Duplicating Flite Control #1/tightest buckshot possible
I know this is more of a reloading question than casting, sorry..
I'm a newb with casting/reloading for shotguns but I would like to start loading an extremely tight patterning buckshot load. The now discontinued #1 Federal Flitecontol had decent patterns out to 50 yards with cylinder bore 18" shotguns.
Is there any comparable handload? I understand the proprietary wad was the largest contributor to accuracy.
Where are the Federal Flite Control Flex Buckshot Loads?
While the latest Flite Control Flex wad has been on the market since late 2016 for waterfowl and turkey loads, Federal Flite Control buckshot rounds apparently continue to employ the original wad design.
The Flite Control Flex wad was designed to be compatible with popular ported choke tubes.
This leads to speculation as to whether the original design is superior for buckshot use or the company is simply using up existing stocks of the older Flite Control design on a lower market share product.
http://www.americanhunter.org/articl...th-all-chokes/
Flite Control Patent Information.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
W.R.Buchanan
Does anyone have a picture of a "Flitecontrol Wad?"
Does BPI have anything like it?
I would think that simply taping the petals of a regular wad so they couldn't open up would be a way to accomplish this.
It would seem that the wad would eventually separate due to aerodynamic drag which the shot wouldn't experience? Maybe? How far down range this would occur is an unknown.
We had one guy in our class who had some Federal FC shells and they were patterning at less than 2" at 20 yards. My Vang Comp Barrel was about 5" at the same distance with 00 with 000 it was bigger.
We shot alot of buckshot at 20 and 15 yards Prior to that we shot alot of birdshot which was done specifically to get our gun handling and manipulation down.
On a clean freshly painted target, my gun would completely erase the paint on the head of the target with bird shot, due to the density of the pattern at 15 yards. The head portion of these steel targets is about 6" square, and 12x18 overall.
We did 2 Hostage shots at the end of the course. (see Pics below) The accepted method of doing this when the takers head is only 50% visible and you are loaded with Buckshot with no chance to change ammo, you aim at the exposed ear and hope the wad doesn't kill the hostage. This is normally done at less than 7 yards. The other method is to advance forward and shoot the guy when you are inside 3 yards. At that distance the shot column is solid, and will remove his head or whatever else it hits. The wad should go thru the same hole at that distance.
Note in the pics below I was aiming at the outline of the head at ear height. The first one shows a 000 tight pattern (with 2 flyers) with the wad hitting in the shoulder, not that big a deal.
The second one shows a very tight pattern but the wad hit the hostage square in the face. That might be a problem.
An FC wad would still be with the shot at that distance and go thru the same hole.
I want to see an FC wad. I know we can make something similar that works.
Randy
This is just one of many patents associated with the Flite Control wad concept. It appears that quite a few years of patent protection may remain.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US6260484B1/en