Exotic shotgun ammunition

[Brass Fetcher]

Here is a test report that I put together on the Fire Quest Flamethrower, Macho Gaucho, Flechette, Rock Salt, Double Slug, Terminator and Zombie Killer shells. All 12 gauge .. all tested against gelatin and some against skin too and recorded on slow motion video.

http://www.shootingreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Exotic-12-Gauge-Shotgun-Ammunition-Performance-Summary.pdf

Here are the slow motion videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuVzawTofqo&lc=JIcyzcwPvYpf5eVSlixI3OTF0eqSjgtRhjiAiO4bFpg

Please post your comments to this thread.

 

[Drail]

I am not a metallurgist but I have to wonder what some of those rounds will do to the inside of a bore.

 

[Jason_W]

Interesting. I'm really liking the HS footage.

Cool as the exotic rounds are, I'm not seeing much of an advantage over more common slug and buck loads.

 

[Brass Fetcher]

I am not a metallurgist but I have to wonder what some of those rounds will do to the inside of a bore.

I was concerned about that too. After sitting for three weeks, I just now ran a bore snake through the barrel - it's as good as new. Some people expressed concern over the rock salt getting on the barrel surface and causing pitting.. there is no evidence of this either.

Cool as the exotic rounds are, I'm not seeing much of an advantage over more common slug and buck loads.

Right now, you would be better off using #4 buckshot or larger for self-defense. The flechette rounds and the Macho Gaucho are very promising if they could function more reliably.

 

[Jason_W]

At the risk of going off topic, what are you using for a high speed camera?

 

[Brass Fetcher]

Photron SA-5 color

 

[bigdaa]

WOW!

I'm impressed as all heck of your work.

It seems to me the Zombie Killer was the one to put all it's energy into the target. The amount of target deflection was very impressive.

The double slug and the bolo seemed somewhat superfluous, at least in terms of one gelatin block as the secondary projectiles seemed to get free rides through the wound cavities due to the first projectiles overwheming effect on the medium.

The flairs pretty much were Fourth of July stock.

But boy! Those flechettes are manglers!
What a horrible mess they would make on a ribeye roast!

Thank you for your work and for your sharing.

Would it be possible perhaps to test a Hexolit steel 12 gauge expanding slug?

 

[Jason_W]

Would it be possible perhaps to test a Hexolit steel 12 gauge expanding slug?

I'd like to see that as well. I've gel tested them, but I'm not set up to conduct tests as thorough and neat as brass fetcher.

 

[CSC_Saint]

Would it be possible perhaps to test a Hexolit steel 12 gauge expanding slug?

Yes! Please, I'm dying to know how that round performs

 

[Brass Fetcher]

I've got DUPO28 coming up next, but not Hexolit. Best bet is to contact the manufacturer and have them get me to test it.

 

[Jason_W]

I know both the DUP28 and Hexolit will zip right through 13" of 20% gel (uncalibrated of course). The front sections of both basically exploded in a shrapnel burst inside the block. I can't wait to see them in a controlled test.

Ddupleks recently came out with 3" versions of their slugs that run at around 1600 f/s MV. They're not available in the US yet, though.

 

[mac66]

Interesting to see what those rounds actually do.

I thought the flechetts were pretty much useless. They hit mostly sideways as a mass not much penetration other than one or two that acted like little arrows.

Double slugs and bolo rounds seems to be pointless at well.

On the other hand it is pretty easy to load just about anything into a 12 ga shell. I tried loading a number of things back in the day like buck and ball, washers, nuts and bolts, dimes, steel shot/ball bearings etc. Ultimately slugs or buck shot are still the best option for self defense. The rest is just gimmickry.