12-76

12/76 shotgun shells fit smoothbore guns with a 76 mm magnum chamber. The longer hull carries a heavier shot charge or a heavier slug, which matters when geese pass high over the decoys, ducks flare at the edge of range or a driven boar breaks cover. This category holds steel and bismuth shot loads and slugs from 32 to 40 g made by six manufacturers.

Who these shells are for

These cartridges suit any 12 gauge shotgun proofed for a 76 mm chamber. They are made for hunters who need more than a standard 12/70 load: waterfowlers shooting past 30 metres and hunters who take a smoothbore to a boar stand or a driven hunt. Check the chamber marking on your barrel first. A 12/76 shell must never be fired from a 70 mm chamber, while shorter shells work safely in a magnum chamber, which is why the Winchester Rackmaster slug in a 12/67 hull also sits in this category.

Shell types in this category

The assortment falls into steel shot magnum loads for wetlands, denser bismuth loads for long passes, slugs for big game and a spread of pellet sizes from No.5 up to coarse 5.08 mm shot. Each group behaves differently in the field, so the sections below cover them one by one.

Steel shot magnum loads

Steel shot is mandatory in wetlands where lead is banned, and it makes up most of this category. Fiocchi Steel Magnum BIO offers 35 g loads in No.0, No.2 and No.3, Sellier & Bellot loads Steel Shot Magnum in 36 and 39 g with pellets from 4.06 to 5.08 mm, and Winchester adds Steel 36 g and Drylok 35 g. Rottweil FE Load carries 40 g of iron shot in 3.3 and 3.8 mm sizes. Steel is harder than lead, so shoot it through half choke or more open, above all with large pellets.

Bismuth shot shells

Bismuth is a lead free alternative with density close to lead and a soft pellet. Winchester Bismuth 12/76 weighs 39 g with No.4 shot, and Remington Premier Bismuth comes in No.2 (3.8 mm) and No.5 (3.0 mm). Bismuth keeps its energy further downrange than steel, which makes it a strong choice for geese at distance. The soft pellets spare the bore, so older guns not proofed for steel handle bismuth without worry.

Slug loads

A slug turns a smoothbore into a short range gun for boar. The Zala Arms Gualandi Mag. slug carries 40 g in a full 12/76 hull and delivers high energy at woodland distances, while the Winchester Slug Rackmaster puts a 32 g slug in a 12/67 hull that fires safely from a magnum chamber. Slugs group best inside 50 to 60 metres and shoot most accurately through cylinder or a light choke.

Shot numbers and pellet sizes

The shot number marks pellet diameter: the smaller the number, the larger the pellet. No.5 at 3.0 mm works on ducks over decoys, No.3 and No.2 at roughly 3.5 to 3.8 mm cover most duck and goose hunting, and No.0 with the coarse 4.8 to 5.08 mm sizes is meant for geese at range. With steel, pick pellets about two sizes larger than you would with lead.

How to choose a 12/76 shell

The right load depends on the quarry, the shooting distance, your choke and local rules on lead free ammunition. Run through these steps before ordering:

1. Check the chamber marking on the barrel: it must read 76 mm or 3 in.
2. If you pick steel loads, confirm the barrel carries a steel shot proof mark.
3. Match the shot number or slug to the game you hunt.
4. For wetlands, choose only lead free loads: steel or bismuth.
5. Pair the load with your choke: half or more open for coarse steel, cylinder for slugs.
6. Pattern the load on paper at 35 metres before the season opens.

Advice from the field

Magnum loads recoil harder than standard shells, so get used to them at the range before the season. A few test shots show how your gun patterns a given cartridge, because two loads of equal weight from different makers spread differently. On a cold morning flight, keep spare shells in an inner pocket, since damp and frost are hard on primers. Clean the bore the same day after a wetland hunt: steel shot wads leave plastic traces and moisture starts rust fast. At home, store your shells in a dry, cool place, separately from the gun.

Brands in the category

Six manufacturers are present. Winchester covers the widest span from Drylok to the Bismuth line, Remington stands behind the Premier Bismuth series, and Fiocchi Steel Magnum BIO uses a biodegradable wad. Sellier & Bellot supplies affordable Steel Shot Magnum loads in four pellet sizes, Rottweil brings the 40 g FE Load, and the Zala Arms Gualandi slug is built for boar hunting.

Browse the related shell categories as well: 12/70 shells, 12/67 shells, 20/70 shells and signal ammunition. If you are unsure which load fits your gun and your hunt, write to us and we will help you choose.