9 pellet load, and you will be unlikely to get ONE pellet on the target. You can fire all 5 rds in the gun, and never put ONE pellet in the 10" circle of the vitals, too. Sheesh,man, reacting, raising rifle, and hitting A zone is a 1.5 second exercise. shotgun takes nearly 4 seconds, 5 shots, and can't touch the guy. Wonderful combat arm, the shotgun. 