AO Review: Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge – Less Kick, More Hits!

If you have ever delved into the world of competition shooting, you soon learn that every little advantage counts. Inches equate to miles and seconds equate to hours when you are trying to edge out your nearest competitor. So, if you can do something like – shoot ammunition with less recoil and scintillating velocity – why wouldn’t you? That is exactly what Federal Premium is bringing to the table to competitive shooters and home defenders alike in their new Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge ammunition. While I do compete in varying capacities in shooting, I do not compete with a shotgun; however, I take my home defense training very seriously. This includes jiu jitsu, guard dogs (lap dogs), a well-lit home at night, and a high-capacity handgun with a flashlight on my dresser plus a home defense shotgun nearby. So, today we are going to review these new Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge shells to see how they perform for home defense training that is equally applicable for competition shooting. Let’s dive in!

Federal Ammunition Coverage on AllOutdoor

Specifications – Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge 2 ¾” #7.5 Shot

The MSRP for Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge is $164.99, and they come in a case quantity of 200 shells at a time. The motivation for Federal to produce this special line of shotgun shells for competition and home defense training was to achieve a balance of speed, precision, accuracy, knockdown power, and reduced recoil for faster follow-up shots. Those are a lot of elements that Federal has in the air that they are attempting to juggle with these shotshells, but they very well may have done it. All of the specs for the Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge are listed below as presented by Federal:

Roll Crimp adds Rigidity for use in Tube- and Magazine-Fed Competition Shotguns
Plated Steel Head for Reliable Feeding and Extraction
1 1/8 Ounce Payload of Lead Shot
1,235 FPS Velocity Balances Power, Speed and Precision
Designed specifically for Competition
Offered in 200 Round Cases

Gauge: 12
Shot Size: 7.5
Muzzle Velocity (Feet per Second | FPS): 1,235
Shotshell Length: 2 ¾”
Shot Charge (Ounce): 1 1/8
Usage: Target Shooting

Rule every 3-gun stage and anywhere you compete with the hard-hitting performance and reliable feeding of new Federal® Action Shotgun™. The loads’ roll crimp adds rigidity, improving cycling through both tube- and magazine-fed shotguns. The 1 1/8-ounce payload of high-quality No. 7.5 lead pellets is pushed out the muzzle at 1,235 fps. This velocity strikes the perfect balance—providing the power needed to knock down targets and the shootability to run through a course with both speed and precision.

Range Use – Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge 2 ¾” #7.5 Shot

Now, let’s get into the fun stuff – shooting! Federal Action Shotgun touts everything that you would want in a range or competition shotshell: more accuracy, better hits, more reliably feeding, and lighter recoil; thus, smoother cycling. To say I was a bit skeptical is an understatement. We all have seen our fair share of grandiose statements within the firearm industry and few deliver on their promise.

***Spoiler Alert – Federal Action Shotgun delivers!***

To test out these shotshells that Federal so graciously sent out to AllOutdoor, I headed to my friend’s range – F5 Range owned by World-Champion shooter, Josh Froelich – in Minnesota to see how they’d perform. Federal informed us that Action Shotgun performs best (or delivers the most benefits) to semi-auto shotgun users, but all I had for testing was a trusty, ol’ reliable Mossberg 500 that I kitted out for home defense.

Aside from my trusty, ol’ reliable Mossberg 500, I also enrolled my wife, Andrea, to help me test out these shotgun shells. She is admittedly a newer firearm enthusiast having shot firearms on occasion throughout her life yet it is only recently she’s enjoying them for sport and seeing them additionally for their merit in defense. She is an extremely faster learner (shaming many men; including myself) in her ability to pick up on things and catch the fluency of different firearm platforms compared to much more experienced shooters. It is a joy and privilege to shoot with her.

I often can become numb to firearms, metaphorically, because I shoot them so frequently, but Andrea provided phenomenal feedback. She expressed that these shotshells would be great for women who are smaller, and men as well, who might be smaller in stature. You do not need to aggressively grasp the firearm or brace yourself because these shells are smooth: they feed smoothly, shoot smoothly, and cycle out smoothly.

Moreover, Andrea felt that these shotgun shells didn’t adrenalize her body when shooting them (to which I would agree with). If you have ever shot full-house, kitchen sink, max POW-AH home defense loads, it is zero fun; like none at all. It kicks like hell and you’re anticipating the recoil which is never good when shooting any firearm – for home defense, competition, or otherwise. Andrea, who teaches women’s self defense courses, reiterated that it is important to not be overstimulated. This applies to hand-to-hand defense, competition shooting, and many other elements surrounding firearms and taking care of yourself. So, in sum, both Andrea and myself walked away impressed by the Federal Action Shotgun shells we tested.

Final Thoughts – Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge 2 ¾” #7.5 Shot

So, what are our final thoughts on the Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge 2 ¾” #7.5 Shot ammunition?… Overall, it delivers. Plain and simple. You get accurate hits, better patterns, a specific roll crimping to ensure reliable feeding, and a lot more. Andrea spends a lot more time delving into the mental aspects of self-defense – situational awareness, mindset, utilizing your voice, being mentally prepared to defend – and related this to our range day with firearms.

“It’s good to be in command of the firearm and not concentrating on the inevitable push coming your way.” – Andrea Scepaniak

That’s wonderfully stated because if you’re thinking about recoil, you’re not thinking about hitting your target and are more likely to flinch. From a more grand perspective, if you are thinking about recoil, you are not in a “flow” state, not “in the zone,” or not of “no mind” (deemed mushin in Japanese martial arts culture). If you want to be in the flow or master your mushin while crushin’ steel targets, we highly suggest Federal’s new Action Shotgun shells. Give ’em a try. You’ll be glad you did.

In closing, I want to say thank you to Federal for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge 2 ¾” #7.5 Shot ammunition. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that Federal Action Shotgun 12 Gauge 2 ¾” #7.5 Shot ammunition is something worth spending your money on for competition or recreation? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

Adam Scepaniak