# New toy



## JanerichoC18 (Jul 4, 2013)

So I strayed a little from prepping, got caught up in my new job, I see it as a challenge and I wanted to establish myself. It struck me a little over a week ago that I need to find a balance- I didn't even realize it had happened. I passed on the deal of a lifetime on season tickets to the bucs (I'm not a bucs fan but the deal was just stupid) and decided the money would be better spent on a shotgun. I put a gun on layaway ('merica) an Escort Pump Action 12 Gauge with a similar stock to an M16 (I am comfortable with rifles so this fits me well) and a heat guard on the top. I am picking it up on the first, but I would like some idea's as to a quality ammunition that is affordable, effective with a decent shelf life. I know ammo is scarce (obviously) but with my background being in rifles shotguns are new to me. I know virtually nothing about shotgun ammo so any suggestions no matter how basic are very welcome.

Side Note: Buying a pallet of .22 LR rounds with some friends we are trying to get enough people to drive the price down to .10 per round. A friend of mine claims he has a way to pull it off. That would give me 2500 (ish) rounds of .22LR. I have a 30-06 but I need to find a great deal on ammo for it considering the high cost.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Whoa whoa,,easy there fella...
I never pay morethan 7-8 cents per round on 22lr. Granted, they are hard to find, but if you are comfortable buying and splitting a pallet, go for it..
As far as 12 gauge shells, here in Nm they are easy peasy. I don't know what you want it for, be it defense, hunting, or having fun, but I get 250 rounds for about $80 shipped. 
Ammoseek and Gunbot are your friends..


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## JanerichoC18 (Jul 4, 2013)

In the Tampa area .22 LR is practically impossible to find. I checked Ammoseek and the rates were crap but Gunbot looks like I can get it a little less than what we were looking at. 12 Gauge is mostly for home defense, my 30-06 is more for hunting so I dont see me using the shotgun for that reason.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

NM and FL I'm guessing different market. CA right now it's all north of . 10 a round too. Ive seen a few at .08 but very few.



Deebo said:


> Whoa whoa,,easy there fella...
> I never pay morethan 7-8 cents per round on 22lr. Granted, they are hard to find, but if you are comfortable buying and splitting a pallet, go for it..
> As far as 12 gauge shells, here in Nm they are easy peasy. I don't know what you want it for, be it defense, hunting, or having fun, but I get 250 rounds for about $80 shipped.
> Ammoseek and Gunbot are your friends..


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

First off I would buy a case (10 boxes) of either 6,7,7.5 or 8 shot.. 7 is a good all round shot. These are your bird and small game rounds. The higher the number the more "lead shot" is in it. Each box has 25 shells for a total of 250.. I would also grab several boxes of #4 shot.. It is also called turkey shot. There are fewer pellets in it and makes one of the BEST home defense rounds there are. Especially if you are worried about it goin thru walls and hitting someone in another room.IMO #4"Turkey Shot is the best home defense round for a shotgun.. 

While you are at it, grab several boxes of 00 buck and a few slugs. They come 5 rounds to a box usually.. The 00 buck and slugs are the ones that you will use for outside the home defense (IMO)... You will hear guys say to use 00 buck in the house and it will work just fine but you have to worry about where it goes after it leaves the bad guy..


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## JanerichoC18 (Jul 4, 2013)

PrepConsultant said:


> First off I would buy a case (10 boxes) of either 6,7,7.5 or 8 shot.. 7 is a good all round shot. These are your bird and small game rounds. The higher the number the more "lead shot" is in it. Each box has 25 shells for a total of 250.. I would also grab several boxes of #4 shot.. It is also called turkey shot. There are fewer pellets in it and makes one of the BEST home defense rounds there are. Especially if you are worried about it goin thru walls and hitting someone in another room.IMO #4"Turkey Shot is the best home defense round for a shotgun..
> 
> While you are at it, grab several boxes of 00 buck and a few slugs. They come 5 rounds to a box usually.. The 00 buck and slugs are the ones that you will use for outside the home defense (IMO)... You will hear guys say to use 00 buck in the house and it will work just fine but you have to worry about where it goes after it leaves the bad guy..


Excellent, thank you for the help this is exactly what I wanted. What would be an ideal price range? I think I would get 4,7 and 00 buck, but I don't feel like being ripped off in the process. Florida prices are typically unkind but I have no problem shopping around for the best price.

Thank you!


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

The prices shouldn't be that bad.. I am from Florida (Montana now)and dove season is about to start. Hell, for that matter, so is deer and turkey season.. You should be able to get them at pretty good prices.. I would say $6-$8 a box for the birdshot and from $8-$20 or so for the 00 buck and slugs.. Just depends on where ya get em.. My brother lives in Plant City,Fl and he said he just picked up 2 cases for bird season at an awesome price...


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## JanerichoC18 (Jul 4, 2013)

PrepConsultant said:


> The prices shouldn't be that bad.. I am from Florida (Montana now)and dove season is about to start. Hell, for that matter, so is deer and turkey season.. You should be able to get them at pretty good prices.. I would say $6-$8 a box for the birdshot and from $8-$20 or so for the 00 buck and slugs.. Just depends on where ya get em.. My brother lives in Plant City,Fl and he said he just picked up 2 cases for bird season at an awesome price...


Plant City is all of 5 miles from me, I should probably jump on this quick if they are going fairly cheap.


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

Check Wally World. I picked up a value pack of 100 rds of #7 for $23.00. You can also find Federal Reduced Recoil Law Enforcement 00 for about $20 - $25 for a box of 25 around here.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I keep shotguns handy here at the homestead, they are incredibly useful. I have some 12 gauge pumps and a double, but at my age (65) prefer 20 gauge for general purpose use. 
I have a 12 ga Ithaca Model 37 DS Police Special that is my dedicated defense shotgun - it stays loaded with OO buck. If I have to play "You Bet Your Life" I want the best terminal performance available. Birdshot is not heavy enough to penetrate more than a couple of inches. Birdshot is for birds, and SMALL animals.
I do keep #6 birdshot rounds for fun shooting and barnyard varmint control.
#4 buck is effective against coyotes and fox, and other animals that size. When I go out at dusk to put the chickens up for the night I carry a 20 ga SXS double trigger model with #6 shot in one tube and #3 buck in the other in case one of the woodland critters is out looking for the all-you-can-eat chicken buffet. That way I'm covered for a variety of animals.
I'm a shotgun kind of guy, have more than I can count (they are cheap when bought used), got single shots, double barrels, pumps, and old bolt actions.
The Ace Hardware in town is where I get ammo, they stock Winchester and Remington brands. Both are excellent.
If you are just starting out, get a few boxes of low base #6 birdshot to practice with, should run you about $6 to $8 for a 25 round box. Buck shot comes in 5 round boxes, about $5 per box for plain lead. Copper plated buffered hunting rounds will cost twice that and you really don't need them. Unless you are deer hunting, of course.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

All said here has been really good info. I have added a few new shotguns to the mix as well because I noticed on my last cross country drive and here in New Mexico that shotgun ammo never really dried up like the rifle/pistol ammo. I’m still able to find plenty of shotgun ammo at wally world and they even have stacks and stacks of 00 buck. The ammo is very affordable and I use birdshot to teach new shooters how to shoot a shotgun. I got my wife addicted to skeet and trap shooting. She is a crack shot with the shotgun and now feels very comfortable using the shotgun for home defense.


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

For home defense, I keep 2 of these in my Mossberg 500 (first 2 shots). This is so the women (and me if I'm startled awake and/or groggy) 
can handle them with a first shot & a follow up shot. 
If company hasn't left town by then, the next four are 2¾ inch shells, 00 buck, with 6 more on side mount.

12Ga NS- Centurion Mini Buck 6 Pellet, 00 Buckshot 2.2", 250rd case.

Test them before trusting them to make sure they will cycle in your pump gun, they work fine in my Mossbergs. 
Probably not enough power to reliably cycle a semi-auto.


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