Latest Loads: 12-ga., 2-Inch Shotshell

Forget dancing teapots; we’re talking about 2", 12-ga. shotshells. Thanks to their scant, 1¾" to 11 3⁄16" overall length when roll crimped, you’ll earn an extra round in the magazine for every four, 2¾" rounds that you replace. If that weren’t enough, these petite powerhouses pack serious punch. From the cylinder bore of an 18 11⁄16"-barreled Mossberg Model 500 at 15 yds. the widest-spread pellets of any pattern measured 2 1¼" apart, though more than two-thirds of the 20, 0.24"-diameter projectiles amassed within 12" of the point of aim. Further enhancing the lead pellets’ effectiveness is the nickel plating, which serves to harden them and reduce friction for deep penetration. Talk about devastating! Best of all, recoil is minimal, and, in the Mossberg*, cycling was flawless.