recommended practice ammo for 870

[p4+riot]

I just bought an 870 tactical and some 00 buck
but I don't want to waste it on practice since it
is expensive.

Can anyone suggest some good practice buck
shot ammo?

[Hungry Seagull]

There is no practice ammo. I guess you can find bird shot, game shot etc but the recoil will not be there like a full load would. You need to fire the same ammo in practice, getting used to your shotgun so that if you ever have to defend yourself, you know 110% what that gun is going to do and where that ammo is gonna go.

Suck it up and eat the recoil, dollars.

Buy ammo online and save on taxes. You might pay a bit on shipping but that is nothing.

A box of 3 inch out of Gander is like 12 dollars, ive got em out of Cabelas over the net for 1/3 that if even.

Shotguns are serious, I fire it several times a month and consume 10 to 30 rounds each gun... call it a 100 dollars of fun each month including range fees and handgun ammo shoots for two people.

What you dont want to do is shoot off all your ammo, come home happy with good target group and be invaded that night by BG.

At the moment Ive roughy 40 rounds for both shotties each. Looks like a 2 months shoot supply for now.

I have some serious tatical ammuntion on backorder. I dont know when they will get in. But when they do, they are going to cut a man in half and stop just outside of the house still on my property.

I fire off some mags for fun. So that the regular full loads are easy to ride.

Never enough ammo, always more ammo orders planned. All the year. never enough ammo. Maybe 1000 rounds or so will make me happy... until I learn what the shelf life is.

[Dave McCracken]

I disagree with the prior poster.

Bird shot, especially the newer 7/8 oz ultra light loads, makes great practice ammo for starting out and good practice ammo forever.

Of course, you need to practice some with the ammo you'll use for HD eventually, but walk before running.

When you do step up to the plate with buck, the reduced recoil loads are quite effective, easier on you, pattern better than the full bore stuff and offer faster shot recovery.

The new Hornaday loads get the nod from lots of cogniscienti.

[sohcgt2]

You should practice w/target loads. save the buck shot for hunting. I would recommend patterning with the buck shot but that only takes a couple of shells. Pattern at the distance you expect to shoot then use target loads for handling/shooting practice. Its far less expensive 100 rd/$25.00 its less painfull since #8 doesn't kick like buck shot and its safer because it doesn't over penetrate.

[Hungry Seagull]

I will point out another alternative to recoil reduction until you adapt to whatever ammunition you desire to shoot is a PAST Recoil Pad. It goes over the shoulder and helps with recoil. I dont use it much but the spouse does.

I will accept that I may have been a bit heavy in my ammution position. There are many good cheap ammo that you can fire in a shotgun for the sake of firing. My mindset is that where if you are firing, you are practicing or actually using it to defend. And I dont know how to practice other than 100% full bore (Pun not intended)

Good luck with whatever you do.

[dasanii19]

The new Hornaday loads get the nod from lots of cogniscienti.

Can you post a link to the new Hornady loads? Is this what your talking about? http://www.hornady.com/story.php?s=148

[Virginian]

Shoot the crap out of the cheapest thing Wally World has on hand I say. I would think HD is like hunting in that when it really counts you won't notice recoil, but in practice you will, to a much greater extent.

[rino451]

Seagull, for someone who practices so "full bore" with a shotgun, you sure do pull that shotgun off your shoulder awfully quick after each shot in your video even with a pad. Flinchy? :neener:

To the op, shoot what's affordable/cheap. There's plenty you can learn about the 870 manual of arms with about any type of shell. Wally World had some
winchester Universal that's about the cheapest I've seen. Two of my 870 Expresses didn't like it much once they got hot, but I've run it through a Beretta just fine along with my 870P. 2 3/4" 7/8 and 1oz makes for nice practice ammo. Like a previous poster said, make sure you know what your HD ammo is going to do by running some through it occasionally. I like to mix the heavy stuff into my practice once in a while. I figure it'll either help get me used to the recoil or alert me to flinch when I've switched back to light loads. Played with some 2oz. 3 1/2" loads Friday. For the birds!!!

[Hungry Seagull]

Yes the shottie comes off my shoulder. Once the shot is over it's time to rack and get the next round in.

Flinchy? Maybe. I aint learned anything yet. Remember Im still a newbie at this whole thing.

Eventually that shottie stays on the shoulder the same way my pistol stays on the taget paper.

Isnt it terrible to witness such bad behavior/gun handling by someone like me who just only fired 100 rounds of the stuff? LOL. /sarcastic.

ove time, I expect to get better, take classes, get instruction, maybe some NRA drills. Who knows?

But smooth and fast I am not.

Flinchy, Sick, Shaky or otherwise experiencing the trembles yes.

Wait about 15 years when Im grouchy, really old and shaky LOL.

[kmrcstintn]

first use birdshot, then graduate to 3" waterfowl steel loads (orange box Kent 'all purpose' stuff is @ $13 for a box of 25 at Bass Pro Shops) which have harder hitting recoil than birdshot, then grab some more of the brand of buckshot you chose and pattern to see how they shoot and get used to the recoil of that load

[22lr]

I practice with my Mossberg 500 with the cheapest bird shot I can find. I shot a few heavy loads just to get the feel of them but I shoot birdshot almost exclusively for practice.

[travistheone]

Ive been picking up magnum buck at walmart 8 bucks for 15.

[cerberus65]

Run the numbers and find some hunting shells that approximate your HD shells in terms of muzzle energy. My HD stuff is 9 pellet 00 buck reduced recoil Federal. 1-1/8 oz. of shot at 1140 fps gives a bit over 1400 ft.-lbs. The Estate game loads I use are #6 and #8 bird shot, 1-1/8 oz., 1255 fps, for a bit over 1700 ft.-lbs. That's close enough that I can't tell the difference from behind the trigger.

Now when I decided to "play" with 3" shells I can definitely tell the difference. That 15 pellet 00 buck stuff is definitely a lot more powerful load.

I do shoot the buck shot from time to time but I mostly shoot the bird shoot since it's so much cheaper.

[Tactical Ninja]

Birdshot is just fine as practice ammo. Keep in mind that Winchester shells are well-known to bind up - at least in 870s - due to being slightly out of spec; I'd just spend the extra buck or two for Remington or Federal sport loads.

You do need to eventually purchase and pattern a range of buckshot to see what your gun likes, and what you like; use whichever load best suits your needs.

Ditto for slugs if you're planning on running those. Try a few different sorts to see what the gun does with them and where they hit in relation to point of aim.

[Jorg]

I aint learned anything yet. Remember Im still a newbie at this whole thing.

Perhaps you should refrain on giving advice in so many threads until you work that out.

[sm]

I recommend Dummy Rounds / Snap Caps to added to your "practice ammo".

Someone that reloads can make you some "dummy rounds".

WE often forget we must be able load a shotgun and keep it fed.
WE also need to remember there are times we need to do "administrative" ,meaning unloading the shotgun safely, verifying one is loaded/unloaded.

There is more to defensive firearm use than making the firearm go bang.
A whole lot more!

[jakemccoy]

My practice typically involves shooting sporting clays. I buy whatever is cheapest.

[Hungry Seagull]

Point taken Jorg.

I also like to Communicate and seek feed back from others. This Forum has provided to me in the week's time here than all of the years listening to talking heads who thought they were all that regarding guns in general.

We are going into a brave new future. One which I have no planning for so Im gonna have to find other Remington and Mossberg owners and seek out whatever they have to offer.

[INMY01TA]

I would practice with whatever you are going to use for defense in your home. 00 buck for me. Last time out I shot some reduced recoil 00 and I didn't notice any difference in my shoulder from it and standard 00.

[Dirtpile]

One thing I like to do when practicing with the cheap Universal or bulk target loads is to throw a few 3" waterfowl loads in the mix. (usually 1 25rd. box) That way you're ready for the heavy recoil whether it comes or not. Plus it makes it a little more fun, especially if you have someone else load the gun for you.
On a similar note you should practice with the buckshot once in a while to maintain some familiarity with the pattern.