12-67

12/67 shotgun shells are 12 gauge loads with a shorter 67 mm or 67.5 mm case. A shorter shell chambers safely in any 12 gauge gun, so you can fire these cartridges from barrels marked 67, 70 or 76 mm. The reverse is forbidden: never load a longer shell into a shorter chamber. This category covers hunting slugs, lead-free steel shot, rubber loads and practice slugs for the range.

Who 12/67 shells are for

These cartridges suit hunters, sport shooters and gun owners who need special-purpose loads. The shorter case usually carries a moderate charge with softer recoil, which matters on a driven hunt and during a long range session alike. Because the case fits every 12 gauge chamber, one box works across several guns.

On a driven hunt, softer recoil brings the muzzle back on target faster when a boar crosses the line in a few seconds. At the range, a lighter load spares your shoulder over a hundred-shot practice session, so the last string stays as accurate as the first.

Shell types in this category

The assortment splits into four clear groups: slugs for big game, steel shot for birds, rubber loads for deterrence and practice slugs for sport. Each group solves a different task, so decide first where you will shoot: forest, marsh or range.

Hunting slugs

Fiocchi Brenneke 31.5 g and Rottweil EXACT 32 g slugs are built for wild boar and other big game taken with a smoothbore. The Brenneke-type slug with its stabilising ribs performs reliably at typical driven-hunt distances, out to about fifty metres. A heavy slug carries plenty of energy, which counts in thick cover where the shooting window is short.

Steel shot loads

FIOCCHI N-EX-S Steel 31.5 g is a lead-free load for waterfowl hunting. Lead shot is banned over wetlands, so steel has become the standard choice for the duck and goose season. Steel pellets are lighter than lead, so pick a shot size one or two numbers larger than you would with lead.

Rubber loads

SB rubber ammunition comes in several forms: Rubber Ball and Rubber Spherical Ball with a 17.5 mm rubber projectile, and Rubber Shot with 7.5 mm rubber pellets. These loads are used to drive game away from crops and farmsteads and for property protection, always within the limits of the law. For a hunter they are a way to move an animal on where a lethal shot is not an option.

Practice and sport slugs

SAGA Practice Slug at 405 m/s and Zala Arms IPSC Slug Plus 28 g are made for the range and practical shooting competition. A lighter projectile and a moderate charge let you fire long strings without fatigue. In the IPSC shotgun division such a load helps you hold your pace through the whole stage.

How to choose 12/67 shells

Your choice depends on the chamber marking, the choke in your barrel and the task at hand: game, birds or targets. Work through these steps before ordering:

1. Check the chamber marking on the barrel: 12/67 shells fit 67, 70 and 76 mm chambers.
2. Settle the purpose: a slug for big game, steel shot for waterfowl, a rubber load for deterrence, a practice slug for sport.
3. Match the choke: cylinder or half choke is safest for slugs and steel shot, and full choke is unsuitable for steel.
4. Compare projectile weight and velocity: a 28 g sport slug recoils less, a 32 g hunting slug delivers more energy.
5. Buy at least one box for zeroing and see how the load actually prints from your barrel.

Practical advice in the field

Every smoothbore throws slugs differently, so zero before the season with the same load you will hunt with. Five shots at a target fifty metres out show where your Brenneke or EXACT slug really lands and whether the sight needs adjusting.

Powder burns slower in the cold, so on a winter sit from the high seat the point of impact can drop. Keep your shells dry and carry them to the tower in an inside pocket so they stay warm. Hunt with ammunition from a single lot: that way you avoid surprises when a new box goes into the belt mid-season.

Brands in the category

Five manufacturers are represented here. Fiocchi is an Italian maker supplying Brenneke slugs and steel shot, Rottweil from Germany offers the EXACT slug, SAGA produces practice slugs, Zala Arms specialises in IPSC sport loads, and SB supplies the rubber ammunition. Together they cover every main use of the 12/67 case, from the driven hunt to the range.

Looking for another chamber length or gauge? See 12/70 shells, 12/76 magnum shells, 16/67 shells or signal ammunition. If you are unsure which load fits your gun and your style of hunting, write to us and we will advise.