TOP 10 best cartridges for traumatic weapons and calibers

Traumatic cartridges with rubber buckshot

Good quality ammunition ensures trouble-free operation of the reloading mechanisms of domestic and foreign-made weapons in a wide temperature range. Stable characteristics of cartridges over a wide range of operating temperatures are ensured by the use of special grades of rubber mixture used for the manufacture of bullets.

High stability of the ballistic characteristics of cartridges is ensured by the selection of optimal equipment parameters and multi-stage control at all stages of production. Summary table for an overview of products meeting these specifications:

The standard amount of ammunition in the box is 24 pieces. Consumer reviews of the 12-gauge buckshot variant are mixed. There is weak power during the shot if you purchase a domestic product.

General principles for loading 12 gauge cartridges

There are some basic principles, guided by which, the owner of a gun will be able to navigate how to properly load 12 gauge cartridges, with minimal cost and maximum quality.

To fully equip cartridges, the hunter will need the following components and materials, additional equipment and accessories:

• Materials, namely high-quality gunpowder, shot (an alternative could easily be a set of bullets, buckshot). Wads, dry gaskets, and purchased standard primers are also used. It is worth noting that even purchasing the highest quality materials will be much more profitable than the price of cartridges for 12-gauge smoothbore weapons in a specialized store.
• Equipment and tools, which include a set of special weights, jewelry scales (to accurately weigh gunpowder before laying). You will also need a UPS (about where to buy a machine for loading 12-gauge cartridges is a separate conversation; qualified assistance from a specialist will be required). To supply gunpowder, you must use a dispenser and measurements. Reloading of wads is carried out through the use of a gun; it is also worth remembering about ammunition stands and a pouch for 12-gauge cartridges.
• Information material with the help of which the process will proceed much faster. For example, a table of the number of pellets in a 12-gauge cartridge will become quite relevant, which will allow you to equip ammunition in the required quantity, and most importantly, quality. Additionally, you need to know what 12-gauge hare cartridges are and the shot number (as for hunting any other animal).

Traumatic cartridges with rubber bullets

The bullet used to load a traumatic weapon for self-defense cannot cause serious injuries if the shot is not fired at point-blank range. The ammunition may not have buckshot inside, but several balls of pressed raw materials. If you shoot from a decent distance, then the threat to life is completely eliminated. Rubber bullet ammunition may contain two to four pellets, depending on the manufacturer. The average bullet weight does not exceed 4 g. Most shooters consider buckshot to be a more effective ammunition compared to rubber bullets.

The main problem with “rubber cartridges” is the unpredictable power of the shot.

Due to the weak weight, which is uncharacteristic for use in such weapons. The use of such products by experienced shooters is not recommended due to the rather weak effectiveness of the ammunition. Rubber shot has its advantages. During firing, the weapon does not create serious noise, unlike buckshot.

Polev model cartridges

Polev's ammunition was popular in the USSR. They were named in honor of the developer Viktor Vladimirovich Polev. These ammunitions are classified as point-type ammunition; they contain lead with a plastic tail. The ammunition head has a plastic container that separates when fired. Thanks to this, the Polev cartridge easily passes through the weapon channel.

Polev's ammunition is more suitable for hunting big game: elk, wild boar and bear.

Experienced hunters prefer this domestically produced ammunition. However, this type of cartridge has not only positive characteristics, but also negative ones:

• You cannot make them yourself;
• Due to its low weight, twenty-eight to twenty-nine grams, the ability to hit a target is significantly reduced;
• With a minor obstacle, the bullet may deviate from the desired course; this is a consequence of a low level of stabilization.

For each gun, you need to select Polev bullets that can provide the best convergence of the midpoints of impact from each barrel.

Workplace requirements

When loading bullet cartridges for 12-gauge shotguns, you need to pay due attention to organizing your own workspace. This is a rather complicated procedure from the technical side of the issue; it must be carried out carefully, in a properly prepared place. There should be no unnecessary rubbish or other materials on the table, and there should be no explosive or flammable products. The finished ammunition is neatly stored in a box for 12-gauge ammunition, which will ensure its subsequent safety during transportation over long distances. No strangers should be present in the room (no one is protected from “accidentally” touching ammunition or hitting the table). However, if the equipment is being carried out for the first time, it is recommended to have an experienced specialist nearby. All work is carried out in accordance with the technological process, concentrated and balanced. Do not smoke under any circumstances, as this may cause an explosion.

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.

Self-defense weapon: Grand Power T12 pistol

The Grand Power T12 pistol, produced in Russia, does not have partitions or pins in the barrel.

The new Russian Grand Power T12 is a firearm of limited destruction and has a corresponding certificate. The Russian Grand Power T12 fires all available 10×28 traumatic action cartridges. The cost of the new T12 is about 38,000 rubles.

10×28T traumatic cartridge (left) and 9×19 combat cartridge

The Grand Power T12 pistol, created by the Slovak designer Jaroslav Kuracina on the basis of his Grand Power K100 combat pistol, is an improved version of the T10 pistol, famous in Russia. My catalog of traumatic weapons on this site contains detailed information and owner reviews on this pistol. The Grand Power T12 pistol differs from its prototype primarily in the use of a new 10x28 traumatic action cartridge, which eliminated the feed problem that the T10 pistol had, and also increased the shooting efficiency of this self-defense weapon. An important quality in the field of versatility and ease of use are innovations that have not changed the design much, but are very useful.

The Grand Power T12 limited-kill firearm is made in accordance with the concept of a modern modular personal self-defense weapon. The T12 pistol features interchangeable grip panels and ambidextrous controls. Standard Picatinny rails allow you to install a wide variety of accessories on your weapon. That is, the owner can easily and quickly attach tactical flashlights and laser designators from various manufacturers, or even guidance units that combine a flashlight and laser designator, to his self-defense weapon. Replaceable grip panels, safety and slide levers, Picatinny rails were introduced into the design of the new self-defense weapon, the Grand Power T12 traumatic pistol, directly from the Grand Power K100 Mk7 9 mm combat pistol.

The Grand Power T12 pistol uses a new 10×28 traumatic cartridge, which is a 9mm Parabellum (9×19) live cartridge case extended to 28 mm with a rubber bullet with a diameter of 12 mm and a weight of 1.8 g. The use of this cartridge eliminated the main drawback Grand Power T10 pistol, which consisted in an unstable supply of 10x22T cartridges from the magazine to the chamber. The reason for these delays was the insufficient length of the cartridge, since the weapon was developed on the basis of the K100 combat pistol, the magazine of which was designed for 9x19 cartridges. The 10×28 traumatic action cartridge is almost identical in length to the 9mm Parabellum, allowing it to feed smoothly like the K100 combat pistol. But with the introduction of a new cartridge, not only the reliability of the pistol was increased, but also the firing efficiency of this weapon in self-defense.

The 10×22T traumatic action cartridge produced by PKP AKBS LLC in terms of muzzle energy significantly exceeds the recently popular .45 Rubber and has higher energy than 9mm PA, or is on equal terms according to the results of measurements when firing the best-powered 9mm PA cartridges from T10 pistol. When firing from a Grand Power T12 traumatic pistol with 10x28 cartridges with a bullet weighing 1.8 g, the muzzle energy is about 150 J. This is a very good indicator in comparison with most traumatic self-defense weapons at the moment. PKP AKBS LLC in the future can produce significantly more effective traumatic cartridges for self-defense, with heavier bullets and greater muzzle energy, but only if the weapons legislation changes for the better in relation to ordinary citizens of Russia.

Video review of the Grand Power T12 pistol manufacturer Fortuna

The automatic operation of the Grand Power T12 traumatic pistol operates according to a blowback design. The T12 pistol frame is a GF30 polyamide plastic shell with interchangeable rear grip panels varying in shape and size. Replaceable panels allow you to customize the ergonomics of the handle for the specific owner of this self-defense weapon. Personal adjustment of the ergonomics of the handle makes holding the weapon much more comfortable, and the grip is tight and stable, which significantly increases the accuracy of shooting, both aimed at a low tempo and high-speed shooting in series. This quality of self-defense weapons is necessary both for owners who purchase them for self-defense, and for sports shooters who compete with their traumatic pistols in competitions according to IPSC rules.

In the front part of the plastic frame (shell) of the pistol, on its lower surface, there is a Picatinny rail. The recoil spring is located under the barrel, as in the K100 Mk7 pistol. The Grand Power T12 traumatic self-defense weapon is equipped with only one replaceable panel, similar to the frame panel of the Grand Power K100 Mk7 combat pistol. However, any owner can purchase and install panels of other dimensions on his rubber pistol, adjusting them to the size of his hand. The plastic frame (shell) houses a steel frame (liner), which is legally considered a frame. The frame has guides for moving the shutter casing along it and the trigger mechanism is also located in it. The steel barrel is fixed to this frame. Inside the bore there is a small protrusion ("tooth") located directly in front of the chamber, at the top, which does not allow firing solid bullets. A rubber bullet from a traumatic cartridge easily passes through this protrusion due to elastic deformation.

New self-defense weapons are distinguished by modern materials, which mostly concerns frames made of high-strength and lightweight plastic, thanks to which they achieve reasonable cost, low weight, ease of wearing and practicality. The production of the Grand Power T12 traumatic pistol uses the latest technologies and materials that significantly reduce the weight of the weapon. The valve is milled from a CrNiMo - chromium-nickel-molybdenum steel block, then hardened to a hardness of about 40-42 HRC and subjected to cementation, oxidation and nitriding using Tenifer QPQ technology. Metal parts - frame, bolt casing, barrel and trigger mechanism parts are coated with Tenifer QPQ, which significantly increases resistance to corrosion and abrasion. The use of such materials and technologies significantly increases the service life of weapons. The return spring guide, trigger, trigger guard and safety levers are made of plastic, that is, parts subject to less load.

The trigger mechanism is hammer type, double action, with an open trigger. For the most part, new self-defense weapons use just such a trigger, including the best examples of traumatic pistols currently presented on the Russian market of “rubber” weapons. A coiled mainspring, made of high-quality spring steel, is located in the trigger. "Rubber" weapons, the main purpose of which is self-defense, must be not only effective, but also easy to use for a wide range of people. All weapon controls are double-sided. The manually operated safety levers are located on both sides of the weapon, allowing them to be operated equally comfortably by people with either a leading right hand or a leading left hand. The Grand Power T12 limited-kill firearm differs from the T10 pistol in a different way of securing the safety lever, so that it no longer tends to spontaneously rise to the on position during firing due to wear.

Pistol shooting

The safety is turned off by moving the lever to the lower position, a natural movement of the thumb down. This feature, which allows you to turn off the safety and put the self-defense weapon into full combat readiness even while removing the pistol from the holster, has proven itself in John Browning’s masterpiece, the famous Colt M1911 pistol, which was in service with the US Army and is still used by special forces units, including including Russian ones. A traumatic self-defense weapon, like a combat pistol, must be ready for immediate use, and the above-mentioned quality ensures that this requirement is met. The magazine latch, made in the form of a button at the base of the trigger guard, is also double-sided, as is the bolt stop, the levers of which are located above the trigger guard on both sides of the frame.

The Grand Power T12 pistol is fed with cartridges from box-shaped double-row magazines with a capacity of 17 rounds of traumatic action, with them rearranged into one row at the outlet of the magazine. The bolt casing is no longer equipped with a muzzle sleeve. This made it possible to install a removable front sight on it. The standard front sight of the T12 traumatic pistol can now be easily replaced with a front sight with a fiber optic rod that collects and focuses the light flux along the central axis, helping the shooter to aim faster and more accurately. I recommend that you always install fiber optic rods, as it is not expensive, but significantly increases the combat qualities of your traumatic T12 and the chances of its successful and effective use as both a self-defense weapon and a sporting weapon. Otherwise, the new Grand Power T12 traumatic pistol is similar in design to the T10 pistol.

Partial disassembly of the Grand Power T12 pistol is carried out in the following way. It is necessary to disconnect the magazine and turn off the fuse. Check that there is no cartridge in the chamber. The next step is one of the features of the T12 and K100 pistols, and is similar to the method of disassembling the German Walter PP and the Soviet Makarov pistol. The trigger guard is pulled down slightly without resting against the magazine. Afterwards, you need to move the shutter casing to its rearmost position and lift it by the back, removing it from the guides. Then move the bolt housing forward, removing it from the barrel. Next, to complete partial disassembly, it remains to remove the return spring.

In general, the Grand Power T12 pistol is one of the best representatives of new self-defense weapons created on the basis of military models. The Grand Power T12 pistol has excellent ergonomics, is easy to handle and maintain, is highly safe, has high shooting accuracy and high-speed shooting accuracy, reliability in mild and harsh operating conditions, high service life and shooting efficiency. The main and, by and large, only drawback of the Grand Power T12 pistol is its dimensions, mostly thickness, but this can also be minimized by the correct selection of a suitable holster. In fact, the main disadvantage of the T12 is that it fires traumatic rounds rather than normal combat 9mm Parabellum, but this disadvantage relates more to Russian legislation than to Yaroslav's pistol. Grand Power T12 has the same advantages as other new self-defense weapons that this catalog of traumatic weapons contains, but in some respects it is superior to many well-known examples of traumatic pistols and revolvers produced and entering the Russian self-defense weapons market today. Personally, I consider the Grand Power T12 to be the best of the full-size traumatic self-loading pistols currently presented on the Russian self-defense weapons market.

Currently, PKP AKBS LLC is serially producing a new modification of Grand Power T12 pistols as a limited-kill firearm. The main, fundamental difference between the new Grand Power T12 pistol produced in Russia is the absence of a pin in the barrel bore. The barrel of the T12 pistol, produced in Russia, does not have partitions or pins, which is the main advantage of this model. In addition, the lower groove on the outer surface of the barrel has become deeper in accordance with the cream. requirements for this class of weapons. According to test results, the new barrel can withstand all available 10x28 cartridges. The least significant difference is the markings on the pistol's slide-casing. In general, the new domestically assembled Grand Power T12 pistol is superior in a number of known parameters to similar models of previously produced rubber pistols, such as Groza-02 with a V4 barrel. The new Russian Grand Power T12 is sold in the retail chain of stores of PKP AKBS LLC at a price of 36,000 rubles.

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.

Purpose

Weapons, whether traumatic or military, are not always purchased for self-defense. Many people take it to emphasize brutality. In this case, you want to buy a big gun and walk on the street so that everyone can see it. If you are not bothered by the increased attention of police patrols and endless requests to present your weapon for inspection, then you can carry a weapon anyway. There are also people who buy traumatic weapons for collection, especially if they are made according to the prototype of a traditional combat weapon.

• Self-defense. Any traumatic weapon copes well with this task - it effectively stops the attacker. An example of a high-quality weapon for self-defense is the legendary Wasp, whose design focuses on efficiency.
• Shooting practice. By using a pistol during training that most accurately copies a combat prototype, you can gain good skills in handling firearms.
• Entertaining shooting. Here, inexpensive models with budget ammunition are most often found. It can also serve for self-defense, but it will perform much better in shooting at cans and plywood.

Calibers of traumatic weapons

The size of the bullet determines its penetrating and stopping power. A small bullet is aggressive, lighter and faster, so it can easily penetrate soft tissue. A heavy and large bullet will transfer its energy to the target as efficiently as possible.

A dilemma arises - what ammunition to use? A large caliber can be compared to a blow from a good boxer; it is unlikely that your opponent will remain on his feet afterward. But the impact of a small bullet is more noticeable, and moreover, they can inflict serious wounds, including fatal ones, which is very, very undesirable for the owner of the weapon.

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.