Good, no nonsense, right to the point video.      The difference between the three loads is a bit more than I would have guessed.  I would like to see the difference between that Rio ammo and a mil spec round like the Winchester brown box stuff. 

I think it would be pretty similar to the Rio load as the two are pretty similarly constructed.  I have quite a few boxes of the older Winchester stuff - red plastic hulls, high base brass, plain lead 00 buck shot - and it patterns pretty well out of my guns.  My coach gun with the 18 1/2" barrels puts all the pellets on a man sized target at twenty yards with a center mass hold.  The left barrel shoots slightly higher than the right barrel but its not noticeable until the range gets past twenty five yards.  If the RIO shot shells are essentially identical in performance its good to know as they can be had for a little less money than Winchester. 

I have no experience with the RIO brand shot shells in my own guns, hence the question.  I have a Mossberg Maverick 88 like the one used in the video and assume it would perform in a similar manner to the one tested but, as we know, all shotguns seem to be a law unto themselves in terms of how they shoot with various ammunition.  As for comparing the individual specs for the two loads, Winchester and RIO, I don't think there's going to be a world of difference between the two.  Any mass produced load is put together as much to run well on the machinery as it is to perform to exacting standards in the field so I have no illusions about that.    

Whether one brand has harder, rounder shot or a better wad or cleaner burning powder is not generally the main selection criteria for a general purpose hunting/self defense load that is designed to compete on price.  My experience with shotgun shells of that description indicates they are boringly reliable in break action and pump operated guns.  Only when you get to auto loading guns running significant numbers of rounds per hour do things like that get to be important considerations.  Or so it seems to me.   

Agreed, on all counts.  I was unaware of the different versions of what is the same basic load from Winchester so thanks for that information.  For my purposes, in the gun(s) I run that particular load in I think those differences are primarily academic.  The performance is going to be essentially the same in my shorter barreled defense gun(s) that are for point defense against predators.  At anything outside of 20-25 yards I am likely to choose a slug load, given the opportunity. 

For the record, when I do my part, the Winchester load(s) have never failed to produce the desired effect regardless which I have chosen.   

His patterns with the Remington ammo look a lot like mine with the Winchester ammo out to 20 yards.  I would call the performance essentially identical to my Mossberg Maverick 88 and the old coach gun as well.  The coach gun begins to get erratic at anything beyond twenty yards with shot and beyond thirty with a Foster type slug load.