Description
The Fiocchi cartridges contain an average of 196 pellets but pellet counts are extremely variable (values of 171-204 have been recorded). These are equivalent in diameter to an English size #6½ or #7. Some of the pellets were noticeably deformed and would not always roll down an incline without “persuasion”. The cartridges contain a full-length plastic wad with long skirt and petalled cup which insulates almost all of the shot from the walls of the cartridge – and, presumably, the barrel. They are crimped with a 6-point star closure. The case is a standard 3″ parallel tube plastic case, supplied in green with Fiocchi branding printed in gold.
Recoil
The cartridges produced moderate, smooth recoil which is neither the sharpest nor the lightest the author has experienced in a 3″ .410 loading. They are, in short, comfortable to shoot.
Performance
This page will be updated when initial pattern testing has been performed using the SmallBoreShotguns.com test gun, so the comments which follow should be considered both unreliable and preliminary.
However, although these cartridges have an excellent reputation among UK small bore enthusiasts, the author’s experience so far – which is limited to only a couple of opportunistic shots at unused cardboard pattern plates at the time of writing – is that the pattern thrown may be usable out to 30 yards, but will not likely reach 40 yards, with an estimated 50-70 (26-36%) pellets striking inside the circle at the latter distance, with a somewhat uneven pattern and some pellet welding observable.