RIO Shotgun Shells Review From a Duck Hunter's Perspective

Maybe I'm a sucker for the new bright and shiny gear, but I love testing new equipment – especially ammo.

That enthusiasm didn't stop me from being skeptical of RIO shotgun shells at first. It's their price tag: suspiciously cheaper than old standbys like Federal, Remington, and my favorite, Winchester.

In the name of objectivity, I set all such concerns aside before heading to the duck blind with a pack full of RIO ammo. I wanted the shell's performance to speak for itself. It could turn out to be a real bargain bin treasure. Who knows?

The following RIO shotgun shells review is based on my own research, as well as my and my waterfowl hunting buddies' experiences (they are great guys and would surely all agree that I am a better hunter than them yes yes).

I hope you're ready to git learnt real good about RIO duck hunting ammo.

RIO Shotgun Shells Overview

Rio Outdoors Corp traces its roots back to 1896, when Alfred Nobel (TNT inventor and prize enthusiast) founded its parent company MAXAM, an explosives manufacturing firm. RIO products wouldn't enter the American market until 2002, though.

As a member of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI), RIO must adhere to strict standards for their ammo. SAAMI membership doesn't guarantee of great quality, although it does demonstrate the manufacturer's willingness to satisfy certain standards for ammunition.

RIO shotgun shells are well-known on both sides of the Atlantic. RIO 12 Gauge shotgun shells are the most popular among them, with RIO 20 Gauge and RIO 410 Bore ammo also being common.

RIO has production plants in Spain, the UK, and Texas. These state-of-the-art facilities produce a wide range of hunting and target loads. Whether you're shooting ducks with BlueSteel label ammo or defending your home with Royal Buck, you'll find RIO offers an approprate shotshell for all your shotgunning needs. RIO even loads bismuth shot, meaning they offer multiple types of lead-free hunting shells.

RIO Ammunition produces approximately one million shotshells daily at its Texas plant. That accounts for its high quality, as well as its agreeable price tag.

RIO Shotgun Shells Review

My first introduction to RIO ammo was while duck hunting. I traditionally hunt with Winchester, Remington, or Federal game loads, but my buddy purchased some RIO BlueSteel to run through his Mossberg. When I saw it perform flawlessly for him, I knew I had to pick up a couple of boxes for myself.

I grabbed them and headed back to the duck blind with my dad's Benelli in hand. If the shells cycled with a Mossberg shotgun, they dang sure better function in a Benelli.

Those shells did great on my waterfowl hunt – so much so that I used them for the rest of the season in a few different shotguns, including an old single shot, to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Out of everyone who used RIO shells, we had very few cripples, which means the shells were doing their job.

I love that I had multiple options for shot size. In addition to my preferred #4 steel shot for waterfowl hunting, RIO offers shot sizes for geese (BB steel shot), upland game like quail and pheasant (#5-9 lead shot), and deer (buckshot and slugs).

Shotshells loaded with steel shot generally kick harder than ones loaded with lead. Im my experience, RIO BlueSteel has similar recoil to other manufacturers' analogous loads. It wasn't low recoil, but it didn't kick so hard as to needlessly complicate my follow-up shots.

I didn't test any of RIO's target loads, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy a box for sporting clays. Their 12 Gauge hunting ammo has yet to let me down.

RIO also manufactures shotshells for 16-gauge, 20 Gauge, 28 Gauge, and 410 Bore shotguns. If you don't like firing 12 Gauge, RIO hasn't left you out.

What Is RIO Ammunition Best For?

RIO smmo is best for hunters and target shooters on a budget. I used a ton of this ammo while duck hunting back in college, as did my hunting buddies. It left us with plenty of money left over for ... books.

I make more money now than I did back then, but I still don't hestitate to snap up RIO ammo when I see it. It's a great value no matter your budget.

Disadvantages

I struggle to find any disadvantages to these shotshells. I don't remember one time they didn't fire when I pulled the trigger, nor do I recall any jams – and I've hunted A LOT with them.

However, during my research, I did find some complaints from Ammo.com's own dear customers. This seems as fitting a place to share them as any.

bogertw said:

"Took my new Benelli Nova Pump to the range, and the first four shells in a row (from 2 separate boxes) fired fine but jammed the fore-end, so I couldn't eject the shell without very forcefully yanking back. I assume the high brass casing expanded way more than it should have. I then tried four different brands, and each worked flawlessly. Put the Rio back in, and it jammed immediately. I ended up switching to an over-under gun, and they performed fine in that. So, they may work fine for you in a different type of gun, but I wouldn't recommend them for a Benelli pump."

Bascat said:

"I purchased the ammo for use in 3-gun matches. The ammo shoots well, considering the price; the drawback is the crimp. This ammo has a roll crimp instead of a normal crimp which makes it too long for the shoot shell carriers used in 3-gun and cuts down on the capacity that can be loaded in the shotgun tube."

Clearly, not everyone has had the same experience as I have with RIO shotshells. There are staggeringly more positive customer reviews for RIO ammo on our website, however, which leaves me feeling like I'm in the majority.

Pros and Cons

I've come up with the pros and cons of RIO shotgun shells.

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Cycles clean through multiple styles of shotguns
• Reloadable hulls
• Wide variety of shells available
• Dependable

Cons

• Reports of jams in a Benelli Nova Pump
• Roll crimp makes shells too long for some 3-gun carriers

Current RIO Shotshell Offerings

Here is a list of shells offered by RIO in the U/S.:

• RIO Ammo Game Load 12 Gauge, 16 Gauge, 20 Gauge, 28 Gauge, and 410 Bore
• RIO Royal Turkey Buffered Copper 12 Gauge

Shop Rio Royal Ammo
• RIO Royal Pheasant Copper 12 Gauge
• RIO AMMO Wing & Target 12 Gauge and 20 Gauge
• RIO Royal Buck 12 Gauge and 20 Gauge
• RIO Royal Slugs 12 Gauge and 20 Gauge
• RIO Vintage 1896 Paper Hulls 12 Gauge
• RIO Vinci 28 Sport Shooting 12 Gauge
• RIO Royal Pigeon CD & LD 12 Gauge
• RIO Star Team EVO Clay Shooting 12 Gauge and 12 Gauge low recoil
• RIO Star Team Training 12 Gauge
• RIO Top Target 20 Gauge and 28 Gauge
• RIO Target Load BlueSteel 12 Gauge
• RIO Top Target BlueSteel 20 Gauge
• RIO Royal ECO BlueSteel 12 Gauge
• RIO Game Load ECO BlueSteel 12 Gauge
• RIO Royal BlueSteel Super Magnum 12 Gauge
• RIO Royal BlueSteel Magnum 12 Gauge
• RIO Game Load BlueSteel 12 Gauge
• RIO Royal Magnum BlueSteel 20 Gauge
• RIO Game Load BlueSteel 20 Gauge

As you can see, RIO has plenty of offerings for all shotgunners – just one reason why it's one of the leading shotshell manufacturers in the world.

Our Testing Procedure

While my testing procedure wasn't scientific, it was practical.

I'm tough on my duck hunting gear, running it through the muck and still expecting it to perform flawlessly in freezing temperatures around water. When I pull the trigger, I want the primer to ignite the powder and go bang.

As a waterfowl hunter, I don't want to see the bird suffer more than is needed, so I want quick ethical kills. Getting too many cripples means the pellets aren't penetrating enough. Not only does this put unneeded stress on the bird, but it also means you're spending more on ammo because you have to use two to three shells to harvest a single bird.

When I purchase shells for multiple hunting seasons, that means something. I've been disappointed with some of the big brand favorites too many times, and refuse to waste my money on those overpriced shotshells.

Ballistics of Rio Shotgun Shells

Ballistics of RIO shotshells depend on several factors, including the shotgun you're firing, barrel length, shot size, shell length, and muzzle velocity. With that in mind, we've rounded up some general ballistics from the manufacturer for each gauge offered.

The following ballistics are from the RIO Game Loads line.

RIO's waterfowl shells, such as Royal BlueSteel Super Magnum, offer high velocity (1,550 fps) for the fast-flying birds I love to chase. You can buy these shotshells that are plenty fast for any game without quickly draining your bank account.

Parting Shots

Now that you've finished reading this RIO shotgun shells review, you understand why I'm such a big supporter of RIO. Whether you're shooting skeet or hunting, this ammo performs to the highest standards.

Don't wait to order a box or two of RIO shotshells today from Ammo.com!

If I haven't convinced you, check out our RIO Royal ammo review by a different writer.

Frequently Asked Questions

I've taken the liberty of rounding up and answering some of the most commonly asked questions about RIO shotgun shells.

Are the Rio shells worth buying?

Yes, RIO shells are worth buying. They are dependable and affordable.

What is the range of Rio shells?

The range of RIO shells is the same as most other shotgun shells. It depends on the load, but I've seen shots out to 60 yards on waterfowl with RIO shells. I personally don't like pushing it much past 40 yards.