by Tom Keer
For the past three years, Fiocchi USA has focused on strengthening and expanding all facets of operation. The opening of their new cartridge product facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, has freed up significant manufacturing square footage in their Ozark, Missouri, shotshell plant. Their Research and Design department has expanded, and inventory fill rates have dramatically improved. Additional quality control tests have been added and are a focus of Fiocchi’s premium product category, the Golden Series. There are three waterfowl-specific loads in that series: Golden Waterfowl Bismuth, Golden Waterfowl, and Golden Goose shotshells.
Golden Waterfowl Bismuth is a high density 9.75/cc bismuth that is precision loaded, offering excellent energy transfer and dense patterns in three-inch shells. The progressive burning powder provides consistent pressure, and it’s clean burning so there is less carbon residue. Not only is the load effective, but it also helps keep guns clean. Fiocchi also created a proprietary sealant to the starred crimps. As we know, dry shells are firing shells.
Fiocchi expanded their 12- and 20-gauge offerings by offering a small gauge shell designed for shots inside of 30 yards in flooded timber. The Golden Waterfowl Bismuth, a three-inch, 28-gauge shell, delivers a 1 5/16-ounce load of No. 4 shot of high-density 9.75g/cc bismuth shot.
Golden Waterfowl is Fiocchi’s steel shot product. Zinc-plated steel shot increases hardness and pellet uniformity and delivers dense, lethal patterns. There also is less pattern deformation, and clean-burning powders deliver downrange performance that is lethal. Golden Waterfowl Steel is available in 12-gauge, three-inch shells that deliver 1¼ ounces of shot at a velocity of 1350 feet per second.
Golden Goose series was designed with larger waterfowl like brant or geese in mind. Fiocchi uses zinc-plated steel shot with heavy-duty wads, no-fail primers, and carefully selected powders. The 12-gauge, 3½ inch loads deliver 1 5/8 ounces of shot at a velocity of 1430 feet per second.
Fiocchi’s forward-thinking commitment toward developing the first, all-green shotshell is part of their EnviroShield initiative. The newly added GreenCore wad technology is being included in their shotshell design. GreenCore wads are biodegradable and naturally decompose and join lead- and zinc-free primers and non-toxic shot. In the testing phase are biodegradable polymers for use in extruded hulls. Look for them to be added in the near future.
For more information visit fiocchiusa.com/shotshell/golden-series.
