12 Ga .650 cal round ball ammo through choke?

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

RTSP is real convenient for me so I find it's now my most visited range. My only (minor) complaint is that shotguns are limited to slug only there.

 

SG Ammo has a great deal on 12 ga .650 Cal round ball ammo right now and I'm thinking about buying a case so I can get cheap shotty trigger time at RTSP. Would I need to use an open choke with this ammo, or would it squeeze through a improved cylinder choke?

[Parker 213]

Cylinder bore for a 12 ga. is .729". .650 should happily bounce down the bore with no problems.

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

Ok, open cylinder should be no problem them. I'm having trouble finding any stats for a benelli improved cylinder choke so I'll pull out the calipers when I get home and double check.

 

"Bounce down the bore" - yep, not expecting any great accuracy from these things, but hopefully they'll still be on paper at 25 yards or so. They should call them "musket simulators".

[Parker 213]

My comment was part facetious. They may be fine for your purposes. They are still soft lead, so who knows what shape characteristics they take on once ignition occurs. Foster slugs are undersized for a 12 ga. as well. Pull a Federal, Remington or Winchester slug from an unfired round, measure them and you'll see they vary in size from manufacturer, but are all smaller than the nominal bore diameter. . The soft hollow base obturates in the bore upon ignition while the fins on the side swage down as it passes through the choke, if there is one. The fins on the side allow it to be fired through full chokes.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

If you could patch that .650 you'd be really accurate! I use a .715 patched ball in my 10 ga. double (which is really 11 gauge) Pedersoli Muzzleloading shotgun.

 

I shot 12 ga. centerfire slugs through my Modified Choke without problems. Not sure about using a Full Choke?? Could damage the choke or make it really tight to remove. Check your Gun's manufacturer to be sure.

 

Dave

[Old School 611]

Please post a warning before you take the shotgun to RTSP. Shotguns belong outdoors.

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

Ended up buying 2 cases of these. Cut one open to see what was inside - solid lead ball, as expected, but the plastic wadding has a "cup" that surrounds the sides of the ball and looks like it might act as a type of sabot. The ball itself rolls right through a benelli improved cyinder choke, but the wadding/ball combination is a tight squeeze.

 

Hit up RTSP with them last Friday and did 3-4" groups with them at 15 yards. Doesn't take many shots for the group hole to get big enough to put all following shots through the hole! Good enough for indoor range work. Only downside is the wadding flies erratically making lots of ragged holes in paper targets.

 

At ~28 cents a shot I'm happy!