Beretta 1201 and Fiocchi reduced recoil buckshot

[rbernie]

Shot 20rds of Fiocci 9 pellet reduced recoil buck (12LE00BK) through a Beretta 1201 today. Patterns at 15 yards were in the 6"-8" range (tighter than I expected) but the loads wouldn't cycle the gun reliably. I had to manually work the bolt about 50% of the time due to short stroking of the bolt; it'd eject the empty but not cycle back far enough to release the next round in the magazine.

So I won't be relying on that combo.

 

[LeonCarr]

In the words of Tim Allen...MORE POWER!

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[amd6547]

Interesting. The only low recoil ammo I have shot in my 1201FP was the Federal FC 00 buck load. I only fired five rounds, but they fed, fired and ejected. I'm not a fan of low recoil 12ga in general. I like full power ammo in my shotgun.
Everything else I have tried has worked perfectly as well. Buck, slug, and a few high base birdshot loads.
The best grouping buckshot I have tried has been Hornady Critical Defense, which also has the FC wad. It was tighter than the Federal.
I just bought a box of Hornady Varmint Express #4 buck...can't wait to see how it does. I like #4 buck for the first round up.
I love my 1201FP, which is Detroit Police surplus...a great shotgun.

 

[clang]

I've got a 1201FP that cycles 7/8 oz birdshot standard loads reliably.

If the gun is working properly and was held securely when shooting, that reduced recoil buckshot must be really light.

 

[rbernie]

The Fiocchi LE 00 buck is advertised as a 1050fps load, and in general my experience has been that the Inertial actions are more velocity sensitive than payload sensitive. I suspect that a wee bit more ooomph behind the wad would make it more reliable in this gun.

I'm going to run some Federal LE1321B through the gun this weekend, to see how it likes that load.

 

[Fred Fuller]

The best indication possible that any 'serious' ammo need to be tested in the gun it will be fired in before depending on it...

 

[VA27]

The Beretta is a fine gun. I've had extraction problems with the Fiochi buck in an 870. Try the Federal or Winchester Ranger loads.