“shells”

Rio Ammunition is releasing new packaging for its made-in-Texas “Patriot Pack” of 100 shotgun shells that proudly displays continued support for the NRA and the shooting sports.

Many turkey hunters are choosing to load heavy-hitting 3 1/2-inch shells into their guns. But does the extra firepower really make a difference?

In an effort to help hunters keep shells, chokes and other necessary gear organized, protected and readily accessible in sloppy waterfowl hunting conditions, ALPS OutdoorZ has debuted its Pit Blind Bag.

An all-important question was posed a couple days ago over on the Final Approach Facebook page: Besides shotgun shells, what do you feel is the most important piece of equipment in your blind bag?

The 28-gauge Ethos is a quality sporting shotgun from a trusted maker, and the 3-inch shells go a long way toward closing the power gap between this increasingly popular sub-gauge and its larger kin.

Designed for hardcore turkey hunters, the SL5 semi-auto 12-gauge shotguns accommodate 2¾- and 3-inch shells and feature an 18½-inch deep-drilled, chrome-lined barrel with a stepped rib for precise alignment.

Federal has combined the power of two of its newest technologies to create a shotshell option that changes the nature of self-defense. The new Force X2 Shorty shells measure just 1¾ inches but hold a payload of six 00 segmenting buckshot engineered to split into two equal pieces on impact.

Though the year is winding down, there’s still plenty of birds to be had for the hunter willing to bear the cold. Grab a box of shells from this list and hit the snow-covered fields knowing these loads have what it takes to drop upland birds.

It was around 9 a.m., and a dozen or so birds had decided that they’d make a close enough pass at our decoy spread to elicit a volley. I’d loosed two shells when my concentration was broken by something thumping down into the reeds beside me.