Anyone shooting low/reduced/managed recoil buckshot or slugs in their shotguns be it for hunting, home defense, or at work as a police officer etc.?

If so, how do you like (or dislike) it for your specific task? Just curious. I bought some 9 pellet Federal reduced recoil law enforcement 00 buck and slug loads from the LGS and they’re a lot easier on the shoulder.

Thoughts?

I really like the Federal Low Recoil Tactical #1 Buck. I have it in my Kel-Tec KSG. You can see a good evaluation video here.

Anyone who has much experience shooting full power buckshot or slug loads in a 12-gauge riot gun will certainly appreciate the reduction of recoil. 2-3/4" "magnum" loads (much less the 3" magnums) are somewhere between punishing (with a conventional stock pump 12-ga. riot gun) and brutal (with folding stock riot guns). I spent many years doing annual qualifications with the shotguns, and came to dread the punishment from 10 or 15 rounds of buckshot loads and 5 or 10 rounds of slugs. The folding stock riot guns are particularly brutal.

Now I'll sit back and watch as everyone tells me what a wimp I am.

I rely on Remington Law Enforcement reduced recoil 00 in case of Home Invasion.

Not me dude. I shot a handful of slugs through that KSG and that was plenty. Pumps tend to beat you anyway, but that bullpup can be a b*tch.

I don't think the bad guy will know I used low recoil rounds while laying on the floor. At typical home defense distances, it's not going to make a difference.

We issued low recoil buck and slug for our duty shotguns. They were a substantial improvement for the shooters and I had no doubt that they would be very effective on the receiving end. I'm no masochist, I'll stick with low recoil for personal defense needs as well.

Many years ago our issued ammo was switched over to the reduced recoil "00" Buckshot & Slug loads and hits on target improved markedly for everyone, especially those most recoil sensitive. We also noticed that the "00" Buckshot held better patterns. Once a year we switched out our issued duty ammo and it got turned in for training/quals. At the range all the shot loads were dumped into a 5 gallon bucket and you just grabbed however many you needed for the course of fire. Occasionally an old full power load was left over and mixed in with all the others. It was fun to sit back and watch other shooters when unexpectedly touched off a full power load.

First time I shot my 590A1, I put 10 full power 00 buckshot through it. That was all I could handle and my shoulder was sore for a couple days. The next time at the range, i put 25 Federal LE #1 buck Low Recoil though it and could have kept going. No sore shoulder the next day either.

I use these bad boys because 1) a bunch of them mysteriously followed me into retirement and 2) the name makes me laugh. Reminds me of being on double super-secret probation.

Once I taught a shotgun class for the tribal cops I worked with. I asked the Indian Country Unit at FBIHQ for the ammo, and about five cases of this stuff showed up, all dusty and still with yellowed shipping labels showing it had originally been foisted upon the the Butte Division, which hadn’t existed for quite a while, even then.

Good enough, says I. Those poor cops - I’ll always remember their heads whipping back when they touched them off. Indian cops are tough, and no one complained, but nobody asked for any of the leftovers either.

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At 72 yoa, I have stepped down to a 20 ga

Low recoil? Why would you use anything else these days?

I have a few boxes of old magnum #4 shot. I mix one in every session or two to remind myself why I like low recoil so much more. 100-200fps lost in low recoil buck seems a fair trade off for less pain. The overall terminal effectiveness is likely to barely be hampered.

We are all getting older. Less pain is generally better.

What a swell load!

I tried finding some online, but all places were out.

I use the Federal low recoil 00 in my 870. Out to about 7 yards or so all 9 pellets stay in the wad so it groups like a slug. I cannot think of any threat in my home that 9, 54 grain pellets at 1100 fps would not take care of.

As far as that goes I think 9 to 12, 33 grains pellets of #1 buck at the same velocity would be enough and further reduce recoil. I wish some company would make such a load in a standard length shell. The mini-shells would be great if they worked in a 870 but they don't. Ammo like this would not work in a semi-auto but I would bet there quite a few of us with pump guns that are tired of getting our shoulders beat up who would buy ammo like that.

I have considered switching to a 20 gauge but the lighter guns take away some of the recoil advantage and ammo selection is limited to a few loads with #3 buck which is a bit smaller than I prefer. And most of those few loads are full power. If there were a bunch of companies making reduced recoil 20 gauge buckshot I probably would switch but I can only find one such load, the Remington reduced recoil 20 gauge. You would think that since most people that use a 20 for home defense do so for the reduced recoil almost all the buckshot loads would be reduced recoil. Deer hunters that have to use a shotgun typically use slugs so I can see the preference for full power slugs. But most 20 gauge buckshot loads should be reduced recoil.

Federal pd256 4b has 24 #4 buck going 1100 fps not to bad out of a mossberg 500 20 ga.

May I suggest: Hornady TAP (Tactical Application Police). 12 gauge, 2 3/4" shell, 8 pellets/00 Buck, 1100fps. From a Shockwave bbl at approx. 7 yds, the target looks like a slug hit it: one 12 gauge hole, no pattern dispersion. Did not try it at greater distances.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

2 3/4 w/12 pellets? F'dat. I bought most of my stash before the low recoil stuff had become common, but my old agency switched to it and found that the patterns and performance were better. There is some good writing from Doc Roberts on the #1 low recoil and why it actually is better than any other size (total surface area, in short). I doubt the performance increase is worth it to me right now, but if I were laying in a new stock, I would look hard for that Federal #1 low recoil.

Most of my HD use would be an AR, which has many advantages, but a 12 huge loaded with slugs has some other utility.

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Thanks for the reports, gang!

Anyone have a lead on the Federal Tactical #1 buckshot loads? Seems a Federal only makes this every once in a while and they must be in between runs or something?

I haven’t seen it n stock for a long time either. Maybe they’ll notice if folks keep complaining. I have issues even getting 00 regularly.

I can't recall where I got mine from. I think it was Ammunition Depot, but they don't show it on their site. I remember that it was the only online source I could find, so I bought a lifetime supply of 20 5-round boxes.

Perhaps your LGS can order it direct from Federal?

That same load cycles great and patterns great out of the Benelli M2 Tactical that my wife has. No complaints.

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SWCA#2439

We use Fed Low Recoil 00 Buck with Flite Control wad for my wife's 12ga Rem 870 pump. Less recoil, tight pattersn, what's not to like for HD?

My Rem 1100 12ga like Rem Express 000 buck. It patterns better than Fed FC stuff.

My Ithaca 37 DSPS likes the Fed full power 00 Buck with Flite Control.

I like 00 and 000 for penetration over #4 and #1 buck. Were I not in town, I would load them all with slugs.

....aluminum and plastic pump shotgun (Turkey) It's light and takes a 3" shell. I got smart and wanted to try the full 3" load. Knocked me backwards clean out of the shooting booth. I REALLY like the lower power loads.

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The only thing I would be concerned about with the low recoil loads would be whether or not they would cycle in my semi-auto if I had one. I'd be sure to test them before I would stock up on them.

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

Not a wimp at all. I load Hornady Low recoil 00buck in my 870 12ga. for home defense. The difference between it and standard shells is substantial, and my shoulder really appreciates it.

Magnum rounds are a WHOLE other matter! I don't shoot more than 5 in a session. It's just too punishing.

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Last year, I shot several types of buckshot loads through various shotguns to check patterning.
The easiest loads to shoot were the Cabela's "Herters" brand rubber buckshot. Recoil was akin to a popgun.
"Rio" brand 20 gauge 2¾ #1 buckshot (9pellets), were very comfortable to shoot.
Cabela's "Herters" 12 gauge 2¼" "mini" #00 buckshot (6 pellets) were about equal in recoil as the above 20 gauge loads. In addition, these would function in my Beretta 1201 semi-auto.
12 gauge 2¾ loads were all pretty much the same regardless of brand.
In all guns I quickly learned to pull the buttstock TIGHT against my shoulder. It reduced the felt recoil quite a bit. It didn't allow the impulse of the buttstock to recoil through my flesh and pound my bones.

Fiocchi 12LE00BK can be had for under $6.00 per box of 10
I shoot it in two very solid vintage riot guns and the recoil is very manageable
Last time I bought, it was loaded in USA from overseas components

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I've never bought any low-recoil rounds of any kind.

But I load what I call "pumpkin balls" for practice with any of my 12 gauges. Well, not the Remington Model 11, they won't cycle the action, even with the friction ring set for target shells.

I load a one-ounce ball ahead of enough Titewad to get about 1200 fps. Very easy on the shoulder, and they'll still go through four 2x6's.

If it is a gas-operated semi, no real need for low recoil loads.

Full power loads from my Rem 12ga 1100 have a subjective recoil less than most low-recoil loads out of my Rem 870 12ga guns. So I don't bother with low-recoil loads for it.

I have an 1100 and can vouch for that, but my HD gun is a short barreled 870.

Streichers Police Supply will do/did back order on the #1 Federal buck low recoil loads. May take awhile but they do deliver and they don't bill until they ship. Even if the recoil was the same, the improvement in pattern density would be worth it.

I do believe the 00 load is also available as a low recoil non-LE load. Look for the Flite Control label on the box as well as the low recoil.

I'm probably showing my age, I don't find shotgun shooting as much fun as I once did, even with a semi.

Department issues & I use in my person shotguns Federal LE13300. It's "00" 8 pellet reduced recoil with flitecontrol. We pattern our guns out to 35 yards & this stuff is awesome! At 35yrds all 8 pellets are in the A zone. At 15yrds & in there's very little spread.

I just purchased and shot some Remington Ultimate Defense Managed Recoil #4 Buckshot. Shot it in this very lightweight Midland Backpack 12 Gauge Shotgun. The reduction in recoil was significant. It was also very accurate. Will be my round of choice in this Shotgun. Remington Express #4 Game Load had significantly more recoil.

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Very interesting, thank you.

Do you know the reason why your department doesn’t use the 9 pellet reduced recoil Flite Control load? I’ve always wondered the purpose of the 8 pellet load.

So, in a HD situation, not police/military operation, how many shotgun rounds are likely to be dispensed? One or two? If you are scared enough to justify deadly force, would you notice the recoil difference?
TBH, I buy buckshot when it's on sale before hunting season. Currently my 12 gauge stash is Rio 4 buck.

Edit: I found an answer, 1.22
An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power | Buckeye Firearms Association

My handload 15 pellet 00 buckshot load for 10 bore kicks less at full power in my 10.5 pound BPS 10 than a regular or even reduced recoil load in a standard R870. Add three or four pounds to that shotgun and full power loads will start to seem much milder. I remember discussing this with a guy who owns a shotgun accessory manufacturing outfit on his other message board about these things, he was saying some departments buy hundreds of dollars worth of specialized gear to reduce recoil, I stand by the idea that all one would really have to do is put some cheap weight on the gun itself. Fowlers want light shotguns, fowling shotguns get used as police guns, next thing you know you have a gun whose weight is more suited for light clays shooting being used for full house stuff.

There's always the argument of weight savings always being a good thing, maybe you like your ultra light 4.5 pound AR-15 custom. What good is it to have a lightweight combat shotgun? Home defense and police don't carry a shotgun and an 80 pound ruck 20 miles a day where saving every ounce has a big benefit. If one is to use a shotgun for such purpose heavier is better every time, reliable auto loaders (if you trust them) help, and as mentioned before fixed stocks are simply superior once the weapon must be employed. Someone outta think about balancing dead weight in a shotgun stock, or creating custom heavier barrels with correct balancing on the cheap as a solution to make them better for the purpose. Even with improved hit ratios with lighter shotgun loads, recoil reduction is always a plus.

The case for reduced recoil is very real, I won't argue against that. The case can also be made for the patrol officer who has to shoot through automobile glass to stop an armed bank robber, as an example, where every last bit of "heat" he can put behind that slug or buckshot load might help him smash through that barrier and stop the attacker. All things considered, there are strong arguments for both loads, both of which will remain on the shelves for said reasons.

We were issued Federal or Remington reduced recoil Buck and Slugs. Much better that the full power loads. Qualifying with full power loads was no fun to be polite. The reduced recoil fodder turned the shotgun into a formidable weapon.

I remember shooting Full power loads from prone were especially unpleasant.

It matters during practice.

I once had a BPS pump that with heavy loads sometimes required a lot of force to work the action. It wasn't really locked up but took a lot more force than normal.

With my current 870 I have never had a problem shooting light target loads. But the first time I tried full power buckshot I short shucked the gun a couple of times. Nothing wrong with the gun, 100% an operator error.

In both these cases I would have never known there was a problem unless I was practicing with the same ammo I use for home defense. I also would not have noticed a problem if I just ran a single box of buckshot through them as a test.

I have purchased some of the Aguila mini shells. I was a bit upset about it - I specifically asked the guy if they would cycle in a semi-auto shotgun. Guy behind the counter said yes. I said I had a Benelli M4 for the purpose. He said no problem. THEY DO NOT CYCLE THROUGH A SEMI AUTO SHOTGUN. In fact, they don't even cycle through most pump shotguns without modification. I was a bit bummed.

I have two boxes. On of these days, I'll shoot them out of an over/under or a side by side...but I didn't buy them to shoot paper....what a waste.

The Herter's 2.25" mini-buckshot shells hold 6xOO pellets. They will cycle in most guns that won't handle the shorter Aguila shells. A litle less punch on the front end, and a whole lot less recoil. Plus, you can stuff more shells in the magazine tube.

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I don't want flite control wads for home defense. Any shot in my house is about 4 yards or less, and I WANT spread, not a column of pellets that stay in the wad cup for 15 yards.

Remington, Fiochi and some others make low recoil loads that don't use flite control wads.

I understand why folks like the low recoil stuff but try it before you buy a bunch of it if you use an autoloader. I have seen it fail to function in a number of autoloading shotguns though it seems to work OK in others. It works fine in my Benelli M4. Also, while not really a concern for home defense, low recoil buck and slugs are both markedly inferior in penetrating automobile sheet metal.

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