The truth about Prairie Storm

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
Prairie Storm is part of Federal's Premium offering of upland hunting shotshells. As they often come up on this site I figured it'd be important to fully explore the properties of this shell. I'll start with the Pros
1. Copper plated
2. Higher quality lead, here I am assuming you get what you pay for, higher antimony content, more pellets in round, QC, etc.
3. Buffered shot; I can't believe they don't say this on the box! It's one of the best things when it comes to improved patterns. I didn't know they were buffered until I cut one open. A real head scratcher to me.
4. Flitecontrol Flex Wad, a premium wad with a good track record, although had past hiccups with ported chokes, wadstripper chokes etc.

Cons
1. Flitestopper pellets
2. 1500 fps velocity

30% of your load in these shells is made up of these flitestopper pellets, which are odd little balls with a "rings of saturn" look to them. If you've ever even slightly looked into shotshell ballistics you find very quickly that the more perfect the sphere of your pellets, the better your performance on target. Pellets that are "out of round" are the culprit for poor patterns, shotstringing (a bad thing), and "fliers". They are pellets with poor aerodynamics. I've read all the marketing and it is smoke and mirrors. Claims like, "praire storm puts more pellets on target." (from the side of the box). Compared to what? Now one thing I will say is that on closer shots this could be an advantage, because you're essentially shooting a spreader load. Those 30% of funny shaped pellets are gonna be influenced more by atmospheric pressure and open up your pattern. The thing that kills me is when guys think that it somehow gives them increased range. Those out of round pellets are gonna slow down faster and leave the shotstream quicker due to inferior aerodynamics.

High velocity 1500fps, this is not as much of an advantage as most people think. I'm not a great physicist but I love reading books and have learned a few things. The amount of deceleration is proportional to initial velocity. The quicker you shoot pellets out the muzzle the quicker they slow down. People say, "the shells are so fast I don't have to lead them as much!" The difference in lead between a shell launched at 1220, 1300, and 1500 fps is not noticeable, especially at most quartering angles that roosters fly when flushed. The only advantage I could "maybe" give a fast shell is ft-lbs. of energy at ranges under 25 yards. You get beyond that and the difference is negligible. If you are really hyped up on taking long range shots, get some high quality #4s because mass holds energy a lot better than speed at distance. Lastly excess speed tends to blow out patterns, and that usually isn't a good thing. In Live pigeon shooting, where often thousands of dollars is(was) on the line, and the shooter could choose his own load, it was almost always 1 1/4 oz. of #6s at between 1220 and 1330 fps. Now shooting a wild rooster isn't the same as shooting a pigeon in a ring, but don't you think if those guys had big $ money on the line, they'd shoot a high velocity 1500fps load with rings of saturn pellets if it'd help them win? But they don't, because it's a marketing gimmick. Now I've used some pstorm shells and killed roosters with them. I've really got a hodge podge of shells due to supply chain issues etc. I can say if I had to pick a federal shell I'd choose the wingshok(which of course has been rebranded) over the pstorm any day. If I could pick a perfect shell it'd be plated shot, buffered, and a velocity around 1300. Better patterns, less recoil to affect follow up shots, and dead birds.
 
So, is it just my confidence killing or putting these birds down at extended ranges? Or is it simply luck? Im not being a smartass, Im serious. Because so far, when one drops, it’s there.
 
Kre said:
The high velocity is a deal breaker for me.
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The high velocity is a selling point for me.

As Bob's initial post indicates, the advantage with a high velocity load is at shorter range. Most of my shooting is at a shorter range, within 30 yards or less. Combined with an IC choke, which gives me a larger spread, the advantage is even greater. I also use #6 lead shot, so there's more BBs than there is with a 4 or 5 shot. When a rooster is that close, and I'm using a faster load, I can fail to lead the bird properly and still fold up it up. One might say that this is operator error, but I'll be perfectly honest: I am not perfect at leading a rooster every time I try, and anyone stating that they are is lying.

I used to exclusively shoot Wing Shok, which is the essentially the same load that Federal marketed as their high velocity load prior to the introduction of Prairie Storm. I still use Wing Shok when I can't find PS.

When PS was first introduced, I was skeptical that it would produce better results than the tried and proven Wing Shok I had used for many years. I tried it once with improved results, so I tried it again. Then again. That's the only reason I continue to use it, because it proved itself for me in the field. I've had significantly improved results hunting spring turkeys with the use of Winchester's Longbeard XR since that was introduced. I will not use anything else now.
 
Forget about the shell hype. Grab an once and a quarter of about any 4, 5, or 6s offering in 12 gauge and you will kill the birds you can put the pattern on. The better you are shooting, the better you will be with anything of course. The poorer shooter you are the bigger payload you might want to shoot. If you are a good shot, I am thinking you are likely a sub-gauge shooter, as you would destroy many birds with most 12 gauge offerings. I am not a great shot and my Win AA hulls, Rem SP wads, 1.25oz of 5s with a decent charge of Long Shot pushed through a IC choke....had a bunch roosters that would not argue with it this season. I just don't think the shells are much of the reason when I miss. And then you still need to have that confidence factor, without that, just stay home.
 
Here's a previous post of mine on high-velocity loazs.

Are you really getting any benefits from the more expensive premium high-velocity pheasant loads?

Well, let’s see what the pattern board can tell us about these two loads and how they performed in my gun/chokes.

Patterning results from a 12-gauge Browning Citori with 28" Invector-plus barrels using Briley flush chokes (patterns average of five, 30" post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, and in-shell pellet count average of five).

12 GA 2 3/4" FEDERAL GAME-SHOK HEAVY FIELD LOAD
1 ¼ oz #5 lead (224 pellets) @ 1220 fps
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 173 (77%)
40 YARDS – Mod / pattern 145 (65%)
50 YARDS – Full / pattern 109 (49%)

12 GA 2 3/4" FEDERAL PREMIUM UPLAND HIGH-VELOCITY LOAD
1 ¼ oz #5 lead (216 pellets) @ 1400 fps
30 YARDS – IC / pattern 152 (70%)
40 YARDS – Mod / pattern 126 (58%)
50 YARDS – Full / pattern 84 (39%)

It’s obvious from the pattern numbers that the high-velocity load shot much more open patterns from the chokes tested. Both the IC and Modified chokes shot 7% tighter patterns with the slower Game-Shok load and 10% tighter with the Full choke.

It’s clear to me that you could save some money and reduce recoil by shooting the 1220 fps load and not forgo any pheasant killin’ effectiveness. Heck, the slower load put 24 more pellets (a 29% increase) in the 50-yard pattern than the premium load. Just because they are labeled “Premium” loads, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are the “best” performing loads!

That’s my take, now you can be the judge!
 
A big part of the reason I shoot the loads I do (& don't deviate) is confidence. If I put it in the right place at the right time, a rooster will die. It's why the decision to try BOSS bismuth in lieu of the Kent I'd been shooting for years was a big deal for me. I was confident in the Kents, but the confidence began to decrease quickly past 42-43 yds w/ their 5s. Now armed with 4s that have proven to work for me, I'm confident to the extent of my comfortable shooting range. If you're confident in a load, it probably works for you, so use it.
 
Joe Hunter said:
That’s my take, now you can be the judge!
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I applaud your research on this subject. Its appears to be raw data that no one can refute.

However, none of it really benefits me.

1) Most of my shots are less than 30 yards
2) I use #6 shot
3) The velocity I shoot is 1500 fps

None of these variables have been included in your pattern data, so for me personally, they are a moot point. There's also something in your data set that could be affecting the results too. The Game Shok Heavy Load has more pellets than the High Velocity Load. So naturally, one would expect more BBs to remain on target.
 
Wing Shooter said:
What's the difference between Prairie Storm and this: https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/federal-premium-wing-shok-high-velocity-upland-load-shotshells
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Wing Shok is the previous version of Prairie Storm. Its has standard round BBs rather than the saturn-style ones that Prairie Storm has. I previously posted that I used Wing Shok for many years prior to the introduction of PS, and my results were good. But they got even better when I started using PS.

There is not a whole lot of difference between the two though. When I can't find PS, I use Wing Shok (if I can find that). Bob's initial post also discusses the difference between the two loads you are referring to.
 
Roy Rogers would come out to SD and would shoot his Colt . 45 Single Action Army revolvers from the hip and take down pheasants (just speaking the lingo and making references many posters here will relate to). Now that's a tight pattern at 50 yards but more importantly, effective penetration. So I don't necessarily refute Mr. Hunters efforts but bring up a point he made in other posts in that you do have to select chokes and load for penetration and as well as pattern density to suit your style of hunting.

For my style of hunting I see most encounters start with birds flushing at 20 yards and shots at 40-50 so I do choose PS shells. I'm no sharpshooter so I appreciate a wider pattern trying to hit them way out there. I compensate by choking up to full after opening day and move up in size from 6s to 5s or 4s shot. Lately I have moved up to 3 inch shells in 5s and 4s to gain back the number of pellets. Many times I've seen lower powered shots have BBs bouncing off of birds going away or picked up a cripple and the pellets come raining down out of the feathers. Seems every couple years I convince myself that I'm a better shooter now or the birds won't have winter feathers yet and I should try a cheaper, slower shell. What I am saving the $30 I get from buying cheaper shells for on a $500 hunting trip? Used to be toiler paper and now it's eggs and bacon. But I don't buy bismuth/tungsten so everyone does have their price point.

Making holes in paper is one thing but punching through feathers is another. I just did homework with a kid and covered Newton's laws so I'm pretty fresh on mass x acceleration = force. Faster shot with more acceleration are going to hit with more force which is important to the way I hunt and therefore fast, heavy loads like PS are what I buy.

Whenever my kids tell me they'll never use all this math and science stuff, I tell them they need it to grow up and be a smarty-ass know it all on the internet, just like their old man.
 
Be careful with a myth or misunderstanding about round projectiles and velocity.

While it is true that a sphere moving at a higher initial velocity slows down at a faster rate than a sphere with a lower initial velocity, the sphere with the higher initial velocity will be moving faster than the slower starting projectile at any given distance from the muzzle (until they reach a velocity of zero.

There is no way that the slower starting projectile passes the faster starting projectile.

In other words, a size #4 pellet launched at 1500 fps will be moving faster and with greater energy at 40 yards than a #4 pellet launched at 1300 fps.
 
John Singer said:
Be careful with a myth or misunderstanding about round projectiles and velocity.

While it is true that a sphere moving at a higher initial velocity slows down at a faster rate than a sphere with a lower initial velocity, the sphere with the higher initial velocity will be moving faster than the slower starting projectile at any given distance from the muzzle (until they reach a velocity of zero.

There is no way that the slower starting projectile passes the faster starting projectile.

In other words, a size #4 pellet launched at 1500 fps will be moving faster and with greater energy at 40 yards than a #4 pellet launched at 1300 fps.
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True dat.
 
Several years ago, I was in Salt Lake City. Gallensons Guns and Ammo was selling off several bags of a 12 gauge wad that was a copy of the Federal Flite Control wad.

I purchased a couple of bags and experimented with them using both lead and steel shot.

Here are a few of my observations.

1. The wad was somewhat oblivious to the effects of choke. It did not seem to matter much what choke was used, the pattern density did not change a great deal.

2. The wad often struck the pattern board at 40 yards with considerable velocity.

3. A crosswind had an noticeable effect on the pattern. This effect was definitely greater than with standard wads. I suspect that the shot separates further downrange, therefore the wad and shot are more affected by wind.

4. For my hunting, I did not see an advantage to these wads. I felt like I could match the performance of these wads with standard wads and an appropriate choke.

I did load up a couple of boxes with the wads and steel "B" and "BB" shot. They were very effective on Giant Canada geese.
 
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I generally shoot whatever is rolling around in the truck console. Some the ink has wore off! Keep yer powder dry and run em to me.
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
A big part of the reason I shoot the loads I do (& don't deviate) is confidence. If I put it in the right place at the right time, a rooster will die. It's why the decision to try BOSS bismuth in lieu of the Kent I'd been shooting for years was a big deal for me. I was confident in the Kents, but the confidence began to decrease quickly past 42-43 yds w/ their 5s. Now armed with 4s that have proven to work for me, I'm confident to the extent of my comfortable shooting range. If you're confident in a load, it probably works for you, so use it.
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Hi Brent: What load do you shoot with the Boss? 3" 1 1/4, 2 3/4,11/4? 11/8? Thanks, Jon
 
PeteRevvv said:
Many times I've seen lower powered shots have BBs bouncing off of birds going away or picked up a cripple and the pellets come raining down out of the feathers.
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What???? Come on Pete! You have somewhat better eye-sight than myself! Or maybe you video your guns with ultra slow-mo cameras and see that in the play-back? Or was this a tongue-in-check comment like the Roy Rogers one? You hooked me!

OT. Referencing good shooters....Give Tom Knapp a 22 rifle and I have very little doubt he could out shoot me with my shotgun on pheasants. He was amazing and has videos to prove it! Google him if any one is unfamiliar with his abilities shooting. This is an entire different subject now! Other than the stack of clay pigeons he could throw-up and hit before they hit the ground (I can't pull the trigger that fast without aiming at moving targets), he did 10 with an auto loader and only 8 with a pump gun. Just throwing them all up with one arm and getting them to spread out a bit would take a ton of practice. He would toss an aspirin up and shoot it out of the air it a Browning 22 rifle if I remember right....a pheasant...hold my beer.
 
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