Aquila Minishells

[Georgia Brewer]

While visiting with family in PA last week I went to the gun store with my brother-in-law who was looking at shotguns. I mentioned in conversation that I had picked up some Aquila Minishells for my 12ga strictly for home defense. Because they are much smaller in length than standard 12ga shells you can also place 9 in the tube instead of 5. Anyway, the owner of the gun store stated that they were not meant for pump action or semi-auto shotguns because after one shot, they do not retract properly. He said the minishells were only meant for break-barrel shotguns. I can understand on a semi-auto because I know that varmint .22L rounds will not work in a semi-auto pistol for that reason. But a pump action shotgun? Has anyone heard this? I have not had a chance to test this out at the range yet.

[WILL]

I heard their reliability is hit or miss depending on the gun.

[puternut]

My understanding is most 870's won't handle them, but you MIGHT get lucky. Seems the Mossburg is normally ok with them, but would not trust my life to the odds.

That said I bought them to use for my coach gun to be able to carry more ammo.

[thumper_abn]

I liked them for the same reason you stated, turns out none of my pump action or semi-auto shotguns will cycle them.
The slugs remind me of when I carried a 203 in the Army. You can watch them going downrange. They hit hard enough to swing a manhole cover at 100 yrds. Pretty much range toys, I wouldn't trust my life to them.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

870s do not like them at all.

[RobertJ]

They are extreamly easy to short stroke as well. Wont cycle semi autos, my 870 hates them. My mosberg 590 is easy to short stroke them. Too much fuss... use a full on load, I have not seen or searched for any balistics on them but can guess its not good. Take a shotgun defensive class and learn how to run it with full on loads and how to quickly reload. They are not worth it in my book and another manual of arms to learn... keep it simple in stressfull situations, this is where muscle memory rules and not trying to think what rounnds, how to use,etc. not gonna happen for ya.