Fed Field & Target vs Fed Top Gun
I recently dissected and patterned these low-cost factory shotshell loads to assess their component consistency, quality, and pattern performance from a full choke at 40 yards.
Powder and shot data were obtained by cutting open five shells from the same box as the shells to be patterned and counting and weighing the components.
Patterning was done with a 12-gauge Browning Citori having 28-inch Invector-plus barrels and using a Briley flush full choke measuring .036-inch constriction from a bore gauge. The 40-yard (muzzle to target) pattern data is the result of hits registered in a 30-inch post-shot scribed circle from ten separate pattern shots.
12 GA 2 ¾" FEDERAL FIELD & TARGET LOAD
1 1/8 oz #7 ½ lead (486 pellets) @ 1200 fps
PELLETS/SHELL (1 1/8 ounce = 492.2 gr)
In-shell pellet count / weight (grains)
491 / 516.8 gr
488 / 512.9 gr
487 / 512.3 gr
486 / 511.2 gr
480 / 511.7 gr
Mean 486.4 / 512.98 gr
PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5/shell, #7 ½ = .095” dia.)
.113”, .100”, .097”, .097”, .096”, .094”, .093”, .093”, .092”, .092”, .092”, .092”, .091”, .090”, .090”, .090”, .090”, .089”, .089”, .087”, .086”, .085”, .085”, .085”, .083”
Mean pellet diameter .09164”
POWDER/SHELL
18.1 gr
18.1 gr
17.9 gr
17.8 gr
17.7 gr
Mean 17.92 gr (small flake powder)
40 YARD PATTERNS (Full choke / .036” constriction)
30” pattern totals (%)
380, 366, 363, 350, 344, 343, 340, 323, 319, 319
Mean / 344.7 (70.86%)
SD / 19.698
12 GA 2 ¾" FEDERAL TOP GUN LOAD
1 1/8 oz #7 ½ lead (405 pellets) @ 1200 fps
PELLETS/SHELL (1 1/8 ounce = 492.2 gr)
In-shell pellet count / weight (grains)
382 / 492.6 gr
389 / 494.9 gr
394/ 471.2 gr
403 / 480.6 gr
459 / 502.9 gr
Mean 405.4 / 488.44 gr
PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5/shell, #7 ½ = .095” dia.)
.104”, .100”, .100”, .099”, .099”, .096”, .095”, .095”, .095”, .095”, .095”, .093”, .093”, .092”, .091”, .091”, .091”, .090”, .088”, .087”, .086”, .083”, .082”, .081”, .081”
Mean pellet diameter .09208”
POWDER/SHELL
17.6 gr
17.5 gr
17.4 gr
17.3 gr
17.0 gr
Mean 17.36 gr (small flake powder)
40 YARD PATTERNS (Full choke / .036” constriction)
30” pattern totals (%)
295, 291, 289, 288, 286, 272, 271, 268, 265, 233
Mean / 275.8 (68.03%)
SD / 17.532
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Powder and shot data were obtained by cutting open five shells from the same box as the shells to be patterned and counting and weighing the components.
Patterning was done with a 12-gauge Browning Citori having 28-inch Invector-plus barrels and using a Briley flush full choke measuring .036-inch constriction from a bore gauge. The 40-yard (muzzle to target) pattern data is the result of hits registered in a 30-inch post-shot scribed circle from ten separate pattern shots.
12 GA 2 ¾" FEDERAL FIELD & TARGET LOAD
1 1/8 oz #7 ½ lead (486 pellets) @ 1200 fps
PELLETS/SHELL (1 1/8 ounce = 492.2 gr)
In-shell pellet count / weight (grains)
491 / 516.8 gr
488 / 512.9 gr
487 / 512.3 gr
486 / 511.2 gr
480 / 511.7 gr
Mean 486.4 / 512.98 gr
PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5/shell, #7 ½ = .095” dia.)
.113”, .100”, .097”, .097”, .096”, .094”, .093”, .093”, .092”, .092”, .092”, .092”, .091”, .090”, .090”, .090”, .090”, .089”, .089”, .087”, .086”, .085”, .085”, .085”, .083”
Mean pellet diameter .09164”
POWDER/SHELL
18.1 gr
18.1 gr
17.9 gr
17.8 gr
17.7 gr
Mean 17.92 gr (small flake powder)
40 YARD PATTERNS (Full choke / .036” constriction)
30” pattern totals (%)
380, 366, 363, 350, 344, 343, 340, 323, 319, 319
Mean / 344.7 (70.86%)
SD / 19.698
12 GA 2 ¾" FEDERAL TOP GUN LOAD
1 1/8 oz #7 ½ lead (405 pellets) @ 1200 fps
PELLETS/SHELL (1 1/8 ounce = 492.2 gr)
In-shell pellet count / weight (grains)
382 / 492.6 gr
389 / 494.9 gr
394/ 471.2 gr
403 / 480.6 gr
459 / 502.9 gr
Mean 405.4 / 488.44 gr
PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5/shell, #7 ½ = .095” dia.)
.104”, .100”, .100”, .099”, .099”, .096”, .095”, .095”, .095”, .095”, .095”, .093”, .093”, .092”, .091”, .091”, .091”, .090”, .088”, .087”, .086”, .083”, .082”, .081”, .081”
Mean pellet diameter .09208”
POWDER/SHELL
17.6 gr
17.5 gr
17.4 gr
17.3 gr
17.0 gr
Mean 17.36 gr (small flake powder)
40 YARD PATTERNS (Full choke / .036” constriction)
30” pattern totals (%)
295, 291, 289, 288, 286, 272, 271, 268, 265, 233
Mean / 275.8 (68.03%)
SD / 17.532
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
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Thanks for the info.
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105 Posts
Safe to say that these shells have different lead in each, and are not a packaging gimmick!
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1,332 Posts
Counter-intuitive if both are listed as 1-1/8oz of #7.5 shot. Either one is, or one isn't.
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367 Posts
Top Gun 1145 fps-- 1 1/8 oz --71/2 or 8--- is my preferred shell in singles.
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4,492 Posts
Completely possible if the larger quantity of larger BB's is made from a harder, thus lighter, shot content, ie, more antimony.
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253 Posts
Several factors can affect a shell's true pellet count and payload weight.
Among them includes SAAMI voluntary standards and ammo manufacturers variation tolerances.
SAAMI voluntary industry standards include:
1) Pellet size variations allow for +/- one pellet size (+/- .010" dia.) of variation in “game” loads and +/- ½ pellet size (+/- .005" dia.) of variation in “target” loads,
2) Load weight variations can range from +4% to -7% in game loads and +3% to -5% in target loads,
3) Pellet counts per ounce can vary by +/- 10% for both game and target loads
It's pretty clear to me that if you are patterning to determine pattern percentage, you must open and count a few of the shells to determine the true in-shell pellet count. Using a shot table for that is a waste of time.
Good luck!
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1,332 Posts
While entirely possible, these are BOTH Federal loads. If you're argument was close to factual, then please pull your Ford pickup into the line for gas for 20-gals and I'll give you 17-gals and pay for it, and I'll pull my Ford into the line for gas for 20-gals and get 22-gals and you can pay for it. That's the issue above - two Federal loads, basically identical shot loads, and you'd expect them to be within statistical noise of each other. Antimony? Steel? Yea, sure, but neither load is stated to be anything other than lead. A wild guess might even say they were loaded on the same production line, only the boxes and ink stamps being changed.
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253 Posts
I wasn't arguing anything, just stating facts. If you want to argue, you should contact Federal and/or open a few yourself and do some counting and weighing!
I'm just the messenger, so you can be the judge! Good luck!
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253 Posts
Thanks Ram. Sorry, I don't know where you could get something like that.
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1,332 Posts
Not arguing either, just curious as to why.
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253 Posts
As I said:
1) pellet size variations,
2) payload weight variations,
3) manufacturer acceptable tolerance variations of both influence true in-shell pellet counts.
Remember, these are the cheapest shells out there so It shouldn't be a surprise that they have more variation than quality target loads.
Checkout the low-cost Winchester loads on this post, their payload and pellet counts are smaller than expected for a 1 1/8-ounce of #7.5s.
Win Universal vs Win Super-Target | Trapshooters Forum
Good luck!
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249 Posts
Thanks for the information. Now if I can figure out what to do with it.
1 - 20 of 22 Posts
