Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1540654
36 PULLUSA MAGAZINE FALL 2016 CONSIDERATIONS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT AMMUNITION VELOCITY THE FIELD S C ORING TA BL E S HOPPING FOR SHOTGUN AMMUNI- TION can be confusing. When looking at a box of shotgun shells, you'll see a v a r i e t y o f n u m b e r s a n d t e r m i n o l o g y that might not make sense to the average shooter. One of the numbers you'll likely recognize is 'velocity '—that's how fast the shot is going when it exits the muzzle of your shotgun. This number can vary quite a bit depending on which ammunition y o u'r e l o o k i n g a t , w i t h s o m e l o a d s g o i n g a ' s l ow ' 1100 FPS (feet per second), while other loads (often termed ' heavy ' or ' handicap') are zipping along at 1300 FPS or higher. While some may think that faster is always better, it's not that simple. There are also other consider- ations to take into account when choosing between light 'slow ' ammunition and lightning-fast ' heavy ' loads, because there can be some down sides as well. FAST ISN'T THAT FAST At first glance, ammunition that goes 1300 FPS might seem significantly faster than ammunition that goes 1100 FPS. It's easy to assume that the extra 200 feet every second means that your shot could reach and hit the target much earlier than if you were using the slower ammunition. 36 PULLUSA MAGAZINE FALL 2025 As they say, not so fast… The velocity measurements are taken right as the ammunition exits the barrel. But once a shot has been taken, gravity and wind resistance cause the shot to slow down quickly. By the time your shot hits the target—at about 30 yards out (90 feet) for trap shooters—the shot has already lost about 40—45% of its initial speed. Because of physics, the difference in speed when the shot hits the target is reduced by quite a bit. See the chart to the right. 12 GAUGE 8 SHOT TARGET LOAD OZ. SHOT 1 1 8 INCHES 2 3 4 VELOCITY 1300 FPS