Shotgun Ammo

Target & Clay Shooting Ammunition

Federal Top Gun: Economical target loads for high-volume clay shooting. Available in 12 gauge (1-1/8 oz at 1,200 fps) and 20 gauge (7/8 oz at 1,200 fps) with #7.5 or #8 shot. Clean-burning powders reduce fouling. Excellent for trap, skeet, and sporting clays practice.

Winchester AA: Premium target ammunition used in competition worldwide. Legendary AA wad design delivers consistent patterns and reduced recoil. Available in 12 gauge (1-1/8 oz, 1 oz) and 20 gauge (7/8 oz) with #7.5, #8, or #9 shot. Preferred by competitive shooters.

Remington Gun Club: Mid-tier target loads balancing performance and value. Available in 12 gauge and 20 gauge with #7.5 or #8 shot. Consistent velocities and reliable patterns.

Fiocchi Target Loads: Italian-manufactured ammunition offering excellent quality at competitive prices. Available in 12 gauge, 20 gauge, and .410 bore. Popular with sporting clays shooters.

Hunting Shotgun Ammunition

Upland Game Loads: For pheasants, quail, grouse, and upland birds. Federal Game Load and Winchester Super-X offer economical performance with #6 or #7.5 shot. For larger birds like pheasants, #5 or #6 shot (12 gauge 1-1/4 oz at 1,330 fps) provides adequate energy to 40 yards.

Waterfowl Ammunition: Federal law requires non-toxic shot for waterfowl. Steel shot is most economical non-toxic option. Federal Speed-Shok (12 gauge 1-1/4 oz of #2 or #3 steel at 1,450 fps) provides adequate energy for ducks and geese. Winchester Xpert offers similar performance. Federal Black Cloud uses FliteControl Flex wad for tighter patterns. Shot size: #2 or #3 steel for ducks, BB or BBB for geese.

Turkey Loads: Turkey hunting demands tight patterns and maximum pellet energy. Federal Premium Heavyweight TSS (Tungsten Super Shot) delivers devastating performance with #7, #8, or #9 shot to 60+ yards. Winchester Long Beard XR uses Shot-Lok technology. Remington Nitro Turkey features copper-plated lead shot.

Defensive Shotgun Ammunition

00 Buckshot: Law enforcement and home defense standard. 00 (double-aught) buckshot fires 8-9 pellets of .33 inch diameter. Federal FliteControl 00 Buck (12 gauge 8-pellet at 1,145 fps) uses FliteControl wad for extremely tight patterns—all pellets on target to 25+ yards. Hornady Critical Defense 00 Buck features Versatite wad for reduced recoil. Winchester PDX1 Defender combines 00 buckshot with slug.

#1 Buckshot: Fires 16 pellets of .30 inch diameter. More pellets than 00 buck with adequate penetration. Federal FliteControl #1 Buck delivers tight patterns with reduced recoil. Excellent for home defense when over-penetration is a concern.

#4 Buckshot: Fires 27 pellets of .24 inch diameter. Dense patterns with reduced penetration compared to 00 or #1 buck. Adequate for home defense within typical engagement distances (7-15 yards).

Deer Hunting Slugs

Rifled Slugs: Designed for smooth bore shotguns. Feature spiral grooves for stabilization. Federal Power-Shok (1 oz at 1,610 fps) delivers reliable accuracy to 75 yards. Remington Slugger (1 oz at 1,560 fps) is best-selling slug in America. Work in smooth bore and rifled barrels but achieve best accuracy in smooth bores. Effective range 50-100 yards.

Sabot Slugs: Designed exclusively for rifled barrels. Use plastic sabot that falls away after leaving barrel. Federal Trophy Copper (5/8 oz copper slug at 1,900 fps) delivers 100% weight retention with rifle accuracy to 200+ yards. Hornady SST (300gr polymer-tipped slug at 2,000 fps) features SST bullet technology. Winchester Dual Bond (375gr bonded slug at 1,900 fps) provides deep penetration. Require rifled barrels and deliver 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards. Effective range 150-200+ yards.

FAQ

Q: What shot size for trap vs. skeet?
A: Trap shooters typically use #7.5 or #8 shot with 1-1/8 oz loads. Skeet shooters prefer #8 or #9 shot with 1-1/8 oz loads for dense patterns at close range (21 yards maximum).

Q: Can I use steel shot in my older shotgun?
A: Steel shot is harder than lead and can damage barrels not designed for it. Modern shotguns (post-1985) are generally steel-safe, but verify with manufacturer. Use bismuth or tungsten alternatives in older guns.

Q: What's the difference between rifled slugs and sabot slugs?
A: Rifled slugs are for smooth bore barrels, accurate to 75-100 yards. Sabot slugs require rifled barrels and achieve rifle-like accuracy to 200+ yards. Sabot slugs cost 2-3x more but are significantly more accurate.

Q: Is 00 buckshot too powerful for home defense?
A: 00 buckshot is highly effective but does penetrate multiple interior walls. Federal FliteControl 00 Buck reduces pattern spread, keeping all pellets on target. For reduced penetration, consider #1 or #4 buckshot.

Q: Can I use 3 inch shells in my 2-3/4 inch shotgun?
A: No. Never fire ammunition longer than your shotgun's chamber length. Firing 3 inch shells in 2-3/4 inch chambers causes dangerous pressure spikes. Always verify chamber length before purchasing ammunition.