Buying shot shells with deer lethal pellets

[western woodsman]

I have a friend who wishes to invite me on his French shoot next year, if this is possible with the pandemic etc. This particular shoot only allows shot for deer or Brenneke for boar all out of a trusty shotgun at under 50m. Can I purchase deer lethal shot shells in the UK on a normal FAC? or does it have to be spelled out on the FAC to make this legal? And then for Brenneke slugs too? Is there any advice on this? My FAC only has my two deer rifles and ammo listed. Maybe just buy it in France, if possible?

 

[palmer_mike]

Get slugs added to your FAC? You have good reason.

or as you say, acquire them in France

 

[Apthorpe]

You can buy AAA or heavier on a normal SGC without any further admin. Under some circumstances they're legal for use in the UK. Have your friend confirm to you what minimum shot size is legal on France. I'd have thought it was much easier to ask your friend to buy whatever ammo they prefer for you.

 

[Corvid8x57]

If you are travelling through Calais, Terres Et Eaux & Decathlon - just off the A16 / D940 junction - less than 5 minutes from the tunnel - have a large selection of slugs etc. When I have bought rifle ammunition there, they aren’t terribly interested in your FAC or EFP & only look at the front of it

 

[Grandhubert]

Buy the slugs in France, buy the buckshot here.

there are a few factors at play here but in general anything with pellet size over 6.8mm ( names for this vary between here and the continent) will do for deer.

you don’t want too large a pellet in too light a load, I advice you patter a few different shells before you go

 

[western woodsman]

Thanks all, yes, get the shot shells sorted here on a shotgun certificate and buy the Brennekes there. I know that they should be a heavy loads(3 inch in 12 gauge) and, I think, no choke, make sure the full cylinder is screwed into the barrels of the shotgun. In this case it will be my over and under. If I buy the shot shells here, I can pattern them to make sure they are accurate and see how distributed they shoot. I did have my shotgun on my former European Firearms Pass that I guess has been superseded?

 

[Michael54]

I do not know the legal requirements in France but I suggest a load of 14 x 0 Buck [0.320" dia] for starters. This is 1.5oz of shot and patterns very well out of my Mossberg at 50 yards on a 30" circle with 70% all in a 20" circle. These are all home loads so if you don't reload you may have difficulty finding loads and I would avoid the very large pellets with only 8/9 pellets in a load. I would think the AAA size pellets to small for deer at 50 yards. Whatever you select please pattern it, from the gun you are going to use, at the intended range before using it on game. You will find a lot of information on the internet much of it very good. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Alantoo]

Thanks all, yes, get the shot shells sorted here on a shotgun certificate and buy the Brennekes there. I know that they should be a heavy loads(3 inch in 12 gauge) and, I think, no choke, make sure the full cylinder is screwed into the barrels of the shotgun. In this case it will be my over and under. If I buy the shot shells here, I can pattern them to make sure they are accurate and see how distributed they shoot. I did have my shotgun on my former European Firearms Pass that I guess has been superseded?

The solid slug/Brennekes are often quoted as being better with a bit of choke...worth researching a bit.

e.g from the Brenneke site... All you need to know about shotgun ammunition | Brenneke - Munition

"BRENNEKE slugs (with the exception of the “Gold” and “SuperSabot” cartridges) are suitable for all types of chokes. Even a tight full choke is not a problem. The BRENNEKE design with angular ribs is not to create spin, but to ensure problem-free choke passage."

Alan

 

[Michael54]

Forgot to add I find the best choke for 0 Buck to be about half or 0.700" constriction.

 

[western woodsman]

Okay, so chokes are okay for buckshot. I was thinking of finding 1's in 3" express loads for 12 ga. And patterning. I will try scientifically to pattern with differing chokes. And then I won't worry about the Brennekes choked. It would be very interesting and responsible to shoot a group with Brennekes and see what my extended good shot range was. And whether they go high or low etc.

 

[reiver]

I find my guns shoot Brenneke slugs best with 1/4 choke though 1/2 also works well .
I tend to buy them in Europe when i pop over.
Sellier & Bellot do a nice 12 bore 1 oz" slug that is good too i think i paid £15-20 for my last box of 25 here in the Uk
Accuracy was also good at 5 shots in a 3-4 "square at 50 yd all day long

 

[Grandhubert]

I do not know the legal requirements in France but I suggest a load of 14 x 0 Buck [0.320" dia] for starters. This is 1.5oz of shot and patterns very well out of my Mossberg at 50 yards on a 30" circle with 70% all in a 20" circle. These are all home loads so if you don't reload you may have difficulty finding loads and I would avoid the very large pellets with only 8/9 pellets in a load. I would think the AAA size pellets to small for deer at 50 yards. Whatever you select please pattern it, from the gun you are going to use, at the intended range before using it on game. You will find a lot of information on the internet much of it very good. Good luck and enjoy.

Head and neck would be my aim point with AAA (5.1mm) and then at short range, better SSG and up in my opinion.

14 SG or OO buck would also be good medicine.

 

[Sash]

Any decent Decathlon in France will have an excellent selection of ammunition, including shotgun slugs.
All you will need is the Permis de Chase for your Departement, possibly your FAC, and they will sell them to you.

 

[Hornet 6]

Forgot to add I find the best choke for 0 Buck to be about half or 0.700" constriction.

On a standard 12 bore barrel that would leave only .029" for the shot to pass through.
Maybe a rethink needed

Neil.

 

[Heym SR20]

And don’t forget that you will now need an Export Permit before you can take your guns to Europe as all the procedures were changed by Uk government on 31 December 2021.

Your FAC or SC is only a valid for taking your personal firearms to any destination outside of the EU.

To take them to the EU you need an Export Permit as they are controlled items.

 

[Heym SR20]

And re Slugs and / or Larger Buckshot, these are a FAC item and down to your own FLO.

I wanted them for a 16 bore and got a resounding NO as 16 bores cannot be used in the UK for deer or boar. I also have rifles so they questioned why I wanted them. When I explained it was for shooting Boar in combination gun, they told me to buy them overseas.

 

[Michael54]

OK. To clarify.
I find half choke measured at about 0.700" dia thus if bore measures 0.729" you have 0.029" of choke, works best for 0 Buck in my Mossberg. This is my understanding of bore/choke measurement from reading articles and books by Gough Thomas and from my own measurements. In today's world not all 12 gauge shotguns have a nominal bore of 0.729" thus choke is hard to describe accurately, one method is to pattern the gun and record percentage hits in 30" circle but while ok for bird shot is not the best for buckshot. I did use the percentage description in an earlier post but I felt it needed explaining.
This is only what works for me in one of my shotguns, all shotguns will give different results which is why I suggest patterning the load/gun combo and the above could be used as a starting point.
Don't get bogged down with choke it's the pattern at the intended range that counts.

 

[Michael54]

Larger Buckshot, these are a FAC item

Please confirm what size buckshot are FAC only. I know there is a minimum pellet count and I believe a 0.360" max pellet diameter for SGC. I would keep well away from these larger size buck for the ops intended use. My choice would be 0.320" down to 0.270" thus '0', '1' or '2' Buck.
Did not realise buck could be put on FAC unless you mean single ball.

 

[Heym SR20]

Please confirm what size buckshot are FAC only. I know there is a minimum pellet count and I believe a 0.360" max pellet diameter for SGC. I would keep well away from these larger size buck for the ops intended use. My choice would be 0.320" down to 0.270" thus '0', '1' or '2' Buck.
Did not realise buck could be put on FAC unless you mean single ball.

Cannot confirm the exact size - but it will be in the Home Office Firearms Guidance attached as a sticky to legal section.

 

[Heym SR20]

Just looked. Shotgun ammo is defined as having five or more pellets with each pellet being no larger than 0.36 inch.

Any larger pellets, round ball or Brenneke type single bullets require an FAC authority