Testing Federal Force X2 and Hornady Critical Defense #00 Buckshot

Is a shotgun loaded with buckshot the ultimate home defense load? See the results of our terminal ballistics performance test of two #00 Buckshot loads.
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[@SHOT_GUNNER]

Excellent test! Thank you for sharing your experience with these shells.

[@sdkweber]

You are welcome. We have a new buckshot test coming out in a few weeks comparing #4, #00 (actually 6 different #00 buck loads), and #000 buckshot. Thanks for watching.

[@javyjavier7826]

Thanks, a very informative video. 👍

[@sdkweber]

You are welcome Javy. Thanks for watching and posting.

[@SW-oo2jw]

Great stuff! Thank you.

[@sdkweber]

You are welcome S W. And thank you for watching and taking the time to post.

[@pg2661]

Excellent rendition

[@sdkweber]

Thank you P G. And thank you for watching and posting.

[@mrpibb7781]

New subscriber. Really enjoy your presentation. Nasty weather today and ive seen quite a few videos im interested in. Should be a good day😅. FWIW, i love #4 with a cominination of 00 and a couple slugs in a shell card just in case.

[@sdkweber]

Welcome to our channel. I hope you enjoy our content. I know others who suggest a mix of different buckshot and slugs, nothing wrong with that at all. Pretty potent stuff up close.

[@mrpibb7781]

@@sdkweber absolutely. Still have to pattern everything you plan to use though.

[@sdkweber]

@@mrpibb7781 Yes, practice/training is essential.

[@aaronneumeyer5572]

Excellent video. I have informally noticed watching reviews over the years that 00 rounds packed with 8 pellets had a tighter group than those that squeeze in a 9th pellet. Something seems to happen that often sends one of the nine off the mark as a 'flyer'. Since the Federal shot was loaded with nine, perhaps the extra pellet ricocheted into another and two full pieces of shot (the four missing halves) sailed away into oblivion. It might make in interesting test to shoot eight versus nine shot loads of various brands onto clean paper targets each time to see if you find a similar result.

[@sdkweber]

This is a very good observation Aaron. Thanks for posting that information. I appreciate it and it makes me think I should do a few more buckshot tests in the future.

[@m.m4982]

If you have 9 pellets vs 8 of course you're gonna have 1 further out in spread than the others. You can make the same case with 7,6,5,4,3,2 and 1 pellet 😂

[@moreme40]

Good video. I was shooting 2 3/4 inch 12 Gauge slugs today at the range. It was pretty stout recoil. I was thinking how much more severe the recoil would’ve been shooting magnum slugs….

[@sdkweber]

Yeah, those 3" magnums have substantially more recoil. The 2 3/4" shells are effective and more practical for home defense.

[@tomgiorgini9154]

why no mention of choke on that bird barrel

[@mikeh1667]

Should have used the FBI testing standard of 4 layers of clothes in front of gel block. Hornady Home Defense with the vera-tight wad does not over penetrate.

[@nelsonr1467]

Why he's using testing buckshot not jhps

[@ilikepineapples7835]

Thanks

[@sdkweber]

You are welcome.

[@8475143117]

THANKS...

[@sdkweber]

You are welcome. We have buckshot test coming out later this summer including #4, #00, and #000 buck.

[@8475143117]

@@sdkweber it was hard to get a hold of but I finally got a hold of some Federal Force X2 SHORTY SHELLS for my Mossberg Shockwave and they seem to shoot just fine... I don't have ballistic jell to make test as you do so I do rely on your testing and that of others and so far these X2 seem to perform as advertised and not just some gimmick...

[@sdkweber]

@@8475143117 Cool. I never shot any of the shorty shells.

[@cvdubya5774]

Idk i picked up one 10rd box of the X2 to try out but havent yet. Id like to see a test through simulated house walls (2 pieces of 5/8 sheetrock scewed onto a couple 2x4 studs) and see if theres any truth to its claim of being safer to use for home defense. Otherwise it seems to me its just an overpriced gimmick round and Federal PowerShock #4 Buck would do just as well for about half the cost. I have a bunch of the Federal LE 00 Buck with FliteControl wad and thats probably the best overall defensive 12 guage shell out there but i wish they made it in #4 Buck too for home defense.

[@sdkweber]

That is an interesting idea. I have done some testing with artificial walls in the past but not with buckshot. I might do that test and post the video in there is interest. Thanks for watching and posting.

[@jts12fan]

Great video ❤ it 👍 subscribed.

[@sdkweber]

Thank you and welcome to our channel.

[@6familyman]

Great video. What’s the problem with over penetration?

[@sdkweber]

Thank you Greybeard. The concern with over penetration is that the buckshot or bullet may strike another person.

[@captains5182]

If your in a house or apartment it will EASILY go through walls. You can kill your neighbors or people in the next room. I've tested buckshot on car doors and they go right through. This is not the movies.

[@podsmpsg1]

I wouldn't use 3 inch for defense, 3 inch is overkill for defense against humans. I think I'd go with Force X2, the only real advantage of the Critical Defense 00 buck is it moves faster. The Critical Defense is more likely to over penetrate and kicks more. The Force X2 has less recoil and transfers more energy to the target, which means more damage and the threat is more likely to be stopped. Also, the Force X2 gives you 9 pellets as opposed to the Critical Defense's 8. I also like that the pellets with the Force X2 are copper plated, that's less stress on the barrel.

[@sdkweber]

Thanks for watching and posting Steve. Good overall summary. What do you think about the shotgun (with buckshot) vs. a rifle (5.56)?

[@podsmpsg1]

@@sdkweber You're welcome. Yeah. Personally, I'd use 00 Buckshot for defense over a 5.56/.223. I just think the buckshot does more damage and causes a larger and more deadly wound. I heard an ER nurse once say that a .223 bullet from an AR style rifle does more damage and causes a bigger wound than buckshot from a shotgun. That's BS, I'm no nurse or Doctor, but even I know that buckshot causes a bigger and more severe wound.

[@sdkweber]

@@podsmpsg1 The wounding from a supersonic center fire rifle creates a very different scenario due to velocity when velocities exceed 1900 fps in the target. I have studied this as part of my terminal ballistics work and described it in this video on terminal ballistics and overpressure effects kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKjbla2obc6bpZI I think you will like that video. Have a good day Steve

[@podsmpsg1]

@@sdkweber Thanks. I'll check it out. Thank you, you too.

[@sdkweber]

@@podsmpsg1 You are welcome Steve.

[@Steve-dx5jq]

Good testing, but what choke are you using ? Very important piece of info......

[@sdkweber]

Good question. I am using the Primos Jelly-head 0.665 constriction choke. It is a tight choke.

[@oklahomahank2378]

The 1600 fps is out of a 30” barrel, according to Hornady. So probably 100-200 fps less from a short barrel.

[@richardlow1821]

You wouldn't wanna be hit by any trust me that wil make your day rainy 😂, I run honardy critical defense, because the groups were tighter and its hotter (shooting it with a Mav88) and I'm a big guy so recoil is no issue for me, can't go wrong with neither, rather this, than pelting stones 😂 good test btw

[@sdkweber]

Thank you for watching and posting Richard.

[@DragonE11]

What’s the weight of the different ammo? Asking as a semi-auto owner

[@sdkweber]

Hello Eddie M, good question. Each Federal Force X2 shell weighs 1.5 oz while each Hornady Critical Defense shell weighs 1.3 oz.

[@DragonE11]

@@sdkweber thank you so much for the prompt reply !

[@sdkweber]

@@DragonE11 You are welcome. We will be testing some more buckshot in the near future.

[@carlschumacher3257]

Just to mention, 8 #00 buckshot weighs 430.4 grs. 9 #00 buckshot weighs 484.2 grs.

[@sdkweber]

Thanks for posting that.

[@carlschumacher3257]

@@sdkweber you are welcome.

[@robertezell1916]

I wondered if anyone else knew that. I have reloaded thousands of rounds with both.

[@dburns455]

I think it would be interesting to shoot those #00 buckshot loads from rifles with shorter barrel lengths to find out if the spread of the buckshot widens from shorter barrels. It brings to mind the old blunderbuss.

[@sdkweber]

I wondered about that too. I have a few shotguns with barrels of various length. Thanks for watching and posting.

[@User-nx7rs]

I thought #00 buckshot loads were fired from shotguns not rifles.

[@sdkweber]

@@User-nx7rs Yes of course, shotshells and buckshot in shotguns. I read the post above but understood what was being asked.

[@robertezell1916]

The wad would not be first on target, it would follow the pellets and there could still be pellets inside the wad when striking your gel block. Years ago I loaded over 10 different 00 buck 2.75" 12 ga loads and what I found was 00 buck when loaded with good buffer in a good full length wad running at 1625 fps out of an 18" to 20" barrel with screw in full chokes is very accurate and deadly out to yards and some loads even 50 + yards. Shotguns do not mess around and since those test I ran, new factory loaded 00 buck can and will give you the same effects or even better but make no mistake, if tighter groups from you shotgun is what you seek, screw in chokes are a must have and the willingness to buy a lot of different rounds to try and if you are sensitive to recoil, maybe you best stick to handguns. The most deadly round I have found for home defense is a 2.75" magnum load of #4 and #6 shot mixed together out of a Mossberg 590A1 Vang Comp with added screw in chokes in an 18.5" heavy walled barrel. At 20 yards which is way further than most people can shoot inside their homes and in most cases in say even their front or back lawn, this hand loaded round is simply deadly. Fps was about 1650. Yep, that is most definitely a magnum 2 3/4” load

[@sdkweber]

You are right that the wad hits after or slightly after at close range. I reload shotshells (MEC) but never tried loading buckshot. That is good to know. Thanks for posting.

[@markn4526]

@@sdkweber I was watching another video where the shooter was shooting from only 15 FEET away from the target and the pellets didn't even leave the wad yet. It was essentially a nine-piece slug going thru the target. So, what that tells me is that at a shorter defensive distance it might be better to use loads that don't have any type of spread control technology and/or use smaller shot sizes to get at least some spread.

[@sdkweber]

@@markn4526 Interesting. Thanks for posting that Mark. You will be happy to know that I am planning another --more exhaustive-- buckshot test including #4, #00, and #000 buck. That video will be coming out this summer.

[@markn4526]

@@sdkweber That'll be great! Maybe you could answer a question. All else being equal, would a higher velocity load result in more or less spread at a given distance than a lower velocity load? I shoot slugs 95% of the time and I'm just wondering.

[@sdkweber]

@@markn4526 As you noted, all else being equal, the higher velocity load should produce more spread at a given distance. The buckshot pellets are not very aerodynamic and should tend to disperse more at higher velocity. I think the proof will be in the pudding though. I have four different #00 buck loads that I will be testing each with a different advertised velocity.

[@blackirish4416]

👍🏾🇺🇸

[@stanleymaestas5441]

The split buckshot is #4 buckshot

[@sdkweber]

The pellets used in the Federal load are #00 buck. After splitting they may take on the general weight of #4. Is that what you are driving at?

[@stanleymaestas5441]

@sdkweber I agree 12ga federal force X2 00 buckshot is 00 buckshot when split is like #4 buckshot in weight. It seems on gel impact. It's like 00buckshot in low recoil 1100-1200 fps, and 12- 15 inches in penetration. Compared to 12ga full power 00 buckshot 1300 -1600 fps. They get more like 16-18 inches and more penetration. My earlier comment about federal force X2 00 buckshot = #4 buckshot. In different videos, full power #4 buckshot gets about same gel penetration as federal force X2 00 buckshot. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that way to me. Cool video 📹 😎 👌 👍.

[@sdkweber]

@@stanleymaestas5441 You may be right about the terminal performance Stanley. That makes me think, we not just use #4 to begin with. We have a new buckshot video coming out in April that you might like. Thanks for watching and posting Stanley.

[@markn4526]

@@stanleymaestas5441 A higher velocity should result in less spread/tighter pattern and more penetration at given distance.

[@ghengisswanson3923]

I subscribe to the late James Yeagers philosophy on buckshot Keep it to lead. Plated pellets don't deform much if at all and that deformation is a good thing in a flesh and blood target. Gives you good deceleration and energy dump.

[@robertezell1916]

No gel block will ever produce any results close to what a human body will. Fluids make a difference along with bone and muscle density. For home defense nothing will ever compare to a shotgun, nothing, period. Say what you want.