We took one apart this evening to see what was in it. Not much. Powder and a funny looking thick wad that’s a lot like a flite control but not exactly the same. 4 slits on the lower end of it but they don’t run to the bottom of the wad. Lots and lots of buffer...... Most I’ve ever seen in a shotgun shell. Not as fine as the PSB buffer Hal uses in all his loads but close.


Finally 1 3/8 oz of TSS 9’s. They sell em for 1 1/2 oz but it ain’t in there. We checked a couple to make sure. So if you were on the fence between apex and federal or making them yourself then Hal’s 1 5/8 oz load or apex load should have about 90 more #9 pellets than the one federal advertised as 1 1/2 oz. That is if apex is actually loading 1 5/8 oz like they say they are.

Man, that’s good stuff. Sad that federal is doing that. I guess they didn’t pan in someone cutting one open and checking though.

I’ve heard reports of some people being able to deform the pellets in federal shells...

It’s a good rainy morning to let customer service explain that. I bet they would tell you it’s one in a million and send you a hat.

Well it is federal ammo what else you expect?

I load my own so it really doesn't matter to me but I did have a apex in possession and I cut it open and the payload weight was spot on. Couple of independent you tube videos dropped yesterday comparing apex and federal thru a 20 ga 870 with two different chokes one being .555 IC other being a tightwad. Apex clearly had a more dense pattern but it was a close enuff race I dono if the price diff was worth paying more.

I won't buy Federal .22 rimfire cartridges to plink turtles with.....much less any Hunting Ammunition!!

Local gun store here has the 8/10 blend. I was thinking of buying a box and seeing how they shoot.

Well, since the federal has been killing birds at any reasonable range in my 20s, I’ll keep using it.

I hope they work I just paid $8apiece for five of them. Im a little thrifty, that was hard for me to swallow. Well see in a couple weeks. My boys gona ba mighty disappointed if they whiff.

Probably shoulda bought more than (5), so you can pattern them to KNOW, and have some to hunt with. I figure $6-10/ turkey on shells isn’t too pricey, even if you double that and pattern a load combo.....cheaper than a miss. Of course, you can just grab some and head out, and blame misses on the shells. LOL