"Large" flite control 00 buck pattern

[jbdesigns]

Just thinking to myself why someone would want such a tight pattern out of what are arguably defense shotguns? I would prefer a little spread at 7 yds to help with getting a hit in a really terrible situation of trying to defend yourself.

To the OP, i guess i would want that fixed as well as it isn't performing as expected. However as i said before, why not use std wad buck and be happy with a palm or hand sized pattern? You are not deer hunting at 40yds with this gun are you? I think flight control would be great for hunting when a sighted and controlled shot is made at a deer and you want as tight as possible pattern at 40-50 yds.


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[26 Inf]

Just thinking to myself why someone would want such a tight pattern out of what are arguably defense shotguns? I would prefer a little spread at 7 yds to help with getting a hit in a really terrible situation of trying to defend yourself.

The idea is to increase the effective range of the shotgun by tightening the pattern. With the old buckshot generally beyond about 18 yards you had to start worrying about pellets missing a torso sized target because of pattern spread. The flight control just about doubled that distance. Beyond 25-30 yards the concern becomes that a heavy jacket, especially a leather jacket, can become buckshot armor.

Depending on how you look at it, tightening the pattern at longer ranges comes with the added benefit or limitation of really tight patterns close in. I consider it a benefit to be able to face shoot someone across any room in my house and not worry about pellets missing.

At 7 yards you are delivering 465grains into an area not much larger than the bore diameter - potentially with the added benefit of multiple wound channels as the pellets separate.

The shotgun really isn't a point and shoot area weapon, especially with today's shells.

Unless you are required to hunt deer with buckshot, at 40 - 50 yards a slug is more humane as there is less likelihood of the deer running off and dying a lingering death. Pellets bleed off a lot of energy by the time they reach that range.

[JasonB1]

Slug(which it shoots great) only here for deer hunting with a shotgun and so far have stuck with rifle for deer.

Just prefer the tighter pattern for personal defense for the reasons 26inf mentioned and was wondering what the issue was with my Remington barrel. Over 10 yards it does spread, and at that point there isn't a huge difference in pattern between the federal and estate & Remington low recoil buck I have.


Another reason for my curiosity is that Federal also makes turkey loads with flite control wads so I was trying to determine if this barrel could be used for that without swapping in my turkey choke.

[JasonB1]

video of a guy using the federal flite control buck on a mule deer at 55yards. Not as good as a rifle/slug usually, but probably no worse than archery so a decent option for buckshot only. I would not want to use old school buck for this if any other options were available.

https://youtu.be/41wBr7-QQlI

[jbdesigns]

I agree jason, it seems something is amise with your barrel. I too would think the flight control should be better. Maybe too tight a bore, to abrupt of the forcing cone, a burr on the choke insert(if it has changeable choke inserts)

As for defense, i will stick to normal spread pattern as longest shot is maybe 7 yds. I would not chase outside where range opens up, and wouldn't hold up in court to shoot at someone leaving that isn't a threat anymore. And i wouldn't engage in that situation anyways. Again, just my opinion only and i don't want to suggest what someone else does in their situations. I was just curious of your position on need of tight patterns.


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[26 Inf]

I agree jason, it seems something is amise with your barrel. I too would think the flight control should be better. Maybe too tight a bore, to abrupt of the forcing cone, a burr on the choke insert(if it has changeable choke inserts)

As for defense, i will stick to normal spread pattern as longest shot is maybe 7 yds. I would not chase outside where range opens up, and wouldn't hold up in court to shoot at someone leaving that isn't a threat anymore. And i wouldn't engage in that situation anyways. Again, just my opinion only and i don't want to suggest what someone else does in their situations. I was just curious of your position on need of tight patterns.

My opinion was overall from a LE training and usage perspective. However, the only reason I would hesitate to shoot someone holding a family member hostage across any room in my house is my concern about the actual wad striking the family member - not the pattern.

[ad_infinitum]

video of a guy using the federal flite control buck on a mule deer at 55yards. Not as good as a rifle/slug usually, but probably no worse than archery so a decent option for buckshot only. I would not want to use old school buck for this if any other options were available.

https://youtu.be/41wBr7-QQlI

+1 "Normal" non-FCW buckshot patterns fall apart at 25 meters... FCW extends the range to double that as the video demonstrates.

[GrandPooba]

Last year I tested some 9 pellet flite control that patterned as bad as some generic buckshot at 10 yards. Must have been a bad batch? I'm primarily using the no1 flite control load these days

If flite control ain't working out of your barrel, try the Remington 8-pellet low recoil 00 buck load. In my experience it patterns fantastically.

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[JasonB1]

Last year I tested some 9 pellet flite control that patterned as bad as some generic buckshot at 10 yards. Must have been a bad batch? I'm primarily using the no1 flite control load these days

If flite control ain't working out of your barrel, try the Remington 8-pellet low recoil 00 buck load. In my experience it patterns fantastically.

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Yeah the 8 pellet(and old Estate "SWAT" low recoil 9 pellet) both give Red Bull/Coke can diameter patterns out to 10 yards and slightly beyond so at 10 yards plus there isn't a lot of difference between the Remington & Estate loads compared to a properly working FCW beyond 10 yards. That coupled with the barrel/choke combo accuracy on slugs definitely makes for a positive overall.


I thought I might have got a bad batch of FCW also, but when I took my Mossberg + IC choke along on a follow up trip I got a roughly slug size pattern out to 10 yards so the Remington barrel(and I suspect the barrel tightness more than the IC choke) seems to be the wad stripper since there was not a large difference in pattern change even when screwing in a modified Remchoke.

[JasonB1]

Got a Carlson zero construction cylinder choke and took along flite control turkey loads and can now conclusively point to the Remington 20" barrel as the wad stripper.

At 10 yards the pattern with the turkey load was not as tight as generic bulk stuff I use for 3 gun (with either modified or IC chokes) and the wad was hitting at about 4 to 5 o'clock of the outer edge of the pattern which from what I can recall was even worse than the FC low recoil buck.

Considered sending the barrel off for modification (may eventually), but a combo of not wanting to sink money in to it due to the limited pursuits I use it for and not wanting to screw up the fact it shoots slugs and standard buck very well with a modified choke, shoots standard turkey loads well with a Remington Ventilator choke, and does just fine for 3 gun with the modified tube screwed in.