Basic Load of 12 ga?

[Butzbach 1]

Folks,

 

 

 

What should be a good basic load for 12ga. Any recommendations? Do any combat veterans have any rules of thumb? I bought a case of 250 rds of #4 buck this weekend. I know that's too much LOL! Had to buy a medium ALICE just to get it to my car.

 

 

 

Enquiring minds want to know.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Butzbach

[WOLFSBLOOD 0]

It all depends on what kind of 12. Stock S12? What kind of action and gas work? A pretty safe bet is any kind of mid to high grade turkey load.

[WOLFSBLOOD 0]

Also, what you're shooting? Hunting? Clays? Range? All can have an effect on what kind of load you should run.

[BuffetDestroyer 969]

For home defense, I like #4 buckshot with 34 pellets. OO buckshot is the military and police standard.

 

Stay away from birdshot for defense. Past 15 feet, you won't reliably get enough penetration to hit vitals on two legged intruders.

Edited June 8, 2011 by BuffetDestroyer

[Butzbach 1]

For home defense, I like #4 buckshot with 34 pellets. OO buckshot is the military and police standard.

 

Stay away from birdshot for defense. Past 15 feet, you won't reliably get enough penetration to hit vitals on two legged intruders.

 

 

Folks,

 

 

I should have explained. A Basic Load is the minimum number of rounds of ammunition that an infantryman carries into battle. Thanks for you replies.

[Scott Kenny 144]

For military watchstanding, we had 12 rounds of buckshot with a Mossberg 500. That's on our person, not what was sitting in the small arms locker. Figure 2-3 full magazines (equivalent) for walking around. Mind you, the typical grunt in the sandbox is carrying up to 600 rounds of rifle, or about 20 full magazines on him with another 5-6000 rounds in the transport. That's probably excessive for anyone not in a free-fire zone, though.

 

For a reality check, I only have 2, 10-round magazines for my PSL, and am only allowed 3 rounds in each for hunting. Not that Mr. Bear cares what the regs are, and I will freely admit to planning on taking a magazine loaded with 2 rounds of 150gr SPs, 5 rounds of czech silvertips, and 3 more softpoints. The 3 softpoints are for hunting, while the 5 silvertips and 2 more softpoints are for keeping a wounded bear from eating me, and I will happily pay the fine if Mr. Ranger makes an issue of my magazine loadout.

 

I think the ammo requirement for the MGM Ironman 3-gun match is 90+ slug, 100+ buckshot, and 250+ #6 shot. And that's if you don't miss anything!

 

I would consider a good, basic ammo supply to be the Ironman loadout, but the #6 shot could be interchanged for something a little more optimized for hunting if that's what you do. If you want some nice 'apartment loads', I'd get either #6 shot or shockshot. 1 1/8oz #6 is a lot cheaper, but shockshot is frangible.

[ChileRelleno 7,071]

Who, what, where and how are you planning to defend?

Are you going to be defending your property's perimeter, hunkering in the house or roaming with the possibility of being away from resupply?

 

A good basic load out, is whatever you can reasonably carry and easily access, your gear defines the reasonable limits.

 

My plans are to Bug-In, so I'm all about in hunkering down in the house or staying inside my property lines.

With the recent addition of a nice belt mag/dump pouch, I'm setup to carry three ten (10) round mags of 00 buck, one in the gun and two stowed.

Simple setup, grab the gun, insert mag, clip pouch on belt.

In a pinch I could throw another pouch with a MD20 over a shoulder, for a total 50 rounds.

 

But if I need the full 30 rds, much less 50rds, of 12g, I need my rifle instead.

..........................................

 

For regular HD, my standard is a 5rd mag of #4 buck, and stuffing a 8-10 rd mag in a pocket or waistband.

My S12 always has a the 5rd in it and the bolt back, very simple SOP, remove chamber flag, rack it, safety off, ready to go.

Edited June 9, 2011 by ChileRelleno

[MT Predator 2,294]

A S12 loadout isn't going to compare in round count to a Military Carbine loadout simply because of weight. If you are preparing for waves of zombies, buy more mags, drums, and ammo. If you are preparing for a home intruder, a couple of 5 Rounders with some Buck should suffice unless you are a bad shot. Weird question. Sounds like you are going on patrol or something.

[BpS12 512]

My tac vest is set up to run either my S12 or the RPK I hope to get this weekend.

 

Anyway, for the S12 I have a 12rnd drum in gun, four 5rnd and two 8rnd mags on the vest and six 10rnd mags in a modified molle mag pouch on a shoulder strap(just in case, lol). The shoulder pouch is great for "grab'n'go" as well.

 

That gives me 108rnds loaded. Plus 5 specialty rounds in a side saddle on the gun. I tend to run 00buck in the 10rndrs(less mag swaps for close range activitly) and slugs in the 5s and 8s for longer range(more time to mag swap).

 

Oh, and 2-3slugs, followed by 00buck in the drum.

Edited June 10, 2011 by BpS12

[t3mac21 1]

Oh sweet! A fantasy thread!

[Ruffian72 548]

Ok, 28 years ago I was issued/carried a Mossberg 500 in the Corps while in Central America. Around base or guard, short security patrol, weapon loaded, 5 in stock holder, and a 25 rd bandoler. While on convoy or other longer range duties, added a second bandoler. Poncho Via style We still wore steel pots and flack vest back then.

Edited June 10, 2011 by Ruffian72

[Butzbach 1]

Who, what, where and how are you planning to defend?

Are you going to be defending your property's perimeter, hunkering in the house or roaming with the possibility of being away from resupply?

 

A good basic load out, is whatever you can reasonably carry and easily access, your gear defines the reasonable limits.

 

My plans are to Bug-In, so I'm all about in hunkering down in the house or staying inside my property lines.

With the recent addition of a nice belt mag/dump pouch, I'm setup to carry three ten (10) round mags of 00 buck, one in the gun and two stowed.

Simple setup, grab the gun, insert mag, clip pouch on belt.

In a pinch I could throw another pouch with a MD20 over a shoulder, for a total 50 rounds.

 

But if I need the full 30 rds, much less 50rds, of 12g, I need my rifle instead.

..........................................

 

For regular HD, my standard is a 5rd mag of #4 buck, and stuffing a 8-10 rd mag in a pocket or waistband.

My S12 always has a the 5rd in it and the bolt back, very simple SOP, remove chamber flag, rack it, safety off, ready to go.

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts. BTW there is a widely distributed picture of Kalishnikov shaking hands wtih Eugene Stoner.

[Butzbach 1]

My tac vest is set up to run either my S12 or the RPK I hope to get this weekend.

 

Anyway, for the S12 I have a 12rnd drum in gun, four 5rnd and two 8rnd mags on the vest and six 10rnd mags in a modified molle mag pouch on a shoulder strap(just in case, lol). The shoulder pouch is great for "grab'n'go" as well.

 

That gives me 108rnds loaded. Plus 5 specialty rounds in a side saddle on the gun. I tend to run 00buck in the 10rndrs(less mag swaps for close range activitly) and slugs in the 5s and 8s for longer range(more time to mag swap).

 

Oh, and 2-3slugs, followed by 00buck in the drum.

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts! Especially thankful for the 108 round total.

 

 

 

I am thinking I would start with the drum and then go to 8 round mags. Which do you like better from a handling point of view the 8 or 10 rd? The ten appears to be too long to me but I have no direct experience. I figure if we could win WWII with an 8 rd battle rifle 8 should be enough LOL!

 

 

BTW will flares function the action?

[Butzbach 1]

For military watchstanding, we had 12 rounds of buckshot with a Mossberg 500. That's on our person, not what was sitting in the small arms locker. Figure 2-3 full magazines (equivalent) for walking around. Mind you, the typical grunt in the sandbox is carrying up to 600 rounds of rifle, or about 20 full magazines on him with another 5-6000 rounds in the transport. That's probably excessive for anyone not in a free-fire zone, though.

 

For a reality check, I only have 2, 10-round magazines for my PSL, and am only allowed 3 rounds in each for hunting. Not that Mr. Bear cares what the regs are, and I will freely admit to planning on taking a magazine loaded with 2 rounds of 150gr SPs, 5 rounds of czech silvertips, and 3 more softpoints. The 3 softpoints are for hunting, while the 5 silvertips and 2 more softpoints are for keeping a wounded bear from eating me, and I will happily pay the fine if Mr. Ranger makes an issue of my magazine loadout.

 

I think the ammo requirement for the MGM Ironman 3-gun match is 90+ slug, 100+ buckshot, and 250+ #6 shot. And that's if you don't miss anything!

 

I would consider a good, basic ammo supply to be the Ironman loadout, but the #6 shot could be interchanged for something a little more optimized for hunting if that's what you do. If you want some nice 'apartment loads', I'd get either #6 shot or shockshot. 1 1/8oz #6 is a lot cheaper, but shockshot is frangible.

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts. I am right at 160 rds of .308 for my load out. That's all I can manage these days. If my boys are with me when the balloon goes up I'll let them hump some for me! Thanks for the info on the Ironman.

[Butzbach 1]

Ok, 28 years ago I was issued/carried a Mossberg 500 in the Corps while in Central America. Around base or guard, short security patrol, weapon loaded, 5 in stock holder, and a 25 rd bandoler. While on convoy or other longer range duties, added a second bandoler. Poncho Via style We still wore steel pots and flack vest back then.

 

 

Thanks for your thoughts and your service. I have my ammo stored in bandos in ammo cans. I had classmates who went into Grenada.

[BpS12 512]

The 5s and 8s are much more managable then the 10s but I have the AGP 10s, which are a bit shorter than the Surefire 10s(why I have the two 8rndrs, lol). If you're running a .308 as well, I'd look into SBSing/Bullpuping your S12 and divide your rig accordingly. No point lugging big ol slugs when you can have a bunch of .308 for those jobs. Also you might wanna get into 3gun compatition for the practice. One of my goals for end of the year/first of next.

 

I was in AIT at FT McClellen AL when Greneda went down. A week later, on night manauvers, we were bunched in a dark shed with a map on the wall and told the Gulf Coast had been invaded. We were just behind the front lines and had to run ammo up. Talk about able to hear a pin drop. Greneda was the ONLY news we'd had in a couple months. But the bricks in the ammo cans gave it away, lol. Fun times