Hey all, so what's the scoop on Rio's? There seems to be two camps, those who like them and those who don't (like anything else in this world). I was wondering what you all think about them from your personal experience.

I'm looking at their 1oz 28ga Royal Pheasant load. Supposed to be copper plated, but I wonder if the shot is just copper washed. Any ideas?

Best,

Greg

they are cheap and clean shootin...whats not to like?

if you have to make noise...they are as good as any...

I didn't find them to be clean at all-filthy. All kinds of crud left in the barrel and in the action. I used them in a Benelli, I'll never use them in that gun again, but, would consider them in a different action.
That said, different production runs will perform differently. I don't believe you will know what you have until you try them.


Best,
Ted

could be ah was thinkin o b&p...

Lotsa difference between B & P and Rio shells imho. Rio’s kick a lot harder for starters.

12 ga b&p competition one 7/8 oz loads are my favorite for skeet shooting...easy on my old shoulder and easy on my old gun...an ithaca minier...

I use their bismuth loads for migratory waterfowl, because they were the cheapest I could get. Works fine. I think they are Cheddite hulls though, so they aren't much for reloading.

I have shot many thousands of the RIO shells at targets and doves. Bought from Academy Sports, usually at $5.49. I like them much better than the big three brands' promo shells sold at WalMart. Excellent quality, pattern great, never had a misfire. At $5.49 I couldn't care less about reloading for a 12. Certain times of the year I have bought them for as low as $39.90/flat, in quantities of 10-12 flats.

B & P Comp One loads will not work reliably in many guns. I wanted to shoot them badly, as they're lower pressure, but most of my guns won't reliably fire them. They misfire in my BE 12 Fox, and my BSS 12. I'm going to try them in my Remington 1889 when it is finished being restored. I have heard others say they have the same problem with them. Shame.

SRH

I have only used their steel waterfowl loads, I've been happy with them.

TM

I like the Rio dove loads especially. 1.25 ozs of #8 throws a nice full pattern. I don't really shoot any of their heavier bird loads, as I have been quite satisfied with B&P for pheasants and rabbits.

I consider 1.25 oz. a heavy load. To each his own, but I have been shooting doves for 58 seasons, and have never seen the need for 1.25 oz. of shot for any dove situation. I would say that 99% of my doves have been killed with 3/4 to 1 oz. of shot. Even the highest flying old tough late season migratory birds can be brought down cleanly with 1 oz. 7 1/2s and enough choke.

Years ago I used to shoot woodies with 1 1/4 oz. 7 1/2s, effectively too. Maybe you meant to say 1.125 instead of 1.25 ??

Best, SRH

I won a flat of their "BLUE STEEL" waterfowl loads a couple years ago at a small sporting clays shoot. I have been using them solely, and have been very impressed, too. I think I'm down to about 3-4 boxes left. Very good loads, IMO.

Stan,

Though I do sometimes use them for dove, I mostly use this load for grouse. I don't have a dog, so my shots can be a bit more difficult - a fuller pattern helps. I thought they were called "dove loads" per Rio, but upon additional research, it's actually called "Texas Game Load". It has a picture of a dove on the box, hence the name confusion. But like I said, I HAVE used these 1 1/4oz loads on dove as well as the Rio 1 1/8oz in 7.5 both with good success. I've also used the Rio bismuth loads on woodies, however, I prefer the bismuth loads made by Kent. I'm not sure of the difference between the two shells, but I've been much more impressed with the performance of the Kent.

Additionally, Stan, if you're able to reliably drop birds with small amounts of shot, my hat goes off to you sir. That's admirable. However, I do not have a dog and many times I hunt on crowded public lands with other gents skyblasting at any feather they see. I currently do not have the means or ownership of my own large tracts of land that I can groom especially for my own hunting of game birds. Because of these facts and because I have to use my eyes to find downed birds (again - no dog), I prefer them to be stone dead when they hit the ground. I hate to cause game animals unnecessary suffering or worse, allow them to end up injured and lost. Because of all these things, I choose the shells related to my ability and my situation. I have hunted with success with light loads in my 16s and 20s, but unless the gun is of very old vintage, I typically hunt with 1 1/8oz - 1 1/4oz in my 12s. That is just me and what I feel comfortable to hunt with in my situation. If you are successful with much lighter loads in your hunting situation, you have my respect sir. Please do not take this as an offense.

Caleb

report of comp one ammo problem is interesting...anybody else have similar experience?

Caleb you have my sympathy. Public land, in crowded places can be frustrating. Slob hunters, sky busters, hunter too lazy to look hard for downed birds, hunters trying to get as close to you as possible even if you have been setup for hours can ruin your day.

You might be surprised how easy it can be to rent small parcels of land. Often a acre or two is all you need. I looked for fallow fields, hill tops which burn out in dry years or low areas which flood out in wet years. Around here there are a lot of small farms in the rolling hills which are best suited for pasture or hay operations but not row crops. Some are not in use or production at all. It took me about a dozen cold call approaches to get the first field. After that I had an in with the land owners. I call these areas feed plots which I explain will also attract deer which I do not hunt. So the deer hunters do not think of me as competition but supplemental to their efforts. Deer love sunflowers too much for me. I plant Rye and Wheat as the main attractions but keep sunflowers in the plots.

I rented a hill top field and planted three small feed plots of about four acres total. Should be able to hunt eight to ten stations comfortably. Last year I had it and planted just one plus acre which we took limits off it four times. Our shooting is done to keep pressure down to one shoot per week otherwise you burn out a field. By having several spots miles apart you get steady dove hunting all September long. I’d rather spend money to have places to hunt than watch it grow and 6%. My time is limited more than my money.

Our corn is so late this year it might be mid October before it gets cut. The only down side was I had a few uninvited guest hunters hunt my fields. After the DNR caught the second group, who I suspect were the first group as well, they won’t be back. Citations for hunting without permissions and trespassing tend to ruin a poachers a day.

Thanks Jon - that is certainly a good idea to consider. I'll have to look into it further.

I apologize if I derailed the topic...

They are made just down the road in TX, I am getting reports of fireing pin damage due to hard primers?? (a K-80) Please keep your eye and ears open and give any confermation.

bill

I've bought 12 flats (2 different lot #s) of B&P Comp I 12 ga 7/8 oz (7 1/2 & 8) over the past 2 years & I've had 0 issues so far shooting them in a Perazzi DC-12.

I shoot some B&P shells yearly (12 ga High Pheasant & 16 ga F2 Classic in hunting loads & Comp I & F2 Legend in 12 ga target loads) & I've never had a problem. Excellent ammo IMHO but a few people have reported issues w/the Comp I in certain guns.

My only issue w/ B&P is that they have discontinued production of the
1 1/16 oz 12 ga High Pheasant & F2 Classic 16 ga hunting loads.

Caleb, no offense taken at all. Different strokes (and chokes) for different folks. I consider 1 1/8 oz. heavy for doves. I'm well aware that I am in the minority, even around here where there is lots of dove shooting season long. I'm not a great shot on doves, far from it, but I do have the advantage of shooting private land (mine and friend's) and do lots of scouting in order to position guns in the most advantageous places.

As to the Comp Ones, I have heard at least one range owner say that he has noticed more misfires reported with Comp Ones than other brands. I believe, for some reason I have yet to fully determine, that they require greater firing pin protrusion from the breech face than most others. I have measured the case heads on them, compared to the other brands I regularly shoot, and there is a difference in the shape of the rim it seems. I believe they seat a tiny bit further into the chamber on some guns than my other brands. FWIW, they work fine in my MX 8, but I don't care to use them in it, as I can use more inexpensive loads in it well.

All my best, SRH

I should add that Rio does make 16 gauge shells in 2.75" and I bought a flat of them last year. I can't quite remember if I shot them or the the B&P in my 16 gauge Simson last year, but whichever it was, they were smoking rabbits with authority.

I have had the same problem of light strikes on Comp1 and Herters, both Italian and suspect the same company although it is just a hunch.

I have heard several people report RIO shells have hard primers. But price sells them. The few boxes I have shot all seemed Ok but not better than other similar priced shells. I do not use their primers in reloading. There are better primers and for that matter better hulls to reload than RIOs. I see countless RIOs and other Euro type hulls at sporting ranges that are just tossed out in the trash can.

B&P shells have been very good to me. My first flat, 250 shells, had zero misses in them. Multiple flats after that have not been quite up to that standard. I have a larger supply of once fired B&P hulls but have never bothered to reload them. Someday I will but with thousands of other once fired hulls you can be picky and load what you like and have used in the past. The great thing about the internet is that if your favorite ammo is discontinued you can almost always find a substitute by looking for what else is available. Gone are the days of three big ammo makers, now there must be a dozen.

I could live with one misfire per flat, or so, with the CompOnes. But, when it's 25-30% of the time......... that won't cut it. I've got two flats on hand right now, and I feel very confident I can find a couple of my hammer guns that they will work in. I'm not bashing them. I really want to be able to use them. If all else fails, the Perazzi will chew them up and spit them out with no problem. The problem can be solved in every case by increasing the firing pin protrusion, but when a gun will shoot every other brand with 100% reliability, even reloads, it's not prudent to go messing with it.

I've got a set of Remington 1889 barrels being refinished now. They previously just got back from being lightly honed by Orlen, and are sound for use. When they get back home they are going to be tried with the CompOnes. Got a feeling that gun is going to work with them.

SRH

12 gauge RIO target loads have worked fine for me on Sporting Clays. No problems.

I have used them a lot, particularly the Trap 28's and they were fine.
I shot a couple yesterday to check the cleanness and they were CLEAN.

Been using the Rio 7/8 ounce, 1200 fps, 12 gauge for years. Today, my supplier sells them for $4.89 a box delivered. Never had a misfire. Never had a Krieghoff firing pin problem. I have given up loading 12 gauge entirely.