OneStarTx 0 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I've been shooting Nobel Sport 00 buck out of my saiga, it feeds and functions great. I paid about $150 for 250 rounds of the stuff. Federal Tactical is about $40 more per 250. Convince me why its better to pay more $$ Does Federal pattern better ? Is it a matter of shelf life ? Twenty years from now will the powder in expensive loads hold up better ? Is it reliability ? No failures so far on cheap stuff. I'm not saying I'm too cheap to buy good stuff for a rainy day, I'd just like some more knowledgeable minds to school me on this subject ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I would say its kinda like levis or gucci... You are paying more for the name... I cant imagine the more expensive will shoot any better ( although it MIGHT... but not a guarantee...) or hold up in the long run better... I shoot the cheapest stuff I can... no worries! you are fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mstranglr 9 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Just like with any self defense firearm; you train and plink with the cheapest stuff you can find that functions well in the gun. Then you load your self defense magazines (your go-to bump in the night mags) with the best you can afford. I train with noble, Wolf, and sometimes even the cheapest birdshot I can find. But for Home defense, I load Hornady TAP 00 because it patterns the best in my gun. If Noble cycles reliably in your gun, buy that stuff and shoot more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SOPMOD 254 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) Buffered shot patterns tighter,fancy wads pattern tighter and disturb the shot less allowing to fly faster longer due to less deformation induced turbulence. All of this being said the ranges I use a shotgun at none of this matters,if you are trying to use a shotgun as a primary then some of this will matter to you in actual defensive training and encounters. The fanciest,best flying,best patterning 12ga buckshot load still can't penetrate the sheetmetal of a dinky playground slide at 25 yards so it is essentially just "something to sweep the porch off with" IMHO. Edited February 2, 2009 by SOPMOD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OneStarTx 0 Posted February 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Interesting responses, gives me some things to consider. Desert Dog, if I'm reading you right, it may be that Federal Tactical is "the cheap stuff" ? If thats the case maybe I should be stocking up on the cheaper cheap stuff, and spending some real money on some of the higher dollar/ higher performance stuff ? Sopmod and Indyarms, sounds like the concensus is cheap stuff, for close range, and Sopmod for picking a good rifle for everything else. I've got my budget building for a PTR 91 MBR. Maybe instead of dumping a ton of $ into loaded shot, I should go with 500 or so loads of 00 buck, and spend the rest on reloading equipment ? (I'd like 1,000 rounds for every gun) Financially, how much better off will I be reloading ? Or is it more of a performance thing with reloads? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mstranglr 9 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Buffered shot patterns tighter,fancy wads pattern tighter and disturb the shot less allowing to fly faster longer due to less deformation induced turbulence. All of this being said the ranges I use a shotgun at none of this matters,if you are trying to use a shotgun as a primary then some of this will matter to you in actual defensive training and encounters. The fanciest,best flying,best patterning 12ga buckshot load still can't penetrate the sheetmetal of a dinky playground slide at 25 yards so it is essentially just "something to sweep the porch off with" IMHO. At 5 yards patterning will not matter much, as all spreads will be from 2-6" in that range. But let me give you my real-life scenario and observation; There is 20 yards of open space between my living room sofa to my front door. There are several scenarios in my home, yard, and side of my house (where a burglar actually tried to break in) where 15-25 yard shots may be taken. At 20 yards, TAP 00 patterns 9" out of my 18"BBL 870 cylinder bore. At 20 yards, Noble 00 patterns 17" out of the same gun - with several flyers off of the paper completely. If I took that shot across my living room with noble 00, I would probably NOT stop an intruder. So why would I recommend that for self defense? Not patterning your shotgun with different ammo, and not knowing the distances that it might be used is a huge mistake on your part. I have not met one firearms instructor that would recommend poorly patterning buckshot for home defense. 00 buckshot will not penetrate a playground slide at 25 yards??? I also think that you underestimate 00 buckshot penetration, many people do. I frequently shoot into cars and sea-vans at that distance with no problem - try it and see for yourself. Ill make a video for you if you do not believe. Most people do not even realize that 00 buck penetrates more than a slug! 22" in ballistics gel compared to 17" for the foster type slug. BigTexas, If you took my post as saying "Federal Tactical is the cheap stuff", you read wrong. I'm saying that Noble is the cheap stuff - train and shoot the hell out of it. Keep the good stuff (what patterns best in your gun) in the safe with your gun to use if your life depends on it. Just like with a pistol, train with cheap FMJ, but keep the expensive hollow points in the safe for when your life depends on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Twinsen 86 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 It's all for work inside of 200 yards anyway. Find the load that you like best that you can afford, and use it. And make sure you have slugs on hand for those times you want to shoot through a rhino and into the elephant on the other side. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 I reload my own using shot that I cast... (I sell the shot pretty cheap). So assuming that I pay .156 a shell for shot (thats the price of 50lbs shipped then divided to reflect the cost per round). And in the past my math said I paid .06-.08 a shell for the wad, powder and primer. So it's .216-.236 per shell. Meaning about 59.00 per 250 Beat that! I might mention that I have to this day NEVER had a dud with any shot shell I have used.. I have shot thousands and never one that did not go bang. So cheap or not it will probably work just fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pdbh171 0 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 csspecs Posted Today, 05:27 PM "I reload my own using shot that I cast... (I sell the shot pretty cheap)." csspecs, would you share your process for making shot. I have heard of a "drip method" into water for making bird shot. Please share. I mold slugs and I have a .69 round ball mold, but anything smaller and I would like to have a "system". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 I use a 20 gang mold for casting the 00 buck. Made a shear that will cut them faster than the hand snipper that I used early on. The Molds are hard to find right now, best bet right now is getting a lee round ball mold in .33 caliber but thats really slow. As for dripping shot I use pure antifreeze and have a little shot dripper that will make a mix of sizes from rat shot to small buck. But it has small tails or little pucker marks on it, I use it and love it but would not think to sell it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Buckshotrobert 0 Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Sharp shooters buck shot mold go to there web site thats what i use Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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