Latest Loads: 12 Gauge Target Load

by
posted on May 16, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
goldmed.jpg

With spring gobbler season becoming just a memory and fall waterfowl seasons looming, now is the time to hone your wing-shooting skills—and nothing is better at doing so than time spent on a sporting clays course. Depending on the targets and their presentations, the load detailed below should serve well across the course. Featuring 1 oz. of magnum lead No. 8 shot (410 pellets) in a Federal 12S0 wad atop of 22.5 grs. of IMR’s new Green propellant, during testing the payload attained 1268 f.p.s. from the 253/4" barrel of a Benelli Super Black Eagle II shotgun. Though soft on the shoulder, the load is devastating to the target; in fact, even when using a factory modified choke, at 40 yds. 341 pellets (83 percent of the total shot) impacted fairly uniformly within a 30" circle surrounding the point of aim. With such performance, the shell is a summertime solution to avert winter wing-shooting woes.

Latest

Crosman Raiden 01
Crosman Raiden 01

Affordable, Full-Auto Fun: The Crosman Raiden BB Gun

Over the past two decades, the world of BB guns has gotten way more sophisticated than the simple muscle-powered models of our youth. A case in point is Crosman’s new-for-2026 Raiden.

New Dragons: Managing Muzzle Flash From Today's Suppressors

Muzzle flash has always been an issue for those who employ firearms seriously, and with today's crop of suppressors, there are design elements to be aware of.

Gun of the Week: Mossberg 590R Chisel

For those who are seeking a shotgun that's a bit more heavy-duty, Mossberg's 590 line offers plenty of options, and one of the latest is the striking 590R Chisel.

The Armed Citizen® June 12, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

A Cathartic Journey Back to Midway Arms & the MidwayUSA Foundation

NRA CEO & EVP Doug Hamlin returned to MidwayUSA, a place he first visited decades ago in the early 1990s as publisher of Guns & Ammo magazine alongside the late, great Robert E. Petersen.

Review: Steiner MPS-C

The new Steiner MPS-C is the compact but rugged, closed-emitter optic we’ve all been waiting for.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.