Hornady Black 00 buck 8pellet

[Risto]

I posted this in the 1301 thread… probably should have put it here:

Really enjoying my new 1301. Completely stock.

Still breaking it in and experimenting with different loads.

Found one today at the local sporting goods store: Hornady black 00 8 pellet. It’s not reduced recoil but it honestly wasn’t bad.



Here it is at 25 yards: Red is 9 pellet flight control. Black is the Hornady.



It wasn’t as tight as FC at 7 and 10 and 15 yards. But it was still very tight and pretty comparable.

I’m running out of FC and this may be a good available substitution. I’ll have to get some more and keep testing.

Thought this load may be useful to others here (I missed if already discussed). If you have experience with it please leave some feedback.

[BobM]

I’ve run the Hornady Critical Defense in my 1187. It’s also 1600 FPS and patterns very well. I’m not sure what is the difference in the two loads. The CD box indicates a Versa-Tite wad, the views I’ve seen of the Black load don’t show that.

[Risto]

I’ve run the Hornady Critical Defense in my 1187. It’s also 1600 FPS and patterns very well. I’m not sure what is the difference in the two loads. The CD box indicates a Versa-Tite wad, the views I’ve seen of the Black load don’t show that.

I’m not sure the difference either. I’m kinda wondering if it’s just a reimagining type thing with the fancy black box etc.

Anyhow, it’s readily available in stores around here from $13-15 bucks.

[AMC]

I believe the Versa Tite wad (basically a slightly modified Flite Control inverted wad) is only used in the Critical Defense/Critical Duty loads. We experimented with it as an alternative to Flite Control for availability. It was not price competitive, and the 8 pellet Flite Control significantly outperformed the Hornady beyond 25 yards. We're currently stuck with the 9 Pellet Max Flite Control load to reliably cycle our old, broke Beretta 1201s.

[Erick Gelhaus]

I've gone through a case of the Critical Duty Lt Magnum (red hulls) in my 1301 (minus a few rounds that I shot in an 870). No, it's not as tight as Fed FC but I'm quite happy with it in the 1301. I should pick up some of the Black and see if there's a difference.

[Duces Tecum]

@Risto, that is a splendid illustration of the difference between 8 and 9 pellet loads. That flyer is a definite hostage-shot wake-up call.

Thank you.

Duces

[psalms144.1]

@Risto, that is a splendid illustration of the difference between 8 and 9 pellet loads. That flyer is a definite hostage-shot wake-up call.

Thank you.

Duces

FWIW, way back in the day when I was on an FBI TF and shot regularly with them, I was surprised to find that their shotgun qualification limited buckshot to 7 yards and closer. After years of shooting our short Mossbergs with general-issue 00 buck, I completely agree with that qualification. When we approach all shooting with the idea that every projectile leaves the barrel with a lawyer attached to it, shooting shot as anything past inside the room distances gets less and less applicable.

My agency's shotgun qual has us start shooting 00 buck (9 pellet) at 15 yards, and a surprisingly large number of shooters DON'T pass the qualification because they're "losing" too many pellets at that range.

[Risto]

Here is the response I got after inquiring to Hornady as to the differences between the Critical Defense and the Black loads:

“All of the performances are the same between these rounds. The big difference is the Critical Defense ammunition will have a flash suppressant in the powder to prevent a large muzzle flash that could blind the shooter in dark situations. Thanks”

[DDTSGM]

My agency's shotgun qual has us start shooting 00 buck (9 pellet) at 15 yards, and a surprisingly large number of shooters DON'T pass the qualification because they're "losing" too many pellets at that range.

We actually went the other way when we started using FC shells, too many marginal shotgunners were aceing our qual so we moved to a couple rounds at 25yards - even with FC, marginal hits on thew torso throw out a pellet or two at that range.

The bosses didn't know our motive for the change.

[LJP]

It is my preferred load out of my 870P SBS with fixed modified choke. The Versatite wad plays better with the choke than FFC does. I actually cut apart a BLACK and a Critical Defense shot shell a while back and wrote it up on my blog. I couldn’t detect any difference between the two shells, so a difference in the powder would make sense.