I got my shotgun today... a slightly used Versa Max Competition... came with four chokes, a pistol grip, sling, bag, Tru-Glo fiber-optic and ghost ring site, bag, etc.  Now to start practicing with it!!

But I thought... what is the ammo most commonly used in 3-gun?  As in, what do I need to start stocking up on and practicing with?

Thanks!

Rob





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The lightest birdshot it will reliably run. I use Winchester AA 7 1/2 shot, 2 3/4 dram as it runs my CZ 712 3-Gun flawlessly with minimal recoil. I'd suggest hitting your local sporting goods store, and getting an assorted variety of ammo to see what she likes. Shotguns can be picky sometimes about high brass vs low brass, especially when new

I say this as well.

Also keep in mind that sometimes a match may require some slugs.

By the way, nice shotgun.  That is what I use for 3 gun.

I generally use Winchester Heavy Game Loads 12Ga, 7&1/2.... 1255FPS.

Works great in my Benelli M2

Good choice. I will generally run Winchester Superr Target through my VM Tactical during matches.. Either 7, 7 1/2 or 8's. They all seem to run well. My slug choices I'm not as consistent with, I can't remember what I have on hand in the ammo fort right now.

I recommend to buy some different loads and figure out what the gun likes and will cycle reliably.
I usually look for the best value, lowest velocity loads the gun will cycle.
1140-1200 fps
My favorites are the Remington Gun Club Target Loads #7.5 shot.
For slugs I like Fiocchi low recoil slugs in the yellow or black box.
Test at least a couple boxes of each shell before you buy a bunch.
Test them with the gun clean, as well as filthy dirty.
You don't wanna run em with a clean gun, only to find out the loads choke after a few hundred rounds.

Remington Gun Club Loads

Looks like Dicks has free shipping, not sure if there are exclusions for ammo though.

my older 21" M1S90 shoots Federal bulk 100 pack 3dram 1 1/8oz reliably... pulls the aluminum base off of Winchester Super Speed.... Fiocchi Aero 7/8oz slugs into 3" at 60yd with 10/22 sights

I like Fiocchi 1oz, 1200 FPS 7.5 shot.


The Shooting Dynamics stuff.  


Much better than bulk Win or Fed and I can get it for the same price if I buy big quantities from a local shooting supply store.

In my couple of versa max I run Estate 1145fps 7.5. pretty cheap and have never had an issue. 

Let me offer up a recommendation for Rio's target load 7.5 shot 1210fps bird shot.  I first shot some earlier this year at the 3GN Regional at Clinton House - they were giving away 100 rounds when you signed up for a side match.  I've probobly run about 1000 rounds of it through my TTI Benelli M2 since, and have been really happy with it.  

Prio to Rio I'd been shooting Winchester 7.5 shot 1200fps for local matches, and AA's of the same configuration for bigger matches.  The reason I've grown to prefer these blue box Rios is that they seem to have a more promiment ridge pattern which feels a bit grippier to me when quad loading.  I just feel like I can control them a bit better than say the smooth cased AA's.  They also can be had pretty reasonably - ~$20.00/100.  

Try a few different brands of low-recoil lugs and see which your gun likes, then buy a crap load of them.  Most shotguns will exhibit a surprising amount of variance between brands, and perhaps even lots within brands.

I like Federal ammo ; it's all they make.

Federal bulk pack (100) 3dram-1/1/8- 7.5 shot have run flawlessly in my old HKBenelli M1S90 over thousands of rounds.

Local Walmart is closeing out Federal Gold Medal Target ammo for $2 box! I bought all 10 boxes and expect they will run just fine, too.

Winchester bulk pack were unreliable in my Benelli. AA target loads ran fine but too expensive to justify for 3gun steel plates.
YMMV

I run 3dram Remington Gun Clubs in my Stoeger M3k.  For slugs full powered Remington Sluggers for anything past 25 or so yards, hoser slug targets get the reduced recoil Sluggers.  They group like shit out of my Stoger but for close they work.  The full powered Sluggers shoot pretty tight groups at 50 yards off a bench.

I had no luck with the cheapeo Federals/Winchesters in my Stoeger, kept having cycling issues.

My secondary ammo would be the Remington Game Loads and Clay and Field (I got a case cheap with rebate but normally stick with Gun Clubs).

This is what I run.

Avoid the Win SuperSpeed, SuperTrap and universal crap.  It is the bane of gas guns.

Yeaah..be sure to use Dicks ,...since they support our rights and all...

Bulk Walmart stuff. Both Winchester and Federal product. I use a Versa Max, so as long as the shell is shaped correctly, they will run fine. I do run full power 2 3/4" slugs because Walmart sells them for like $11 for a box of 15.

Remington heavy dove 71/2 most of the time. Would have express #4 in the bag in case you had a piece of steel  at distance

7.5 or 8 shot trap loads, 7/8 or 1 ounce load, whatever works reliably