Herter’s Select Defense Multi-Defense Shotshells

Herter’s Italian-made Select Defense Multi-Defense 12-gauge,2¾-inch shotshells offer the seldom-seen “buck-and-ball” approach to personal-protection ammunition. Featuring a single lead-alloy, .65-cal. round ball nested atop six lead-alloy No.1 Buck pellets, all of which are contained within a plastic shot cup with full-length slits, the non-buffered load has a muzzle velocity of 1300 f.p.s. The clear hull’s six-point crimp, while effective for holding the round ball in place, is not sealed, so it could allow the ingress of moisture and debris in certain environments; under “normal” circumstances, though, I cannot imagine the configuration posing a problem. Fired from the improved-cylinder-choked 28-inch barrel of a Stoeger M2000, at 10 yards all of the projectiles impacted slightly low and into a 27⁄8-inch wide cluster.

At 25 yards, the 0.65-inch diameter ball hit 3 inches low and 15⁄8 inches right, and the entire pattern-including the ball and four buckshot-measured 71⁄8 inches wide. Moving back to 40 yards, the ball impacted 1½ inches low and 3/4 inches left of the point of aim, while a single No. 1 buck hit virtually dead center, but about 4 inches high. Given this load’s performance, not only would it excel for home protection but, where legal, it would do well for hunting whitetail deer and feral hogs. Boxes of 10 are priced at $11.

Contact: Cabela’s, One Cabela Drive, Sidney, NE 69160; (800) 237-4444