Saint Barbs Bullets offers complete shotgun ammunition for clay sports, upland hunting, waterfowl, home defense, and deer hunting. We stock 12 gauge, 20 gauge, and .410 bore shells from Federal, Winchester, Remington, Fiocchi, and Hornady including target loads with #7.5 and #8 birdshot for trap and skeet, hunting loads with #4-#6 shot for pheasants and upland birds, steel shot for waterfowl, tactical buckshot in #00 and #1 for home defense, and rifled slugs plus sabot slugs for deer hunting.
Shot size selection is critical: #8 shot excels at close-range clays with dense patterns, #7.5 is standard for trap and skeet, #6 handles sporting clays and dove hunting, #5 provides energy for pheasants and larger upland game, while #4 steel shot is ideal for ducks. For defense, #00 buckshot (9 pellets) is the law enforcement standard. For deer hunting, rifled slugs work in smooth bores while sabot slugs deliver rifle-like accuracy in rifled barrels. Bulk ammunition and free shipping available.
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.
