Sellier & Bellot Buckshot . . . Thoughts?

[Misery Loves Shotguns]

I'm looking to buy a case or two of buckshot for blowing up watermelons and so forth and I was checking out some Sellier & Bellot. Word on the street is that their 2 3/4" shells are normal length after they're fired but are crimped in such a way that they load like a 3 inch. They make a 12 pellet shell and a 9 pellet both 2 3/4" and obviously the 12 pellet is going to be longer but what about the 9 pellet? Probably a stupid question but some things I've read had me wondering and I don't want to end up with a case of it and find out I don't like it. I've used their 9x19 and it shot great so I have no doubts of their quality BUT I don't want to have my magazine capacity reduced. I like the clear hulls too.

I've also considered Estate and Rio Royal buckshot. Both have nothing but positive reviews on lucky gunner and Cabelas. Thoughts?

[brian]

not sure what you're asking, if anything...but a bunch of years ago i got a metric ton of the s&b 00, 12 ball buck.....2.75", and it's just that. fits a 2 and three quarters chamber as it should.
it will reduce a printer to pieces not large enough to pick up.
i also think the clear hulls are pretty neat.

it's not really a crimp, but more of a cap.

this is some s&b and a federal buck, that is shorter so the crimp and do it's thing.

[The_War_Wagon]

I last used some about 15 years ago - it ran fine in my Winchester 1300 then!

S&B's current offering are usually good. It's only stuff from BEFORE the Iron Curtain fell, that ya' gotta watch out for, and that's mostly limited to corrosive primers.

[Misery Loves Shotguns]

I'm just wondering if their 9 pellet 00 buck 2 3/4" shells are the same length as a normal 3" shell or a normal 2 3/4". I've heard they are longer and if that's the case, I'm going to get another brand. My Benelli loads 7+1 and my 870 loads 6+1 with 2 3/4" but they drop to 6+1 and 5+1 with 3" shells. I'm not worried about the guns chambering it because they'll both load 3", the Benelli will load 3 1/2", I just don't want to lose out on magazine capacity because I'm using a long shell.

[red dog]

my lot of 9 pellet 2&3/4 s&b is just that 2&3/4. works well in my 500 and 590. tried it in my serbu super shorty, worked well but lots of recoil go figure.

[God's Country]

Well by my calipers

rem 00 2 3/4 avg 2.355
fed 00 2 3/4 avg 2.325
wolf 00 2 3/4 avg 2.510
s&b 00 2 3/4 avg 2.555

So yeah that’s quite a difference.
Unfortunately I don’t have any 3” for comparison.

My Mossberg is still holding 5 in the mag regardless.

[brian]

I'm just wondering if their 9 pellet 00 buck 2 3/4" shells are the same length as a normal 3" shell or a normal 2 3/4".

just think about that a minute.
how could a shell 3" long, be advertised as a 2.75" shell?
plenty o shot guns only have a 2.75" chamber.

[Misery Loves Shotguns]

just think about that a minute.
how could a shell 3" long, be advertised as a 2.75" shell?
plenty o shot guns only have a 2.75" chamber.

I don't know. I've never used them. This is based on what I've read and that is that their shells are longer than other 2 3/4" which apparently is like loading your magazine tube with 3" shells. Read this . . .

Well by my calipers

rem 00 2 3/4 avg 2.355
fed 00 2 3/4 avg 2.325
wolf 00 2 3/4 avg 2.510
s&b 00 2 3/4 avg 2.555

So yeah that’s quite a difference.
Unfortunately I don’t have any 3” for comparison.

My Mossberg is still holding 5 in the mag regardless.

I do happen to have 3" shells handy and they are 2 9/16" long which is pretty much the same as the 2.555" measurement God's Country came up with. Having said that, I have my answer. S&B 2 3/4" shells are the same length as a 3" shell. My Remington and Benelli would therefor only be able to take 5+1 and 6+1 of these shells.

Thanks for the help everybody!