What factory shotgun shells have worked best for you?

[Ol Salty Sailor]

Hello Everyone,

 

I want to thank everyone for their comments.  

I tried two things that were suggested with great results:

First I ordered a Flex-Hone for 12 gauge in 800 grit and used it on the chambers on my 12 gauge.  I will order another for my 20 gauge.

Second I bought some Remington STS shells and shot them yesterday.  All of the spent shells exited the gun with a quickness.  I am ordering a case of these shell today.

 

Have a great day.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Remington sells a low-recoil version of STS shells.  It's only 100 fps slower than their standard STS shell, but every bit of reduced velocity helps.  Once-fired STS hulls sell for about 20-cents each.  You should be able to recover a fair portion of the cost of a case of STS shells buy selling once-fired hulls.

[Dapper Dave]

I did get complimented on how well my Stoeger shucked during the practice match, smokeless and black, though I will have to bring a portable cleaning setup if I want to use black powder for more than a few stages! Still fun. 

[Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655]

Late to the party and worse yet shoot an 1887 Lever gun.  I have not shot any Win AAs made in the last year or two older versions have worked well as have Remington Gun Club, Federal Top Gun all chamber and shuck ok.  I have had serious issues with Fiocchi Translucent hulls from the factory not ejecting they are just a tad to long to eject after being fired.  Was problematic at a ACSA match.  I have since virtually stopped shooting factory from the 87 and now shoot roll crimp reloads almost exclusively.  The Fiocchi translucent hulls work just fine when reloaded and roll crimped.  Part of the process trims all hulls to slightly below where the crease for the petals is. Being approximately 3/8 inch shorter than a star crimped hull after firing eject really well.  I do have a case of recently acquired Winchester AAs that I have not opened and cannot attest to the quality or lack there of.

[watab kid]

i know i chimed in with my favorites but ill chime in again with my second choice - it was always remington gun clubs trap loads , they were always easy to shoot - not so much as the BP or my own loads but next best for me and yes i have some cases of them to fall back on when everything else runs out - i currently think the shells will outlive me , unless i find time to shoot a lot mo9re ....dont see that h happening at this point , 

[buffalo chip jed]

Me and my family have always used Winchester AAs or the Remington sts's for my double barrel. Hope this helps

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

On 3/23/2025 at 11:33 AM, Ol Salty Sailor said:

Hello Everyone,

 

I want to thank everyone for their comments.  

I tried two things that were suggested with great results:

First I ordered a Flex-Hone for 12 gauge in 800 grit and used it on the chambers on my 12 gauge.  I will order another for my 20 gauge.

Second I bought some Remington STS shells and shot them yesterday.  All of the spent shells exited the gun with a quickness.  I am ordering a case of these shell today.

 

Have a great day.

One word... RELOAD! Save them precious STS hulls and reload them. A MEC 600 goes for less than $300 or even a Lee Loader (that's how I started) for $50 and you can take them STS hulls and save lotsa $$ and reload them with payload and recoil to taste. I shoot em till they split and get many reloads from them.

[Rough 'N Ready Rob]

I quit using Winhester a long time ago, they would lockup my 97 some times. I find the Remington game loads 1 oz. #8 the ones with a rabbit or dove on the box, black halls, they alway come out of a Stoeger. A pard at a match was having trouble with his new Stoeger and AA, I gave him some game load, he was a happy man., went out and bougnt a couple cases, he brought me a box the next time I saw him.

[Max Payne]

Remington STS reloads work best for me. I almost never have a stuck shell. I do brush the chambers & then run a 3" patch every 2 or 3 stages.

 

If I shoot Winchester AA's, I can count on a stuck shell, no matter that I chamber-check every one with an EGW checker when I put it on the belt to shoot a stage. And, that's after doing the same brushing routine as with STS. I'm slow enough without adding time to fix stuck shells.

 

I use AA's for practice & warmup stages, & that's it!

Remington STS reloads work best for me. I almost never have a stuck shell. I do brush the chambers & then run a 3" patch every 2 or 3 stages.

 

If I shoot Winchester AA's, I can count on a stuck shell, no matter that I chamber-check every one with an EGW checker when I put it on the belt to shoot a stage. And, that's after doing the same brushing routine as with STS. I'm slow enough without adding time to fix stuck shells.

 

I use AA's for practice & warmup stages, & that's it!