Unchained Preppers
General Category => Gear Review => Topic started by: Kentactic on January 06, 2012, 04:28:13 PM
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Fiocchi 2 3/4, nickel plated 00 Buckshot
Im doing a review on the Fiocchi 00 Buck because its quite affordable and Fiocchi tends to make some quality Ammo for the price. And since this is a prepper forum, a low cost quality round we can afford to stockpile is desireable. This Fiocchi ammo can be had for around 51 cents a round depending on quanity purchased at a time. I will be referencing Winchester Super X 00B for a comparison as it is what i currently carry as my go to Ammo for my shotgun and because it is in my opinion a competitor in the category based on price. it can be had for around 66 cents a round at your local walmart.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/OOb001.jpg)
Right off the bat comparing the two cartridges you can visually see that the Fiocchi cartridge has a shorter base, and is over all a shorter shell. The Winchester shell is heat sealed at the crimping on the end of the shell. The Fiocchi is just crimped and you can see exposed Pellets through the small hole. This may be a negative in environments that there is a lot of moisture. I would imagine if this round was submerged in water it wouldnt survive long in working condition.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/OOb002.jpg)
The listed Velocity on the box for the Fiocchi is 1325ft/s. It is loaded with (9) 00B Nickel Plated pellets. It has a clear Hull that is cool looking but also serves some function because at a glance you can see what is in the shell. The load comes with no buffering but aslong as it patterns well thats fine with me (to be continued). For comparison the Winchester Super X has Buffering but does not have plated Pellets.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/Fiocchi00B001.jpg)
The Shotgun i will be testing the Fiocchi ammo with is my 870 Express with an 18'' cylinder choke barrel. all other modifications are irrelivant for this review. I think this is a good gun to test with because its pretty similar to what a lot of people tend to have to employ in a self defense role.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/870pic001.jpg)
For a target im using an official USPSA/IPSC competition target on the white side for better visibility of the holes. The loads recoil was very nice comparable to a big birdshot load. it hit where i was aiming and the group stayed pretty well uniform all the way out. the first test was at 7 yards. I held center body because i didnt know what the load would do and wanted to make sure to get the whole pattern on the target. I was pretty impressed with what it did. It was around a 3.5'' pattern. I didnt think to bring a ruler for this test so all sizes are approximate.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/erhfrtjn005.jpg)
Then i shot at 15 yards and i was not so happy how much it had opened up. that group was around 10'' or so.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/erhfrtjn012.jpg)
Last i shot at 25 yards and not suprising based on the 15 yard target that only 6 of the 9 pellets hit the target. i was aiming at the center mass chest area so perhaps if you held center body instead more pellets would have landed on the target.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/erhfrtjn015.jpg)
Over all id say for the price its a good load. its a little cheaper then the Winchester Super X and performs id say a little better. there were no feeding, extracting or ejecting issues with the 9 rounds i fired. Aslong as you know your pattern and know whats behind your target i think it can be used atleast out to 25 yards effectively and safely with things you dont want to shoot near your target at 15 yards and in. With some pellets staying nearly centered on the target i wouldnt hesitate to shoot out to 35 yards to try and catch the bad guy with a few pellets, Assuming nothing else near by that shouldnt be hit. And of course all of this is based on my shotgun specifically. differnet guns, with different barrel lengths and chokes will act differently.
With all that said i think this load is a load that could be considered in stockpiling for your 12 gauge shotgun... it performs ok and at 51 cents a round it is a hard price to beat. there are deffinatly other loads that will put this one to shame in performance but those loads arent exactly prepper friendly due to the price of them. One could also consider stocking these in large quanitys and then topping off the stockpile with some higher quality rounds as your go to rounds. I always say id rather have 500 FMJ rounds then 100 HP rounds for at the same cost for my sidearm. and the same can be said here. you wont get the ideal performance but they will go bang and they are lethal.
-Kenny
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Here I was all happy that Ken got a day at the range and the patterns were in... Why do you keep stinging my along Ken? :))
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Here I was all happy that Ken got a day at the range and the patterns were in... Why do you keep stinging my along Ken? :))
lol i was going to go tomorrow but something came up... the range report will be up by mid-day sunday.
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See how you do me Ken?
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Range review complete....
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try some estate next time man. and this was a badass topic the pics made me feel like a little kid again lol
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Well done Ken, I love it!
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try some estate next time man. and this was a badass topic the pics made me feel like a little kid again lol
Are they low cost aswell?.. link me up to the best place to buy them and ill try them out and do a similar review.
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try some estate next time man. and this was a badass topic the pics made me feel like a little kid again lol
Are they low cost aswell?.. link me up to the best place to buy them and ill try them out and do a similar review.
testfoog (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Estate-Buckshot-150-Per-10-Box-Case/705957.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3D00%2Bbuckshot%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=00+buckshot&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products) best price i have found, but i have never been very good at digging up stuff on the internet.
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all i saw in them pics was kenny's sexy hand [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
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[URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
The shotgun and load did what it was intended to do.
I am extremely impressed with the 15 yard shot. That IMO is exactly what you want.
A lot of new holes bleeding all over the body. Even if that dude gets medical attention. It's pretty much clear he/she is
Fu'd
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The shotgun and load did what it was intended to do.
I am extremely impressed with the 15 yard shot. That IMO is exactly what you want.
A lot of new holes bleeding all over the body. Even if that dude gets medical attention. It's pretty much clear he/she is
Fu'd
yes i agree thats a great spread for a 15 yard shot as far as the damage you will do. but id prefer to see that pattern at 25 yards personally. never the less over all its a pretty good load for the price.
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I've had really good luck with Fiocchi ammo in general.
I love their 223/556 and have shot many thousands of rounds of Fiocchi 20ga without fail.
From what I have seen they make great ammo, plus they are based up the road in Ozark, Missouri. :))
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I like the S & B 12-pellet 00buck load. It still scores hits at 35 yards (prolly because there are more pellets). My buddy is kinda psycho, his standard 12-guage buckshot load is the S & B 15-pellet 00buck 3" magnum. Ouch!!! The S & B are also at a value price.
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How do those nickel-plated suckers work with a standard barrel? My shotty has a chrome-lined barrel, so not much worries there. I was skeptical when I first bought my new Winchester Super-X pump, but the soft built-in recoil pad and chrome-lined barrel made me fall in love...
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How do those nickel-plated suckers work with a standard barrel? My shotty has a chrome-lined barrel, so not much worries there. I was skeptical when I first bought my new Winchester Super-X pump, but the soft built-in recoil pad and chrome-lined barrel made me fall in love...
i dont think theres any risk of damage to a standard barrel with the nickel plated ammo. for one the pellets are all encased in the wad until well after they have exited the gun. as you can see in the 7 yard pattern the wad has just let them go because they are still tight and the wad hits right next to the group.
but i think even if those pellets were to make contact with the barrel the soft lead would just smoosh if there was any resistance. i tested with a knife and the nickel plating dosent really make the pellets THAT much harder but im sure it does help in keeping the pellets in one piece once they hit an object. i was actually getting ricochets with them in some cases. never had that with the straight lead 00B
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Great review Ken, K+ for the good work ;)
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Want a good way to store that ammo better?
Take a little bit of time out of your busy life with a 10 cent candle and drip some wax into that open hole. Should seal it up nice and tight.
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Fiocchi 2 3/4, nickel plated 00 Buckshot
Im doing a review on the Fiocchi 00 Buck because its quite affordable and Fiocchi tends to make some quality Ammo for the price. And since this is a prepper forum, a low cost quality round we can afford to stockpile is desireable. This Fiocchi ammo can be had for around 51 cents a round depending on quanity purchased at a time. I will be referencing Winchester Super X 00B for a comparison as it is what i currently carry as my go to Ammo for my shotgun and because it is in my opinion a competitor in the category based on price. it can be had for around 66 cents a round at your local walmart.
([url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/OOb001.jpg[/url])
Right off the bat comparing the two cartridges you can visually see that the Fiocchi cartridge has a shorter base, and is over all a shorter shell. The Winchester shell is heat sealed at the crimping on the end of the shell. The Fiocchi is just crimped and you can see exposed Pellets through the small hole. This may be a negative in environments that there is a lot of moisture. I would imagine if this round was submerged in water it wouldnt survive long in working condition.
([url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/OOb002.jpg[/url])
The listed Velocity on the box for the Fiocchi is 1325ft/s. It is loaded with (9) 00B Nickel Plated pellets. It has a clear Hull that is cool looking but also serves some function because at a glance you can see what is in the shell. The load comes with no buffering but aslong as it patterns well thats fine with me (to be continued). For comparison the Winchester Super X has Buffering but does not have plated Pellets.
([url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/Fiocchi00B001.jpg[/url])
The Shotgun i will be testing the Fiocchi ammo with is my 870 Express with an 18'' cylinder choke barrel. all other modifications are irrelivant for this review. I think this is a good gun to test with because its pretty similar to what a lot of people tend to have to employ in a self defense role.
([url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/870pic001.jpg[/url])
For a target im using an official USPSA/IPSC competition target on the white side for better visibility of the holes. The loads recoil was very nice comparable to a big birdshot load. it hit where i was aiming and the group stayed pretty well uniform all the way out. the first test was at 7 yards. I held center body because i didnt know what the load would do and wanted to make sure to get the whole pattern on the target. I was pretty impressed with what it did. It was around a 3.5'' pattern. I didnt think to bring a ruler for this test so all sizes are approximate.
([url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/erhfrtjn005.jpg[/url])
Then i shot at 15 yards and i was not so happy how much it had opened up. that group was around 10'' or so.
([url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/erhfrtjn012.jpg[/url])
Last i shot at 25 yards and not suprising based on the 15 yard target that only 6 of the 9 pellets hit the target. i was aiming at the center mass chest area so perhaps if you held center body instead more pellets would have landed on the target.
([url]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/gearheadkdr/erhfrtjn015.jpg[/url])
Over all id say for the price its a good load. its a little cheaper then the Winchester Super X and performs id say a little better. there were no feeding, extracting or ejecting issues with the 9 rounds i fired. Aslong as you know your pattern and know whats behind your target i think it can be used atleast out to 25 yards effectively and safely with things you dont want to shoot near your target at 15 yards and in. With some pellets staying nearly centered on the target i wouldnt hesitate to shoot out to 35 yards to try and catch the bad guy with a few pellets, Assuming nothing else near by that shouldnt be hit. And of course all of this is based on my shotgun specifically. differnet guns, with different barrel lengths and chokes will act differently.
With all that said i think this load is a load that could be considered in stockpiling for your 12 gauge shotgun... it performs ok and at 51 cents a round it is a hard price to beat. there are deffinatly other loads that will put this one to shame in performance but those loads arent exactly prepper friendly due to the price of them. One could also consider stocking these in large quanitys and then topping off the stockpile with some higher quality rounds as your go to rounds. I always say id rather have 500 FMJ rounds then 100 HP rounds for at the same cost for my sidearm. and the same can be said here. you wont get the ideal performance but they will go bang and they are lethal.
-Kenny
greetings.i just wanted to thank you twice,once for your review on the Fiocchi 12 Gauge 2-3/4" 00 Buck 80
I just wasn't sure about these cartridges as I have never heard of this co till a couple of days ago.
second I wouldn't have heard of this forum iether
so thank you thank you.
best regards
frost
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Looking at this thread for the first time, I do not think I would want to use that round for hunting purposes. Using buck and having a range limit of about 15 yards (and that is a mighty loose pattern) is not acceptable to me.
For personal defense same thing. It might be good inside the house/garage/small building but not much more.
Nemo
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greetings.i just wanted to thank you twice,once for your review on the Fiocchi 12 Gauge 2-3/4" 00 Buck 80
I just wasn't sure about these cartridges as I have never heard of this co till a couple of days ago.
second I wouldn't have heard of this forum iether
so thank you thank you.
best regards
frost
You're welcome.
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Looking at this thread for the first time, I do not think I would want to use that round for hunting purposes. Using buck and having a range limit of about 15 yards (and that is a mighty loose pattern) is not acceptable to me.
For personal defense same thing. It might be good inside the house/garage/small building but not much more.
Nemo
Agreed. I've since found that slightly lower velocities yield much better patterns due to a reduced deformation of pellets upon take off. I expect all 9 to land in my man at 25 yards. Manipulating powder burn rates and adding hardening metals to the lead pot further improve the pattern.
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Looking at this thread for the first time, I do not think I would want to use that round for hunting purposes. Using buck and having a range limit of about 15 yards (and that is a mighty loose pattern) is not acceptable to me.
For personal defense same thing. It might be good inside the house/garage/small building but not much more.
Nemo
Agreed. I've since found that slightly lower velocities yield much better patterns due to a reduced deformation of pellets upon take off. I expect all 9 to land in my man at 25 yards. Manipulating powder burn rates and adding hardening metals to the lead pot further improve the pattern.
Ken
First, thanks for the time you put in to this review.
In the past I have used a fair amount of Fiocchi reduced recoil 00 Buck from a Benelli M1 Super 90. It cycled clean and had a much more condensed pattern than you are getting from the full power loads that you tested. I would be interested in seeing what the difference is. I am not a fan of unnecessary recoil so tend to use more reduced power loads. I tested this compared to Remington, Federal and Winchester in comparable loads. The Federal was overall the best performer as far as patterning out to 25yds. All cycled fine in my M1, but the Remington and Fiocchi would not cycle consistently in a friends Mossberg 930.
As a side note I will still shoot Fiocchi if it is all I can get at a decent price but I had a very bad experience with their .223 ammo. I had an overcharged round blow up a KAC rifle on me a couple of years back. The company responded well and replace the upper immediately as well as gave me a good amount of free ammo. They are a respectable company, it is more of a mental thing with me ( I am more inclined to shoot their handgun and shotgun ammo but i cant bring myself to shoot their CF rifle).
Chris