I have yet to try this, but suspect that use of the hard plastic wads made for steel shot may reduce the flyer issue at closer ranges. Or even using another wad, perhaps a gauge smaller & reversed as a means of making a 'capsule'. Certainly the shot roundness factor gets into any pattern equation and it is my 'understanding' that Seiller & Bellot (sp?) ammunition uses shot that is rolled for size rather than simply dropped. I do not know that to be a fact, but I have seen it in print at some time and had it said to me on several ocassions. They are a huge manufacturer and they make quality ammunition, tho it is oft a bit 'hot', at least in my experience. The few cartridges that I have cut open had high quality round uniform shot, but my hardness testing is .. let's just say empirical. The steel shot as suggested by Fred [all his comments, for that matter] is a very good idea and inexpensive small size steel shot loads are currently available from W-W.

If everything has to be factory loaded and/or it is within the rules, he may wish to experiment with some of the Federal T-matrix ammunition or the Hevi-Shot now available. Expensive? Yes, but some folks shoot $10~$20/box RF ammo when the chips are down in several dif disciplines of RF shooting. Guess it is a matter of what is it worth to have every last edge built into the equation that is possible.