Ammo choices

[perpetual otter]

I'm about to take possession of a new Benelli m2 tactical and I want to run a Surefire light and/or a Mesa side saddle. In my research I have learned that this gun might not like having anything put on it. I intend to test this out with mine with both or just one of the accessories. I intend to fire cheap Walmart universal crap, some buck shot and some slugs and maybe some low recoil defensive ammo to see how she runs. I was wondering if there are other brands or types of ammo that would be good to test out this m2 with. I would also appreciate sources to buy this ammo outside of gun shows and Walmart.

[doublebuck]

Goto midwayusa.com and check ouy there federal military buckshot, they are more powerful than regular buckshot.i keep them loaded in my 870 for HD.

[perpetual otter]

Cool. Anybody else have an suggestions? Is there a cheaper or just as cheap option as the universal load from walmart?

[BigDogatPlay]

Most any brand of standard velocity buckshot and slugs should cycle / run just fine. You could buy a bunch of Wolf buck and slugs for break in / familiarization purposes for very cheap. I use Wolf buck / slug for casual shooting and training in my guns. The Winchester "military grade" buck rounds that are often on sale at Big 5 and online retailers also work okay for these purposes. At typical HD distances they will work just fine, IMO.

If you want cheap birdshot on line look for Fiocchi target loads or Remington Gun Club. I often get Gun Club shells for clay shooting at <$6 per box on line. Estate target shells can also be had pretty inexpensively. To run the M2 I think you'd want at least 3 dram equivalent shells in the 1200 FPS range.

For quality defensive buckshot ammo, if you want to go there, you should shoot several brands and find out what performs best in your gun. My 870 eats up both Federal and Remington ammo, and Hornady TAP performs well for me also. As to sources Cheaper than Dirt has been running the Federal standard velocity LE 00 buckshot load with Flite Control wad at <$4 per 5 lately. The reduced recoil version of the same round runs ~$5 per 5 from many vendors, including CTD, Midway, Ammo to Go, etc.

[Rumline]

Congrats on the M2 Tactical. I have one and I love it! I haven't put a light on mine yet but I did put an extended mag tube and barrel-clamp-mounted picatinny rail and so far no problems with the added mass on the gun. I plan to search for the lightest (quality) light I can find to put on it, just in case.

As far as ammo goes, I think BigDogatPlay is correct. Stay above 3 dram equivalent powder load and you'll be good. I haven't found anything that my M2 hasn't liked yet but then again I haven't really tried to push the envelope.

[LBDamned]

just out of curiosity, what "Walmart universal" ammo are you talking about?... I dont usually buy ammo at Walmart, but on the rare occasion that I have, I dont remember seeing anything other than Winchester, Remington, Fiocchi, etc... I've never seen any generic type...

[BigDogatPlay]

just out of curiosity, what "Walmart universal" ammo are you talking about?... I dont usually buy ammo at Walmart, but on the rare occasion that I have, I dont remember seeing anything other than Winchester, Remington, Fiocchi, etc... I've never seen any generic type...

The Winchester bulk sporting loads at Wal-Mart are labelled "Winchester Universal". Black box with red lettering IIRC.

Bottom of the food chain stuff in many guns, although my 1100 seems to actually like them.

[Arson]

Try buying a few different types, taking them to the range and see what works best for you.

Me personally, broken glass and carpet tacks.

[marcusrn]

Spanish manufacturer makes a shotshell "Rio 00 buckshot" that is very hard hitting and will kill bucks. Do www search for ammoman and others for sales circa $.50 bulk for lots of 250r. Some guns don't cycle this ammo well. It feeds in my benelli.

In benelli I like federal PFC-154 00 with flight control wad for personal defense and you can keep your pattern 25-30 inchs out to 30 yds but they run fast at 1300 fps. Obviously this costs more than RIO but does tighter groups. Now this would mean that your gun is effectively shooting slugs out to 15 feet or 20 ft range.

The most important thing is to find out what quality( and brass based) defense ammo works well in your gun and sight it in for that stuff. Then find a good cheap source of practice fodder that also cycles.

Note that many "tacticle loads" or LE loads are just low base, slower, softer shooting loads ( but still costs more) and may be well suited to home defense. Some group tighter also. Will the person attacking you be a 130lb meth head or a 300 lb man on PCP. Who can tell. The one thing that they do know is that because LE have shot so many people with 00buck, 8,9,and 12 shot, hi and low velocity that it usually knocks people down and they stay down.

When you add side saddle and lights adding weight to inertia operating shotguns you increase the potential for malfunction. Also porting the gun effects this. I have mine ported and have 3gungear lightweight sidesaddle device and thusly compensate by using hot loads and this works for my gun.

Do be sure and pattern your gun at 7,15, and out to 30 yds. Some slugs can be accurate out to 125 yds. I like truball also in federal. SHG barrels can be different as to what they like to digest even within same make and model.

I do train with wallyworld Win and Fed 7 1/2 shot 3 dram equiv and I do get some malfunctions. I view that as training opportunity to get the gun running asap in so clearing the malfunction.

Benelli is a great system and you will have a great time with this SGN Beretta used to sell a Mod 101 ? maybe 15 yrs ago that was the same system for much cheaper. Blue Skies.

[perpetual otter]

Thanks for all the info guys. Can't wait to put her through the paces!

[pyromensch]

if it's an auto, this may not work, but for my 870, 18" bbl, w/extended mag, i can hold 11 of these

http://www.the-armory.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/Aguila_12ga_Min.html