A student recently asked me a question about Federal’s FliteControl (FFC) eight-pellet 00 buck shot loads. This is the tightest patterning load on the market and is often difficult to obtain.
Over the last few months, several shooters have reported that the new stock eight-pellet load was not patterning as tightly as the older stuff. As my stockpile of FFC 00 buck has been running low, I recently purchased a case of the new manufacture eight-pellet load and decided to test fire it against the older stockpile (from about three years ago) I have been shooting.
I used two different shotguns for the test because shotgun pellet spread varies widely between different weapons. I fired the rounds through my Beretta 1301 Tactical with an improved cylinder choke. I also fired them through my old school HK Benelli M-1 with a 14″ cylinder bore barrel.
| Distance (in feet) | Old FFC 1301 | New FFC 1301 | Old FFC Benelli | New FFC Benelli |
| 10 | 1 hole | 1 hole | 1 hole | 1 hole |
| 20 | 1 hole | 1 hole | 1 hole | 1 hole |
| 30 | 2.75” | 2.5” | 1 hole | 2.0” |
| 40 | 3.5” | 3.5” | 2.75” | 3.75” |
| 50 | 3.0” | 2.75” | 5.25” | 4.25” |
There wasn’t much difference. Looking at the data, we can see the following trends.
In 50% of shots the group size was identical between new and old stock in the same gun.
In 30% of the shots, the older stock created a larger pattern in the same gun.
In 20% of the shots, the newer stock created a larger pattern in the same gun.
If anything, the newer stock of Federal Flite Control eight-pellet 00 buck shot created slightly SMALLER groups than the old stock.
New FFC shot through a 14″ Benelli
There doesn’t appear to be any significant difference between new stock Federal FliteControl buckshot rounds and the same load purchased three years ago, at least in my guns.
As always, your mileage may vary. If you are able to do so, you should always pattern your defensive loads through your own gun before relying on them for self protection.
