Quote Originally Posted by ASH556 View Post
    Wow, that's very interesting...in a bad way. I use the #1 Flitecontrol load and out of my 18.5" Benelli Cylinder barrel I get groups like this at 25yds:

    This is about what my M2 with cylinder choke does, out to 30 yards. I have a friend with an 870 and cylinder choke that is even tighter. One of our local shotgun guys told me he would expect the 870 in general to have tighter patterns because the Benelli barrels have a bit of backbore.

  7. #17
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    PA
    Quote Originally Posted by nycnoob View Post
    You may wish to try Tom Givens' solution to a bad patterning 870.
    In the shotgun classes I took with him, he suggests that you buy a new 870 barrel
    and sell your old barrel at a gun show. He says some barrels are just worse
    than others, and that is what gun shows are for (not for buying other peoples useless crap).
    If I remember correctly Tom also mentioned that one should choose the 8 pellet 00 buck load over the 9 pellet load. The 9 pellet was reported to often throw 1 pellet. I think he called it "8 pellet and 1 flier".

  8. #18
    Been doing some pattern testing with #1 Buck FC, 00 buck FC 8 pellet, and 00 buck FC 9 pellet. 1 Mossberg 590 20" barrel, 1 Mossberg 590A1 18", and 1 Rem. 870 18" IC barrel with XS sights. I have found in all 3 shotguns, #1 buck and the 00 8 pellet load are by far the tightest, sub 2" patterns at 15 yards pretty consistently. The 9 pellet 00 load opens up to 2-3" at 15 yards. Point of impact for pattern and Brenneke HD Tactical slugs pretty much the same at 15-25 yards. I assume that the pattern variations are due to how the pellets are packed into the shot cup, and how that arrangement effects pellet deformation during launching, with the 9 pellet load having the worst arrangement in the cup, and #1 and 8 pellet 00 the best.

  9. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by shootist26 View Post
    Don't know the lot number of mine. But they were purchased in 2012 or so.
    You might try picking up a box of brand new ammo before you go too far down the rabbit hole. I don't remember the details, but seem to recall Dagga Boy say that shotgun shells have a short shelf life. Like a year or two.
    David S.

  10. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by David S. View Post
    You might try picking up a box of brand new ammo before you go too far down the rabbit hole. I don't remember the details, but seem to recall Dagga Boy say that shotgun shells have a short shelf life. Like a year or two.
    I bought a case of the old Federal H132 00 in 1999. Gone through 100 rounds or so last month, and it seems to work just fine. YMMV

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