Rating of hunting cartridges 12. Domestic cartridges for hunting

May 25, 2019
Weapons and ammunition
Anatoly Chugaev

Choosing a cartridge for a hunter can be compared to choosing fuel for a racing car - not a single athlete would risk filling with fuel of a brand and product characteristics unknown to him.

When choosing a cartridge, novice hunters are often guided by the price and appearance of the product. Many of them do not even know what length of cartridge case is acceptable for their gun.

You can understand all these subtleties without wasting a lot of time, you just need to pay attention to the following questions:

What caliber is the gun?
What is the sleeve length?
Type of charge (shot, buckshot, bullet).
What animal or bird are you planning to hunt?
Seasonality of hunting (shot number depends on the season).
Planned firing distance.

Types of 12 gauge cartridges

To decide how to choose 12-gauge cartridges, you first need to understand what types of such ammunition there are. Firstly, you need to know that at the moment factory cartridges are manufactured with metal, plastic and paper cartridges, can be filled with smoke or smokeless powder and are divided according to the type of charge into bullet, buckshot or shotgun. In addition, the powder charge itself can be standard or oversized, and the shot used can be steel or lead. The length of the cartridge case for such ammunition also varies: 65, 70, 76, 89 mm.

Classification

Apart from the above, they are also divided depending on the type used. That is, 12-gauge shot cartridges, depending on the type of game you plan to hunt, come with shot from 1.5 mm to 5 mm. Buckshot cartridges use shot with a diameter greater than 5 mm, and the shot itself can be consistent or inconsistent. Bullet guns are used for hunting big game and are divided into pointer, turbine and pointer-turbine. Arrow bullets resemble an arrow in design, as the name suggests. They are equipped with a special stabilizer tail and have a weighted head, which allows them to achieve correct flight and prevent tumbles. Turbine-type bullets compensate for the lack of rifling in the barrel with their design, which allows the projectile to rotate around its axis, which significantly increases combat accuracy and lethal power. The arrow-turbine type of ammunition has the advantages of both previous types, it flies further, in a cluster, hits harder, but also costs much more.

The influence of time of year on the choice of cartridge

Hunting seasonality is an important factor when choosing a cartridge. When hunting grouse from the approach in early autumn, when the broods have just taken wing and take off 10-15 meters from the hunter, small shot and a muzzle attachment - a cylinder or a cylinder with pressure - are suitable. When hunting for black grouse at the end of December, when the bird is in dense winter plumage, preference is given to larger diameters - No. 3 and choke tubes - choke, poluchok. A stronger narrowing of the nozzles will increase the accuracy of the shot; this is important, since on winter days at subzero temperatures the accuracy of the shot decreases. Duck ammo will also vary depending on the hunting season. The favorable temperature for shooting at which all parameters are measured is 12°.

Shot and buckshot cartridges

This type of ammunition is used for shooting at distances of up to 50 meters. Divided by shot size from No. 11 to No. 0000. No. 11 is the smallest fraction of 1.5 mm, which increases by 0.25 mm with each subsequent number and as a result reaches a maximum size of 5 mm at No. 0000. How to load 12 gauge cartridges with shot - see below. Fractions can also be consistent or inconsistent. Consistency is determined quite simply. A wad is driven into the barrel of the weapon to the end of the muzzle, onto which the pellets are poured in one layer. If they all lay down equally and fit into this layer, then the fraction is consistent. If the weapon has two barrels, the procedure is checked for it as well. It should be remembered that when the shot is placed in a container, these steps are not necessary. In addition, the shot is divided according to its hardness into hunting and sports hard and hunting soft. Soft is used for shooting at short distances, has a larger spread, but pollutes the barrel more. Solid, in turn, has greater accuracy and is not so harmful to the barrel, but the disadvantage is the small angle of spread. All of the above also applies to buckshot cartridges, except for the fact that the shot in them is larger than 5 mm. Thus, when a hunter decides how to choose a 12-gauge cartridge, he must also take into account the distance at which he will primarily hunt.

Shot charge

The larger the caliber, the more pellets. This is an axiom. It would seem, what to choose here? We take the maximum and rejoice. But in reality everything is not so simple. As the caliber increases, the weight of the gun, ammunition and recoil increases, which is already not small for 12 gauge. As recoil increases, accuracy decreases. And as the charge grows, its initial speed decreases and, as a result, the maximum firing distance. In practice, an increased charge is used when it is necessary to compensate for low shooting accuracy at a short distance, but is practically not used at a long distance.

Differences between 12 and 16 gauge

Delving deeper into the qualitative difference between the two parameters - 12 and 16, it is worth considering the advantages of one and the other. The advantages of the 12 gauge are that the charge is much stronger than the 16 gauge and has a larger amount of shot, which means it has a greater damaging effect. When talking about a bullet charge of this magnitude, it is worth focusing on the greater stopping power due to the greater weight of the bullet. The advantages of the 16-gauge: the price of cartridges is lower, the weight of the gun and bandoleer is less than that of the 12-gauge. A smaller diameter bullet hits more accurately.

Containers

They have been trying to place shot (12 gauge) packed in containers into cartridges for a long time. There are certain pros and cons to them. One of the advantages is the increased accuracy when shooting, and the disadvantages are the high cost. In addition, it makes sense to use a container only when hunting is carried out at a distance of more than 25 meters, and at a closer distance you can use regular shot. The principle of operation of the container is simple. Despite the fact that it is believed that it opens at a certain distance from the hunter and thereby increases the accuracy of shooting, in fact it performs most of its work even when the shot is not fired, coordinating the charge. This increases the accuracy and effective firing distance by default.

Bullet ammunition

Just like with shot, when choosing 12-gauge bullet cartridges, you must first decide on the type of hunting and shooting distance. To shoot large dangerous animals, it is better to take heavy bullets (about 37 g), which have the ability to deform when hitting the target. For smaller and less dangerous game, it is optimal to use lighter (26-28 g) bullets that do not deform when hit. Also, depending on the hunting conditions (at a short distance, in thickets, etc.), the optimal type of bullet changes. Due to the fact that in most cases game is shot in forests, where the shooting distance rarely exceeds 50-60 meters, it is recommended to use heavy caliber bullets with belts. They have increased killing power.

Cold shooting

The fact of purchasing a weapon and optics for it is only half the battle. After this, you need to shoot, which can take an indecent amount of ammunition, which is not that cheap. In addition, after this, when the scope is zeroed, if you remove it and put it on again, you will most likely have to zero the weapon again. To avoid such unpleasant and costly procedures, it is recommended to use a 12-gauge cold-shooting cartridge. Its use is so simple that anyone can figure it out. You need to insert the switched-on cartridge into the chamber - and you will immediately find the place where the axis of the bore is facing. All that remains is to combine it with it on the optics - and you can use the rifle. Although this device is not particularly cheap, it doesn’t cost a fortune either. And if you compare it with the amounts that will be spent on ammunition when shooting, and also take into account that this is purchased once and for all, the benefit will be incredible.

Manufacturers

It is impossible to name a specific company that produces 12-gauge cartridges, reviews of which are all positive. Each of them has its fans and opponents, each is right in its own way. It’s impossible to give any advice here, and we can only recommend trying different ammunition and choosing the company that produces the best 12-gauge cartridges from the point of view of a particular hunter. It should be remembered that recently the quality of domestically produced ammunition is not inferior to foreign analogues, and in some cases even superior, which makes it possible to purchase the required cartridges at much cheaper prices.

How to load 12 gauge ammunition?

The first thing that needs to be said about such a charge is that you should not use cartridges with an unknown charge. Secondly, when charging, you should use special devices that significantly facilitate and improve it. In most cases, they load cartridges themselves precisely because factory-made ammunition does not always meet the individual requirements of this particular hunter. That is why for beginners it is better to use “basic” cartridges, and only over time, when you have more experience and the shortcomings of standard ammunition become clear, do you load them yourself. There are a huge number of devices that facilitate this process, and each has detailed instructions explaining the principle of their operation. By the time the hunter understands all the advantages that self-loading 12-gauge cartridges provides, he will already be able to decide on the tools for such a process.

How did the division of smoothbore guns into calibers come about?

The division of hunting smoothbore shotguns into calibers came from England. Without going into specific calculations and speaking in simple language, it should be said that a certain number of bullets were cast from one pound of lead. Their number is an indicator of caliber. For example, 12 bullets from one pound of lead. The diameter of each such bullet corresponds to the diameter of the barrel drill. The most popular is 12 gauge. For connoisseurs of semi-automatic smooth-bore weapons, you have to understand in more detail which 12-gauge cartridges are best suited for self-loading shotguns. There are semi-automatic machines that do not depend on the characteristics of the cartridge and can easily reload all cartridges suitable for their caliber. Such semi-automatic machines include the legend - “Beretta A-390”. For its ability to work flawlessly with all cartridges, it was called “omnivorous.”

In order to understand which 12-gauge cartridges are best suited for a double-barreled shotgun, there is no need to rack your brains. It is enough to know the size of the chamber, the caliber and the size of the choke.

Ammo and game

Various types of ammunition suitable for different hunting conditions and distances have been described above. However, the choice of cartridges does not stop there. How to choose 12 gauge cartridges? The type of game also influences the choice of what to shoot with. Feathered game - for hunting it, small shot is used, the size of which can vary from No. 11 to No. 1, depending on the hunting conditions. It is recommended to use the smallest possible, since 4-5 small pellets hit the target better than 1-2 large ones. Hares - No. 4-5 from under the hounds, in the fall from the approach No. 3-4, in winter - No. 2-3. and lynxes is optimal when using small buckshot (7 in a row) at a distance of 50-70 meters, and for roe deer and saigas with the same buckshot, but at a distance of 35-40 meters. For larger game, it is preferable to use bullets, especially if it poses a potential danger. In general, choosing the type of ammunition depending on the type of hunting target is as individual as other parameters for selecting a bullet.

Caliber and chamber length

The calibers of hunting smoothbore shotguns are divided into three groups: large-caliber, medium-caliber, small-caliber.

Large-caliber - 12, 10, 8, 4.
Medium caliber - 16, 20, 24.
Small-caliber - 28, 32.40.

Information about the caliber of the gun and the length of the chamber is in the passport of the weapon. For example, 12/76 - 12 gauge with a chamber for 76 mm cartridges. The chamber length is designed to use a 76 mm sleeve. The length of the loaded cartridge will differ to a smaller extent, depending on the weight and type of charge. The length is 76 mm - this is the size of the spent cartridge case. With a chamber length of 76 mm, it is allowed to fire cartridges of shorter length - 70; 65 mm.

Results

The various features of different types of ammunition are described above. You can get an answer to the question “how to choose 12-gauge cartridges” only after the hunter has decided on the terrain, weather, distance and type of game he will shoot at. It is simply impossible to pre-purchase a certain cartridge that will suit all conditions. In addition, we should not forget that if used, it should be shot first or, which is simpler, cheaper and faster, use a 12-gauge cold-shot cartridge.

To identify the best 12 gauge hunting cartridges, their rating is determined.

Judging by the practice of hunters and their reviews, it is possible to compose the following rating of 12 gauge hunting cartridges for hunting.

1. Glavpatron

. This is a leading brand. The cartridges are distinguished by their reliability, quality, stability, and affordable price. Production is located in Tula.

2. CJSC Tekhkrim

. Offers a wide selection of different types of cartridges. The quality of the cartridges is taken care of at all stages of the production process. Production is located in Izhevsk.

3. Rus

. Produced by SCM Industry. High-quality domestic components are used to manufacture cartridges. Affordable. They have a sleeve length of 70 mm. The shot weight is 32-34 g. Production is located in Tolyatti, Samara region.

4. Taiga

. They are produced both equipped with a bullet and shot for a short target distance. Production is located in Tula.

Magnum cartridges

Designed for shooting at a distance of 45-50 m. The shot used is medium and large numbers. The shot weighs 40-44 g.

Ensures reliability of hitting the target, while the recoil during the shot is minimal.

SKM cartridges

SKM 12 gauge hunting cartridges are quite famous.

The production of these cartridges uses materials from popular foreign manufacturers, including high-quality gunpowder.

The game to be hunted requires the use of a specific number:

ducks, woodcock, black grouse - No. 7,6,5. Distance to target 35-40 m; ducks in the autumn, hares, geese - No. 4,3,2. Distance to target 40-45 m; geese, hares, raccoons, foxes - No. 000-1. Distance to target 45-50 m.

Tahoe cartridges

The cartridges of this enterprise require loading the gun with shot No. 9 - No. 4, as well as bullets and buckshot.

Shotguns that are suitable for these cartridges have a chamber size of 70 mm.

Shots for sporting cartridges are produced No. 7, No. 5, No. 9.

Fetter cartridges

This type of cartridge is the most popular and used. High quality indicators are accompanied by an affordable price. The market offers the widest selection and variety of types of these cartridges. Satisfy the needs of those who hunt various types of game. Cartridges are produced according to theme - for example - “Duck”, “Capercaillie”, etc.

Clover cartridges

The production of this type of cartridges uses high-class products and has clear, convenient markings. Cases for these cartridges are made only of plastic. The shot in the cartridges is made of lead, and some of the steel.

The length of the cartridge case is from 65 to 89 mm. The shotguns for which most of this type of cartridge is intended are traditional, the chamber has a length of 70 mm.

Having received interesting information about hunting cartridges, a person engaged in the most interesting business - hunting, will easily understand their purpose and types, and will not make mistakes in their use.

Nikitich

13-05-2011 10:03

Good day! There is such a variety of brands that the question arose, which cartridges from domestic manufacturers, in your opinion, are the best (I’m not considering imported ones yet)? I am not an expert, so by best I mean the reliability of the shot and the correct performance of the functions assigned to the charge.

Sugar60

13-05-2011 16:08

search rules!

dark strange

13-05-2011 22:52

Exactly the best rottweil and clover. Clover is still tolerable in price. After the weekend I’ll shoot and update the topic (if the cartridges arrive).

Or take Spanish. I like. And even cheaper than safari, Azot pro (beast).

I wouldn't take the main cartridge, record, sqm. Fetter is questionable. Although they never let us down. And in the cold on par with nitrogen and safari.

knock here

18-05-2011 12:46

,as good as it gets.

Xodok

27-05-2011 20:39

quote: I wouldn't take the main cartridge

I don’t presume to judge which is better, because...
Our magicians do not have assortment. But on this hunt, having been away for work for 3 days, I again came to the base and the first thing I did was lift the stern slant in Kazanka and scoop out some water. Lo and behold, there is a cartridge at the bottom - mine, 12 magnum Glavpotronovsky 2008 (in a pack). That is, he lay completely under water for at least 4 days, at most 8 days (days). I used it to finish off a wounded sage, about 50 meters away. There was a full shot. Nikitich

19-07-2011 18:37

After reading the forums a little, I realized that the most stable are the felt and the main cartridge, what else can be added to them from domestic ones?

IVANBATYLIN

24-07-2011 13:32

I like Fiocchi for its consistent quality. I use the NOVA SLUG 32gr bullet. and 8.6mm buckshot

StompingHedgehog

27-07-2011 14:15

quote:

Nitrogen sporting
gsw-hunter

03-08-2011 21:22

quote: what else can be added to them from domestic ones?

Samokrut!
You know what and how much is poured = stability and confidence. temryuk_hunter

15-08-2011 16:02

Glavpatron rules!! Fetter (sometimes, if you're lucky). Well, about “G” and “M”, two “slots” - similar to cuts - twist the bullet to the left. bullet weight 40 grams. There are Fetter ones with the same bullet. For me they show worse accuracy, but on an A4 sheet it’s possible to fit 4 out of 5 by 50.

True, the recoil is not entirely comfortable for my 76 kg shooter. Well, comrades are not muslin young ladies

Drop 18

11-10-2011 07:32

My opinion is that among the domestic ones, in terms of price-quality ratio, it’s still Glavpatron. Everything else, the comrades rightly said - .

temryuk_hunter

11-10-2011 13:09

By the way, over the weekend, due to the lack of a Glavpatron (some kind of misfortune), I took 1 pack of semi-magnum Fetter N 3 (Belyak) and N 3 “High Speed”. No problems, hits well. It looks like they took into account the wishes... you can take it..

Artyom_Ka

26-10-2011 16:40

settled on Azot Profi

osetindvr

02-11-2011 14:29

I'll do my bit. My rounds are small - about 500 rounds. Half of them are bullets. Poleva-6 from SCM left the most pleasant memories. Gualandi caliber from the same SCM is also normal. But, compared to Poleva-6, Gualandi’s recoil is angrier and sharper. In terms of accuracy, it's about the same. I also shot with an Arrow from Azot - the accuracy was much worse than that of previous bullets.

But, taking into account the prices of bullets, I decided to take a closer look at the SAMOKRUT Bullets.

—————— Sincerely, Vadim.

Screamer_12

02-11-2011 23:18

Nitrogen: sporting or training (they have a glitch, one does not shoot on the box). There is not enough shit in the barrel, the fight is not bad..

Bullet rotweil or fiocchi with brenneke bullet.. For training GP B&P and Vetter Gualandi. The latter are not bad for hunting, I’ll probably switch to them.

Angor

03-11-2011 15:57

I really like “Nitrogen”, especially the first batches (there are some...)... I have no complaints about the “fetter” (I love it as a dispersant)... These are the cheapest of those that we have in our store... I will never buy the record again ( and friends too...), especially in the 16th cal... With uv.

Stalker_29rus

08-11-2011 15:58

I don’t know what about the factory ones, I almost never use them, the rollercoaster is king in this matter

Sugar60

10-11-2011 16:36

Glavpatron has the largest range of cartridges. If you choose the “right” cartridge for a specific hunt (on their website) and find it in a store (if you haven’t bought it in advance), then the GP has no competitors. Most of the imported cartridges sold in Russia are, by our standards, long expired (foreigners do not write the date of manufacture on purpose) and, apart from the well-known brand, are no different, but some praise them out of habit. In general, the cartridge and shot number must be selected for a specific barrel. Maybe your Record will show better results. You can roll the roller when you have decent experience.

castor oil

10-11-2011 20:08

quote: In general, the cartridge and shot number must be selected for a specific barrel.

+100
road hell

15-11-2011 15:08

quote: Hunting: I used to take the GP, but after the high speed series it was a complete failure. GP is no longer interested. Switched to fetter and SCM. Fetter is not bad, there is a lot of dirt in the trunk. SKM b\k is a song, if the barrel allows you to do what you need at medium distances. Bullet rotweil or fiocchi with brenneke bullet.

The same guns accept the same cartridges. When hunting for feathers, the GP-high speed was not really liked, Feter, Clover showed an excellent fight, and so did the result. Rottweil Brenneke bullet. True, I always thought and did that for each gun you need to select your own cartridge. Screamer I didn’t use 12 SKM b/c, there were container ones, but they were worse than felt for our guns.
Djado

17-12-2011 16:35

Out of curiosity, I went and shot 3 types of cartridges with 1 shot number (what was available): Fetter semi-magnum N1 36 grams Fetter N1 32 grams container Glavpatron high speed N1 34 grams The shooting was carried out with an MTs 21-12 choke shotgun. Weather +2, heavy fog. The penetration depth was measured to the pellet and calculated as an arithmetically average. There were 3 mm and 15 mm. I liked the Glapatron the most, here is a small photo report

The video will be useful for novice hunters and shooters. About the choice of shot, buckshot, bullets and traumatic cartridges for smooth-bore weapons. Reflections on shot charges and their use in sporting, when hunting wild boar, duck, geese, etc.

Top 5 manufacturers

Due to all of the above, it is very difficult to get objective reviews from an individual shooter about cartridges from many manufacturers, so any such rating will contain average ratings that do not relate to any outstanding and unique models of cartridges.

Also, when creating the rating, we took into account such important factors for hunters as price, stability and reliability, since they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

5th place. Glavpatron

entered the market in 2003. It was created on the basis of the Tula Cartridge Plant in collaboration with the old Italian manufacturer of hunting and sporting ammunition “Baschieri & Pellagri”. Now Glavpatron is produced in the city of Tula, in the city of Zarinsk, Altai Territory and in the city of Timashevsk, Krasnodar Territory. During their existence on the market, they have established themselves as a reliable manufacturer. According to shooters’ reviews, in the ranking of domestic ammunition “Glavpatron” is ranked first or second.

Now under this brand they produce the entire range of cartridges, standard, classic, semi-magnum and magnum, bullet, special. There are ammunition that work great at different distances and against different game. Powder and many cartridges are supplied by Italian partners, wads, shot and buckshot are partially supplied from Italy or manufactured on Italian and German (fine shot) equipment.

According to reviews from a number of athletes, during testing, it was found that Glavpatron is not much inferior to such recognized world leaders as Clever, Fiocchi, or Cheddite.

Another undeniable advantage of Glavpatron is its affordable price.

4th place. Feather

The shot and cartridge factory Fetter was founded in 2001. Historically, he inherits the Trade and Industrial Partnership of the Moscow Shot Foundry and Cartridge Plant, founded in 1894 by N.N. Fetter. Production facilities are located in Klimovsk, Moscow region.

Ammunition is produced on Italian equipment, from our own components. Gunpowder, both domestic and imported. As already mentioned, according to reviews from hunters, among domestic ones, this ammunition shares first and second place with Glavpatron.

Fetter produces a full line of 12-gauge ammunition for various purposes and distances: sports, classic, bullet, magnum, special. Cartridges are produced according to theme, for example “Pheasant”, “Duck”, etc.

According to athletes' reviews, this is stable ammunition with a stable velocity, good for negative temperatures.

Fetter cartridges are very popular because their decent, consistent quality is complemented by an affordable price.

3rd place. Fiocci

The activities of the Fiocchi began almost a century and a half ago in 1876, when it was founded by Giulio Fiocchi. From then to the present day, the company supplies the markets of Europe and the whole world with ammunition of almost all types, from hunting cartridges to rifled cartridges.

The company's production facilities are located both in Europe and in Argentina, the USA and New Zealand. Production was initially focused on improving quality, manufacturability and expanding the range of manufactured ammunition. The introduction of ever new developments and materials allowed Fiocci to very quickly expand into European and world markets. Now the company is considered one of the giants in the production of ammunition.

The company offers 12 gauge cartridges across the entire spectrum. Classic, for all types of hunting in different seasons, including “HIGH PERFORMANCE” instead of magnum, for low temperatures and long distances, Magnum cartridges, a series for hunting small migratory birds, and many others. Sports cartridges are presented separately and quite widely.

According to our athletes and hunters, Fiocia ammunition is sharp and highly stable. Fiocci cartridges occupy leading places not only in world rankings, but are also popular among our shooters, occupying high places in domestic rankings and surveys.

One of the reasons for this is the high reliability, consistency of characteristics and restrained pricing policy of this company.

2nd place. Rottweil

The Rottweil brand, along with RWS and Geco, is now part of the Dynamit Nobel concern and all charges for smooth-bore weapons are produced under its name. Its history goes back to the 15th century and the emergence of a gunpowder factory in the German city of Rottweil, on the basis of which in 1872 the pharmacist Wilhelm Heinrich Duttenhofer, the inventor of his own recipe for smokeless gunpowder, founded the Rottweil company.

By the 20th century it had become a gunpowder empire, and from 1921, with the advent of the famous Black Weidsmaheil cardboard cartridge, it became widely known in hunting circles.

Today, Rottweil is considered a model of quality, stability of performance and reliability. The Nobel concern pays great attention not only to all components of the cartridge, but also to checking the quality of the resulting ammunition, which leads to an outstanding level of quality.

The Rottweil brand provides the following series of 12 gauge cartridges:

MAGNUM – magnum type cartridges, with a black sleeve, high-power, chambered for 76 mm;
SEMI MAGNUM – also with an increased charge and a smaller shot charge, black, chambered for 70 mm;
WAIDMANNSHEIL schwarz Pappe – a classic from Rottweil, a varnished cardboard sleeve with an unchanged pattern, made using traditional technology – with a combined cardboard and felt wad. But there is a modification that is almost indistinguishable from the outside, but made with all modern components.
JAGD braun - also in a pack sleeve, is considered a less expensive, but equally high-quality alternative to the previous model.
TIGER rot - in a red plastic sleeve, inexpensive, but stable in terms of shot reliability;
Special 36 – with a reinforced shot charge in a dark green plastic sleeve;
Skeet, Sport and Trap - for training shooting with a red or blue cartridge case;
Mark II 30 HV, Rottweil-Special 12 HV and Rottweil-Special 20 HV – high initial velocity and charge corresponding to the shot, light green color of the cartridge case;
EXPRESS – equipped with buckshot, transparent cartridge case;
BRENNEKE, BRENNEKE Magnum (70 mm), ( 76 mm) – classic cartridge and magnum incl. for the 76mm chamber, with the original Brenneke bullet in the latter case with a “silver” bullet
Magnum Gold - with a “golden” bullet, for shotguns under the “paradox” with a 76 mm chamber, provides increased hit accuracy.

According to the majority of domestic shooters who have used these cartridges, in terms of their characteristics, reliability, stability, range, scree, accuracy and sharpness, Rottweil cartridges are the best among those provided on the market, and if not for their high price, they took first place in our rating .

Cartridges for smoothbore guns

First of all, you should understand the issue of using cartridges for smooth-bore weapons during hunting, depending on the shooting range and what kind of animal needs to be shot. The general approach to the problem of shooting distance is that for long-range shooting (about 45-50 m) from a smooth barrel , at least with a choke (although a strong choke is preferable), you should choose cartridges with a container. For shooting at medium distances (35-40 m), cartridges should be used with regular projectiles without choke or choke containers. The container can only be used if the barrel has a cylindrical drill. Shooting at close ranges is permissible from cylinders, but it is advisable that the cartridges be equipped with wads that have devices for increased shot dispersion. Naturally, the size of the shot must correspond to the size of the game. For large animals such as elk, wild boar and bear, it is necessary to use heavy Brenneke or Gualandi bullets weighing at least 36g. To shoot deer, medium-sized elk or wild boar, you can use lighter bullets weighing 25-30 g. To kill gilts, wolves and similar-sized animals, you can use large and medium buckshot with a diameter of 5.6-8.4 mm. For goose hunting, you should use cartridges with one or four bullets. The largest shot is used when hunting a very large goose, and you should shoot from long barrels with strong choke constrictions. The same weapons and cartridges should be used when hunting foxes from the approach, and smaller shot can be taken from under a hound. Sometimes you can even use shot 3 if the cartridge has good characteristics in terms of speed and accuracy (cartridge only with a container), and the gun has long barrels (at least 750 mm) and powerful chokes, and the range to the fox is no more than 30 m. 0If a hare is shot from - for hounds, then you can use shot number 5, and in the fall with an approach of number 3 or 4, in winter it is better to have cartridges with shot number 2 or 1. Capercaillie should be shot with shot number 2 or 1, naturally at permissible distances. It is best to shoot at black grouse with 3 shot; you can, of course, use smaller shot, but not always, except perhaps at broods from under a dog. Hazel grouse should be taken with 7 or 8 fraction numbers. For wild pigeons it is enough to use cartridges with 7-5 shot, and for turtle doves with a smaller number. When hunting ducks, you should stock up on cartridges with 5-7 shot, and if you come across a large one, then it is not forbidden to use a 3 shot. There are still many different types of hunting objects, but the recommendations given here will allow you to figure out which shot should be used depending on the size of the animal or bird. Currently, increased power cartridges called “magnum” have become quite widespread. The main external distinctive feature of magnum cartridges is the increased length of the cartridge case to 76 or 89 mm. Cartridges with a case length of 76 mm appeared, judging by the available catalogs, after the Second World War, and cartridges with a case length of 89 mm were introduced by the American in 1987 for 12 gauge, which was due to the need to accommodate a larger shot shell with steel shot. The 12-gauge magnum cartridge makes it possible to get a shot equal in power to a 10-gauge cartridge, that is, the versatility of the weapon is significantly expanded. A 20-gauge shotgun, designed for the use of magnum cartridges, allows you to fire a shot equal in power to a shot with a 12-gauge cartridge. Having one 20-gauge magnum shotgun, through the use of cartridges of different power, you can get shots that are equal in destructive power to 20- or 12-gauge cartridges. Of course, it is very convenient and rational to have one gun, and by changing cartridges, get a fairly universal gun. As an example, consider cartridges sold under the Taiga brand, the characteristics of which are given in Table 1. Our very famous one also sells magnum cartridges of 12 and 20 calibers. However, very often hunters wonder how to make such a cartridge themselves, either because it is not available for sale, especially in remote places, or because it is expensive. And since the weapon has already been purchased, if necessary, sometimes you should use it at full power. In relation to this, we can say, first of all, that high-power cartridges can only be loaded with special gunpowder. Ordinary gunpowder raises the maximum pressure very strongly with increased shot loads, which can lead to the destruction of the gun, and at the same time injure the shooter. In this case, the shot velocity will significantly decrease, which will lead to a decrease in the lethal firing distance. If the amount of gunpowder increases along with the amount of shot or bullet, there will be an even greater increase in the maximum pressure, which will further aggravate the situation. To prevent this from happening, such cartridges should be equipped with special powders that give the shot shell the required initial velocities with a slight increase in maximum pressure, the value of which does not exceed the pressure for which the gun is designed. After all, weapons designed for magnum cartridges have stronger barrel walls and powerful locking mechanisms. What exactly is the effect of using magnum cartridges for hunting and does it give anything at all? First of all, you should know that the initial and final velocities near the target for pellets of magnum and standard cartridges are not much different, and therefore from this point of view the magnum cartridge has no advantages. However, due to the increased mass of the shot shell by 1.28-1.625 times, the density of the shot scree, depending on the caliber, also increases accordingly, and given that in order to hit game it is necessary for 3-5 pellets to hit it, this means that such a density at an increased number of pellets can be obtained at a greater distance from the shooter. Since the number of pellets is proportional to the mass of the shot shell corresponding to the game shot number, the density of the shot scatter will increase on average by one and a half times, which means that if at a distance of 35 m we have a sufficient density of shot scree, that is, 3-5 pellets in the carcass of the corresponding game number of the shot, then with an increased mass of the shot shell by 1.5 times, we will get a density at the same distance of approximately 5-8 pellets per game carcass. Elementary logic dictates that when shooting at a distance increased by 1.5 times, we will get the usual shot density of 3-5 pellets. Thus, when using magnum cartridges, the firing range can be increased to 53 m. Practical hunting shooting confirms these calculations. Since the magnum cartridge has an increased weight of shot, when firing a shot for the lower pellets in the projectile, conditions arise under which their increased deformation is possible due to overloads that occur when the shot projectile begins to move and is exposed to the higher located pellets. To reduce these undesirable phenomena, it is necessary to use shot of increased hardness, improve the shock-absorbing properties of the wad, fill the intershot space with shock-absorbing material and use a special gunpowder that has a specific pressure curve that makes it possible to reduce the peak of maximum pressure with an increased weight of shot and at the same time not reduce the initial speed, otherwise the lethality of pellets at a distance will be insufficient to kill game. All this suggests that such a cartridge should not be equipped at home, since without measuring the ballistic characteristics it is possible to equip a cartridge that will either tear the gun apart or will not have the characteristics that will allow it to hit game at longer distances than normal standard cartridge. And you need to remember one more thing. You cannot fire magnum cartridges with a 76 mm case from a gun designed to use standard cartridges with a 70 mm chamber. When firing such a cartridge, the expanded muzzle of the cartridge case will partially block the transition for shot and wads from the chamber to the barrel, which will lead to a strong increase in pressure not only due to the use of increased amounts of gunpowder and shot, but also due to partial blocking of the projectile entrance. So, in the end, you need to firmly remember that magnum cartridges must be purchased only from factory equipment and used only in those guns that are designed to use such cartridges. Now you need to understand the question of when they should be used for hunting and whether they are universal for all types of hunting. One thing you need to remember here is that the magnum cartridge does not have an increased initial shot velocity compared to a standard cartridge, and sometimes it is even slightly lower. This suggests that the magnum cartridge should only be used with relatively coarse shot that maintains a sufficiently high velocity on the target at a greater distance. Small shot at a long distance reduces the speed so much that it loses its destructive power. Since the lethality of the cartridge is increased due to the increased density of the shot, you should not use 10- and 12-gauge magnum and 16-gauge semi-magnum cartridges with concentration containers for shooting at close ranges, since there will be nothing left of the game. These cartridges are good for shooting at extreme shotgun ranges, but at those ranges only coarse shot retains sufficient energy. This means that there is no point in purchasing cartridges with small shot 7-10 and concentrator wads, since the speed of the small shot at the target will be lower than the required value, which is in the range of 180-200 m/s. Cartridges with such shot should be purchased either with regular wads without container-concentrators, or with scattered wads, or, as they are also called, “dispersed”. When shooting at medium distances of 35-40 m, the density of shot debris from shooting with 12-gauge Magnum cartridges will still be very high, and there is no point in throwing an excessive amount of pellets into the wind given the high cost of the cartridge, and besides, the harvested game will be so stuffed pellets, that eating it will not be very pleasant. These cartridges can be used for shooting at this distance (if you don’t mind the shot) with devices such as a dispersed wad, a cylindrical drill barrel, with a pre-muzzle extension or a bell. So in this case, you should use regular standard 12 gauge cartridges. This cannot be said about 20-gauge magnum cartridges, which are quite suitable for shooting at 35-40 m. After all, this cartridge, in fact, is equal to a standard 12-gauge cartridge and therefore it is quite reasonable to use it for shooting at these distances with medium and large shots at medium and large birds, as well as at animals such as a fox or a hare. For these same animals, it is quite rational to use large-caliber magnum cartridges when shooting at a distance of up to 53 m with the corresponding shot numbers, since they were designed precisely for these purposes. Of course, at such distances, only coarse shot should be used against appropriately large game, since only coarse shot at this distance retains sufficient speed to destroy the tissue of the game and penetrate through dense, especially autumn, feathers when shooting, for example, at a goose. In addition, magnum cartridges should be used to obtain an effective long-range buckshot shot. Judge for yourself, because a magnum cartridge can accommodate 12 buckshots with a diameter of more than 8 mm instead of 9 buckshots of a standard cartridge, which means that the reliability of the kill increases by one third, which is important when hunting a wolf, roe deer or small boar. It is undesirable to use magnum cartridges without containers, since strong and rapid lead formation of the barrel occurs, especially in the transition cones from the chamber to the barrel and from the barrel to the choke. So far we have been talking about magnum cartridges with a case length of 76 mm and with lead shot, but, as you know, magnum cartridges have also been developed with a case length of 89 mm. This cartridge is specially designed for steel shot, since for shooting certain game the size of the steel shot must be increased by two numbers in order to maintain the number of pellets and, accordingly, the density of the shot at the same distance and with the same destructive abilities as the corresponding cartridge with lead shot. The use of cartridges with steel shot is due to the fact that in some countries legislation has been passed prohibiting hunting in water bodies with lead shot. Ultimately, you should know that with the same choke constrictions, barrel length and cartridges without containers, the same method of equipment, that is, cartridges from the same batch (same pressure and ambient temperature, etc. weather conditions), the density of the shot shell will be almost proportional to the mass of the shot shell and the number of pellets in the projectile. It is this property of magnum cartridges that has a positive effect when shooting at extreme distances for a shotgun shot. Below is a table calculating the target area that can be reliably hit with a shot at a distance of 53 m using magnum cartridges. For example, consider this case. There will be a hare hunt with a slaughter area of 400 m2. If I have a gun chambered for 12/76 with 1 shot, then it can shoot at 53 m, but with a 12/70 cartridge only at 35 m (the same can be said about the 20/76 cartridge). But with the 20/70 cartridge only at 28 m. The 410/76 cartridge is suitable for shooting only at 22 m. Such calculations can be made for any game, knowing its slaughter area. By the way, the 12/70 and 20/76 cartridges are identical in their destructive ability. Thus, having a 20-caliber magnum shotgun, you have a fairly versatile gun, since it makes it possible to have an effective 12-caliber shot and at the same time allows you to shoot with conventional 20-caliber cartridges, which is quite beneficial in terms of saving shot and other funds. And sometimes you just need a shot of reduced power when shooting a small animal. It is more convenient to make half-charges in smaller caliber cartridges. The data will take a slightly different form if the barrel has a full choke, and the shot is placed in a container and sprinkled with granulated polyethylene. As you know, a full choke usually increases the accuracy of fire by up to 60-65% (on average, a shotgun gives 50% accuracy), placing shot in a container and pouring it with granulated polyethylene increases the accuracy of fire by another 7-9%, according to foreign press data. Thus, our calculations of the firing range of different power cartridges will increase somewhat. For the 12/76 cartridge this range will increase to 64-70 m, and for the 20/76 cartridge - to 42-46 m for shot 3. The following can be said about the use of 410 caliber Magnum cartridges in our hunts. In terms of shot shell weight, this cartridge corresponds to a conventional 28-caliber cartridge. Hence, the conditions for its use in hunting are the same as for 28-caliber rifles.

M. Blum, Hunting and game management 08/2004

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Hunting cartridges for smoothbore weapons

On the eve of the opening of spring or autumn hunting, hunting stores can be crowded. Shot cartridges are, of course, in greatest demand. At this time, you can hear long debates between hunters about which of them is better. Of course, everyone has different opinions, strong arguments and facts usually lead to nothing, everyone remains with their own opinion. Hunters are in the habit of trusting only their impressions of the quality of various types of ammunition.

A cartridge can be called high-quality if it is produced with strict adherence to the technological process and only components that meet certain requirements were used. But not everything is so simple, in addition to high-quality gunpowder, shot, primers, cartridge cases and other elements of the cartridge, sometimes such factors as the gun system, barrel length, choke, weather, storage conditions, etc. have an equally significant impact on the shooting results. . All this must be taken into account when comparing cartridges.

Bad & good ammo

Most hunters have little understanding of the ballistic characteristics of a cartridge; they understand practical shooting on a real hunt much better. Therefore, conclusions about whether cartridges are good or not are based largely on sensations. They pay attention to recoil force, the amount of unburned gunpowder remaining in the barrel, the percentage of successful shots, etc.

In addition, everything is learned by comparison. If a hunter, owning the same gun and hunting, say, a duck, uses several types of cartridges from different manufacturers, then based on the ratio of the number of wounded animals and the number of successful shots, he makes a conclusion about which ones are better. It is clear that this is a rather primitive comparison, so to speak, but it is precisely on this principle that many people form an opinion about cartridges.

For hunters who want to understand the essence of the problem, there is now enough information in hunting literature and on specialized Internet sites. There are already specific indicators and data expressed in numbers. They are obtained as a result of shooting cartridges from different manufacturers under the same conditions. The main significant parameters that are worth paying attention to include chamber pressure, muzzle velocity and shotsheaf velocity. After familiarizing yourself with them, you can find out which ammunition is better.

True, it should be noted that the concept of better - worse is not entirely correct. Many people have probably encountered the fact that some people like the same type of cartridge, but others don’t. The thing is that such unshakable pillars of good shooting as accuracy and sharpness of the battle are influenced by a large number of factors, from the characteristics of the gun itself to the temperature and degree of humidity of the surrounding air. Therefore, in some conditions one manufacturer will show the best results, in others - another.

What sharpness of the gun's action and the uniformity of the shot scree are shown by certain cartridges in the field, if desired, can be checked by firing a series of shots at a pine board and a 100-foot target. Such indicators carry at least some objectivity, but few people resort to this.

Which ones to use - factory or your own charger?

In both cases there are pros and cons, based on them, the hunter himself decides which to use.

Factory ammunition cartridges are characterized by:

- combat stability, - minimum failures in semi-automatic machines, - time saving.

On the other hand, the combat performance is average, which does not suit some hunters, and the cost is slightly higher than self-loading ones.

Self-loading cartridges are most often used by hunters who have small caliber guns and simply by hunters interested in obtaining the highest possible quality of gun action on certain hunts.

Advantages:

- the cartridges receive the characteristics that you put into them - a small cost savings.

The disadvantages include time-consuming, the purchase of special devices for charging cartridges and the problem of their incompatibility with semi-automatic devices.

Which is better - imported or domestic?

In stores, the choice of manufacturers has long been more than sufficient; five foreign manufacturers and the same number of domestic ones are always represented in almost any of them. For some reason, we generally believe that imported ones are better than those produced in Russia. But data cited in some respected publications show a different picture. In terms of price-quality ratio, we still have to admit that our cartridges may not be better, but certainly not worse, and at a much lower price. But of course we will not impose such an opinion on anyone. Every hunter has probably already tried a lot of types, and if he has chosen one of them, no matter whose production, then this option is right for him and his gun.

The choice of domestic cartridges in stores is quite large: Glavpatron, SKM-industry, Fetter, Pozis, Record, Tekhkrim, Safari, Azot. But not all of them are in demand. Preference is given to Glavpatron, Fetter and SCM-industry.

Among the imported manufacturers, the most famous are Fiocchi and Clever. They have decent quality, but at the same time not a small price.