I'd really, really like to get somebody to make a low recoil load with 12 pellets of #1.

A few random thoughts. 

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Number 1B is a perfect example of the ammunition version of "People go were the roads go."

A few years ago "Single Ought" buckshot was discontinued by all the U.S. ammo manufacturers since most 00B has been reduced in diameter to virtually the nominal diameter of 0B.  Road Closed 

Number One Buckshot was almost lost from the commercial ammo line-up about the same time - but - I suspect, demand in the Carolina's, Virginia and the along the Gulf Coast kept it alive. Just barely. 

Yeah, even "wally world" still carried it along the Gulf Coast - before the current Ammunition Ice-Age   

Some time back, with great commercial timidity, Federal tested the waters with a "Tactical" 15 pellet #1B load for the LE market. 

You can drop in at the Box of Truth to check out the details:

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot56.htm

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu148_5.htm


Moving along.  After seeing this post, I cut open a round of Federal Flite-Control "Tactical" 8 pellet 00B. I figured Federal would probably use the same Flite-Control wad for #1B "Tac Load" as well. I already had a sample of #1B pulled from a Federal Premium load. Yep, it measured right at .286" just like the Box o' Truth guy said.  My hunch appeared to be true - 15 of the #1 Buck-Lite  pellets fit perfectly in 3 pellet layers in the Flite-Control wad. 

Over on the handloading bench, I had an 8 pound bottle of #1B from Bullet Weights Inc. - distributed to the handloading market by Ballistic Products.  This high antimony 1B runs a clean .300" (just like the label said) and just a bit over 40 grains per pellet.  Low and behold that little Flite-Control wad held an even dozen, in 2 pellet stacks, of those actual-nominal diameter #1B pellets. Those 12 pellets weighed almost the same as 15 pellets of the Buck-Lite version. 

What does all this mean - that is with the current Glacial pace of the ammo and component supply line and the all consuming Black Hole of ammo demand?

Well... #1B does offer something of a balance of maximum impact area and penetration. 

Guess the only thing more to add: 

I kinda like #1B  -  especially when its close to nominal! 

Update:

Tried some Nominal/Actual #1B (.30"/40 grain) in a Federal FliteControl wad removed from a Federal 3.5" Turkey Load. It held 20 of the .30" buckshot, stacked in layers of two, for an 800 grain payload.
The FliteControl wad used in 3" loads held 16 thirty caliber pellets for a 640 grain payload.

IMO Federal is not addressing this market niche by not producing a full line of #1B FliteControl rounds with a nominal/actual diameter of .30" to provide a real balance between a larger ballistic impact area and adequate penetration.

 Okay being impatient, having a new toy and needing to unwind....I grabbed a handful of buckshot for some informal testing.

  Gun: Mossberg Maverick 20" cylinder barrel.
  Ammo: 2 3/4" 12 gauge all full power.  Fiocchi 27 pellet #4 buck, 9 pellet 00 buck and Winchester #1 16 pellet buck.

    Fiocchi performed as normal, nice even spreads, maybe a hair faster than normal at 20 yards, but on a 10"X12" jug, #4 buck scored 9 hits and 00 Buck scored 3 hits.     On tin (big scrap sheets), it all spread openly and evenly.     00 buck continued it's normal trend of clustering 3 pellets in a 4" circle near center of POA. 

   Winchester...bleck...whew...man..irregular.   Threw pellets to the left, then the right, then it blew them all over with huge gaps.....so THIS shotgun did NOT like #1 buck from winchester.  Glad I didn't splurge on a full case of it awhile back.
 

I've come like Federal very much.  More so than Winchester.  More so than Hornady. 
You can buy more expensive loads, Hevi Shot, but you are not buying better loads.... I'm talking across the board.  Not just in Buck Shot loads.
The 1600 FPS 00Buck load from Hornady though is also very impressive.

Nice.  I'll be looking for some.

  Yep that's the load.  I don't know, haven't had time to try it in my Mossy 500 with chokes, but I am guessing that chokes could only hurt it at this point.

Thanks for all the info guys, god stuff to put in the memory banks. 

Me?  If anyone wants to know-  I just stick with the federal 00 buck load # LE 132 00 with the flite-control wad.  Why?  Because I have several 12 gauge guns, and they all shoot it anywhere from very good to scary good.  AND-  I can usually find it without looking too hard(up until recently).  Not broke, no need to fix.

From a hunting perspective the explosion (pun intended) of tactical/practical shooting has more shooters actually placing buckshot patterns on paper than ever before.  Seeing articles, and hearing about tight patterns is in turn encouraging hunters to test their Shotgun/choke/load combinations before shooting at game. 

Before the Federal 00B con Flight control wad became the cat's ass, my Dept. carried #1 Buck 2 3/4 Magnums, loaded by Remington, as the issued load. It was impressive and is certainly a viable option en lieu of the aforementioned load.

Wow that would be most impressive!!....The old Dept. load was 16# 1buck shot at nearly 1,400fps, so yes I agree, 12# 1buck, in the flight control wad, at 1300 would be a real thumper!!

.   .    .   and thats why we use pattern boards.   

LoneStar-  Yep, that's basically identical to my results.  When I stated shooting patterns with it at 50 yards, I noticed something else folks may find interesting-  All my wads were within a few feet of each other at about the 40 yard mark.

Update:

I recieved an answer to my query:

According to DKG Trading, Inc. 00B and 4B Nobel Buckshot rounds have a protective shotcup and the buckshot pellets contain 4% antimony. 

The picture below shows this 00B round to be roll crimped with a clear frangible plastic overshot wad and a three pellet per layer stack.