Damascus/Modern Shells

[Woodcock survey]

I wonder if in a blind test any of us could differentiate a 35 fps difference?

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Daniel Carter

I wonder if in a blind test any of us could differentiate a 35 fps difference?

I wonder if our guns could....





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[Harry Collins]

I, for the most part, shoot 1/8 oz light for gauge at 1150 fps +-.
10 gauge 1 1/8 oz
12 gauge 1 oz
16 gauge 7/8 oz
20 gauge 3/4 oz
It's easy on the gun and me. There are exceptions when I'm hunting waterfowl and only expect to shoot a few times.

[Dean Romig]

A Good practice Harry, and I'll bet the birds can't tell the difference.





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[Woodcock survey]

Harry I am with you, I have reloaded all my target, hunting shells since the 60's, including steel and bismuth. I have found that the light loads are more effective for me. 1 oz in a 10 is a great crow load, 7/8 in a 12 will do any target game except 27 yard trap. Only problem is nobody believes me !!

[Harry Collins]

Dean, you can't tell the difference in they way they kill birds or break clays. These dove were shot with 3/4 oz loads and I barely went over a box of shells for fifteen birds. I sometimes go 1/4 oz light for load with great results.

[I M Hunter]

I have shot damascus barrels of all kinds ,with a variety of ammo for over 30 years, and I have not had any issues ,other than Dead Game . The Double Gun Journal ,writer ,Sherman Bell conducted research on damascas and nitro steel barrels ,comparing the two types, upping the pressure, until they blew up. I am not recommending to anyone how or what to shoot ,Also the English have, continued using damascus barrels ,for over 130 years. By the way my preference
is for 2 1/2 inch shells ,1oz of shot in damascus or nitro steel.The game is just as dead as being shot with a magnum shell !


Thanks Larry

[Ken Hill]

I may have missed something reading through this thread. With any older gun, I would be more concerned with pressure. Pressure and recoil have two different effects on the gun. Pressure is generated from the shell loading and if the barrels are thin, then problems happen. Pressure is based on the powder type and grains; and shot charge. As Bruce mentioned, recoil is based on shot charge and velocity. Felt recoil can also vary based on the gun weight and fit.

As others mentioned, have the barrels checked for minimal wall thickness. Additionally, find out the pressure being produced by the shell.

Ken

[Bruce Day]

If a person uses reasonable shot and powder charges appropriate to the gauge, chamber pressure will be below or way below maximum service load pressure. Proof and service chamber pressures for Parkers are listed in TPS.

This would not include these ultra magnum loads which take advantage of the increase in proof pressure by SAAMI in the 1960s. No prairie storm black cloud artillery shells. And for 16’s , be wary of more than 1 oz at 2 3/4 Dre.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Ken Hill

I may have missed something reading through this thread. With any older gun, I would be more concerned with pressure. Pressure and recoil have two different effects on the gun. Pressure is generated from the shell loading and if the barrels are thin, then problems happen. Pressure is based on the powder type and grains; and shot charge. As Bruce mentioned, recoil is based on shot charge and velocity. Felt recoil can also vary based on the gun weight and fit.

As others mentioned, have the barrels checked for minimal wall thickness. Additionally, find out the pressure being produced by the shell.

Ken

I am absolutely not an expert, but I agree with Ken, and although I know that recoil is [I]related[I] to velocity of load and that load's mass, recoil and pressure are not one and the same. You can get standard loads for a 16 gauge (or any other gauge for that matter) to produce a variety of pressures and speeds by changing the components. You can make some adjustments to the [U]felt[U] recoil (not the same as recoil) by adding or subtracting gun weight, reconfiguring the degree of drop in the stock, etc.

I still can't see why we need to shoot high pressure and/or high speed loads in these guns we cherish so much.