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Shockwave HD: Capacity or Power?

Shockwave: 5+1 Full-Power or 6+1 Reduced Power?

  • Full Power Always!

    Votes: 5 55.6%
  • Reduced Power Is Sufficient, Give Me That Extra Round!

    Votes: 4 44.4%

  • Total voters
    9

Tomac

.410
I'm recently back into shotguns w/a Shockwave being purchased as a range toy on a whim as a BD present to myself.
Little did I realize how much I would like this little powerhouse, and now that I've familiarized myself with it and got my technique down, I'm seriously considering adding the Shockwave to my HD inventory.
I'll always have my 17+1 9mm in the nightstand, but when it comes to terminal effectiveness, 12ga > 9mm.

The Shockwave is 5+1 w/my preferred S&B 2.75" loads, even w/the S&J +1 extension, which brings us to the reason for my question:

Would you prefer 5+1 of full-power 2.75" (either 9-pellet 00 or 12-pellet #1) or 6+1 of 2.25" 6-pellet 00 (the Herters Mini-Buck)?

So, capacity or power? TIA!...

Tomac
 
Buy a side saddle or bandolier sling. If you don't know how to reload on the move, learn.

Some people like to call it "tactical reloads", but I feel that term is somewhat of a misnomer where pump shotguns are concerned. I tend to just call them RELOADS.

You're capacity is only as limited as to what you have available on hand.


 
I already have a side saddle on my Shockwave.
My question was whether you'd be willing to sacrifice some power (ie: going from 9-pellet 00 to 6-pellet 00) in order to have an additional rd in the mag tube (ie: 5+1 vs 6+1).

Tomac
 
I see your question. The point I was trying to make remains though. Magazine capacity is somewhat unimportant as long as you have more shells available. Regardless of which shells you choose to use.

For HD ranges and distances, I tend to prefer low recoil loads. While I don't have a shockwave shotgun, I personally think I would even more than prefer low recoil loads on a non-shoulder fired weapon. I would require it.

We've had discussions here in the past and while everyones' house is different, I think we decided that 35 feet is probably the maximum distance that any of us would have to shoot. And most are much less.

You're not really losing much velocity or power going with low recoil especially considering the close proximity of the target. If anything, you're going to be able to followup the earlier shots faster and more accurately than the other way around. And have less over-penetration from missed shots.
 
Gimme 2 3/4 all day and twice on Sunday. If it takes more than 5 rounds of shotgun fodder 2 3/4 i doubt am extra round of mini gonna save the day.
 
I choose capacity. My Shockwave is for HD so I doubt if I`ll ever have engage any targets further than 21ft or so and the NSI 2 1/4" 6 pellet 00 shoots soft, hits hard and patterns well in close quarters.
 
Full power or reduced power? I like full power loads but I do not care for all the recoil some full power firearms have. But I don't see reducing the power as the best answer either. Couple ways to fix it. You can either go down in bullet weight if the lighter bullet is still adequate or step down in cartridge. If a 30-06 with say a 180gr load is just to much recoil, don't reduce the power, go down in bullet weight! Or if the bullet weight is already down lower than you care for, don't reduce power, drop down to a 7mm or a 6.5. The process of reducing power will take some time and give you a lesser cartridge than if you stepped down in caliber. Years ag With my first pump shotgun, I found shooting 1 1/4 oz shot shells bothered me. I fixed it by going to lighter loads, 1 1/8th oz target loads made it very manageable. Over the years I step down to a 16ga with 1 oz target's loads and was even happier. But killing power did go down, to many cripple's. So, as I loaded my own shells I made only one change. I went from #7 1/2 oz loads and used #6's! Every thing ezactly the same except the shot size. Today I use mostly my 28ga with heavier shot than I can get in factory shell at a good price or my 16 ga with heavier shot! Didn't reduce power in any of them, just increased shot size. Funny thing about shotgun's is that it doesn't matter what size shot you use, one once is still one once, and 1200 fps is still 1200 fps.
 
It takes me a wile to trust that a gun will work in a time of need, and the SW is a firearm that every owner should practice with due to it's kind of it's own shotgun-like animal. The mini shells are expensive and depend on the spacer to cycle, so they aren't my thing. I don't trust the spacer will stay in if things go sideways and I have to use that little pirate shotgun in a SHTF home invasion. Normal 2.75" shells are the best IMHO. As a side note I didn't add the side saddle, so I could keep the SW as compact as possible. If you store it with one in the chamber, keep in mind that shotgun is not drop safe, and if you're storing the mag tube full, keep in mind shotgun shells can deform with pressure . IMHO
 
I choose capacity. My Shockwave is for HD so I doubt if I`ll ever have engage any targets further than 21ft or so and the NSI 2 1/4" 6 pellet 00 shoots soft, hits hard and patterns well in close quarters.

Update: It`s been 8 months of testing and practice since my original posting and I`ve changed my thinking.....I`ve had a few failure to feed with the mini loads and zero with the full loads so I`m going with power over capacity.
 
I guess I'm a little late on this one, but I always opt for the option that will provide me and my style of shooting with the most rounds on target.

The most lethal round known to man is useless if it misses.

All else being equal I tend to opt for capacity. At the ranges involved, anything is going to hurt and hurt bad.
 
Update:
I like my Shockwave so much for in-house close-in defense that I've purchased another outfitted the same way (one for the bedroom 24/7, the other in the safe for training/backup, rotate them every 6 months).

After much experimentation, I've decided the most powerful 2.75" rd I can handle effectively is the way I want to go. The S&B 9-pellet 00 & 12-pellet #1 feel to be about as powerful as I can handle/train with effectively, although I'm curious to try some 2.75" 12-pellet 00 & 16-pellet #1 non-magnum loads for recoil comparison.

I've discovered I can barely fit 6 roll-crimped 2.75" shells in the Shockwave's tube (I've added the S&J +1 extension), but only 5 of the S&B longer cap-crimped 2.75" shells.
The S&B's cheaper price allows me to train/rotate my defense ammo more regularly, but having 6+1 vs 5+1 would be nice as well. 6+1 would place max compression strain on the mag tube spring whereas 5+1 would avoid full compression.

Thoughts, anyone?...

TomacP8040001.JPG
 
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That's really neat.
Have you tried the Hornady Tap low recoil / blue hull 00 Buck? It sure is some sweet shooting shells. Barely kicks at all. Feels like a 3 inch 410 shell going off, but obviously you wouldn't want to be down range of them.
http://www.hornadyle.com/products/shotgun/tap-reduced-recoil/tap-reduced-recoil
fast forward to 2:00

Thx but I can handle std-power ammo well and don't need/want low/reduced-recoil (however, should my petite wife decide she wants a Shockwave, Hornady TAP would be at the top of my list of ammo for her to try).

Tomac
 
.....

Would you prefer 5+1 of full-power 2.75" (either 9-pellet 00 or 12-pellet #1) or 6+1 of 2.25" 6-pellet 00 (the Herters Mini-Buck)?

So, capacity or power? TIA!...

Tomac


So the full power is 6 shells x 9 pellets = 54

Capacity is. 7 shells x 6 pellets = 42

I will always choose the standard 2.75” size that has a proven history and what the shotgun was designed for over a mini shell. Some reply’s above state they would choose capacity over power, that got me thinking are they referring to the extra capacity of pellets or extra capacity of the mini shells?

My idea of the mini shells is ammo for a young lady to shoot so it doesn’t frighten her and causes her to dislike shooting due to the recoil. Or maybe a shooter that had a bum shoulder but wants to shoot. I would never use mini shells for home defense or protection when I have a choice of 2.75” shells to choose from.
 
Why does everyone insist on using 00buck? is it some old myth that somehow it's better because it penetrates 30" in ballistics gel? #1, or #4 provides very good penetration without going clean through the target, I've seen low recoil 00buck loads go CLEAN through a deer, so imagine a 120lb human home invader, or attacker You are going to have some holes in your walls, or a family member! Load with #1 buck, or #4 buck, I use federal's 34pellet #4 load for my maverick 88.
 
Why does everyone insist on using 00buck? is it some old myth that somehow it's better because it penetrates 30" in ballistics gel? #1, or #4 provides very good penetration without going clean through the target, I've seen low recoil 00buck loads go CLEAN through a deer, so imagine a 120lb human home invader, or attacker You are going to have some holes in your walls, or a family member! Load with #1 buck, or #4 buck, I use federal's 34pellet #4 load for my maverick 88.

I dont believe "everyone" does insist. But the 00 is very commonly available and fairly well documented. I and many others echo your like of other buckshot rounds shooting a 20bore alot i like the #3 buck. But ive said before if i have no doubt im going to have to put an invader down now, no question its a slug center mass. I would love to see the gun rags and "professional writers" spend more time on preaching situational awareness and skills than metallurgy and penetration statistics designed to sell brand X.
 
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