Which gas piston on the FN SLP?

[striker3]

Hello all, I am a relative beginner when it comes to shotguns. I recently picked up a FN SLP. Since I do not know anything about shotgun loads, I do not know how to tell which gas piston I should be using for which loads. The "light load" piston is rated up to <1 1/2 oz loads. The "heavy load" piston is rated at > 1 1/2 oz loads.

I initially broke in the shotun using the "light load" piston while firing Walmart Federal Field and Target loads. The load weight was printed on the box, so that wasn't hard to figure out.

The problem came about when I ordered some buckshot to pattern for home defense uses. None of the boxes or rounds tell load weight that I could find.

I bought one box each of:

Remington Managed-Recoil Express Ammunition 12 Gauge 2-3/4" 00 Buckshot 8 Pellet

Hornady TAP Personal Defense Ammunition 12 Gauge 2-3/4" 00 Buckshot 8 Pellet

Federal Power-Shok Low Recoil Ammunition 12 Gauge 2-3/4" Buffered 00 Buckshot 9 Pellets

Federal Premium Vital-Shok Ammunition 12 Gauge 2-3/4" Buffered 00 Buckshot Copper Plated 9 Pellets Flitecontrol Wad

Hornady Light Magnum Ammunition 12 Gauge 2-3/4" 00 Buckshot

Federal Power-Shok Ammunition 12 Gauge 2-3/4" Buffered 00 Buckshot 12 Pellets

I am assuming that buckshot would use the heavy load piston, but my assumptions have a tendancy to backfire. I did do a search, but could not find the info I was looking for.

Thanks for any help.

Edited to ask: Would 2 3/4 in slugs use the same gas piston as the above loads? Also, are buckshot loads normally steel or lead shot? Once again, thanks for any help.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Buckshot is lead except for Hevishot, which is even heavier sintered metals. And most all 12 ga. slugs weigh 1 ounce or 1 1/8 oz. for a few brands. Your light load piston should be OK for all the loads you listed as long as they are 2 3/4" shells, though the gun might not run the reduced recoil loads even with the light load piston installed. I wouldn't expect to need the heavy load piston until moving up to 3" magnum loads, and as I never shoot those I doubt I will ever need it.

Mine's still failing to eject target loads occasionally with the light loads piston though it's only had about 50 rounds through it so far. I did clean it and lube it per factory instructions first, they suggested SLIP2000 products for cleaning and lubrication so that's what I bought.

lpl/nc

 

[striker3]

Thank you for the info. I initially put 50 rounds of target loads through without a single FTE, everything ran good. When I get to the range later this week, I will post and let you know how it ran with the different loads I bought.

 

[scotland]

FN Shotgun

I have an FN Police model, 8 rd collapsable stock, adjustable site 12 ga. pump. Don't worry about "breaking it in." It's a great shotgun and I have an FN .40 cal handgun w/ 3 mags. Great pistol! If you want home defense, you'll only fire one or two rounds, so don't fret! If you want a box of "kick-ass" ammo JUST for home defense, go to deltaforce.com/catalog/12gaugeammo and check this stuff out. It's pricey, but how much is your family and property worth? Get only one box of what ever you want. It's like buying pricey hollow points for your pistol that's in your bedside table. You're not practicing with it, you just want it to stop someone-period! these'll do the trick! Best to you and your family.
Scotland

 

[striker3]

First, welcome to the High Road, and thanks for the tip Scotland, but I think I will stay with my approach. I have always believed in practicing with my defensive ammo as much as my budget will allow. This builds up confidence in both my weapon and the specific ammunition load that I use. I also tend never to buy something that is advertised with a lot of unnesacary hype. In my experience, you pay extra for the tactical words without any demonstratable performance enhancements.

 

[Pete409]

I wouldn't want to trust my life to any load unless I had fired enough of that load to assure myself that the load worked well in my gun. The price you pay for ammo is not a guarantee of reliability....... but it usually is a pretty good indicator.