Low pressure shells

[Double Lab]

I'm with Milt on this one as I don't really worry so much about pressures as long as they are below my own personal thresholds. But I load for every gauge I shoot because I feel my ammo is as good if not better than any off the shelf fodder. I also can't find the loads I want when I want them, so I go down to the loading chamber and crank 'em out by the 100's.

The commercial ammo manufacturers (except RST and other boutique loaders) have never been clued in on the pressure thing because they don't have to as long as they stay within the SAAMI limits for each gauge. Our guns fall into that boutique category. The rest of the shotgun world does'nt give a hoot about pressure or recoil and how it affects their modern guns. In reality it does'nt matter to them as long as it goes boom and the target or bird is hit. Gary is correct in that velocities and pressures in factory ammo will vary from lot to lot by virtue of differences in powder density, interior hull dimensions, wad composition and primer brisance, just to name a few.

The bottom line is it's your gun buy what you like and shoot, shoot, shoot. It's all good. If you worry about pressure and recoil, and you should if you are shooting a gun made more than 50 years ago, either you buy the boutique ammo or load your own. It's not rocket science and there is a tremendous satisfaction of bagging your limit or shooting a good score on the clays field with your own ammo.

Oh, by the way just to reiterate, pressure and recoil are not related. I don't care if you are shooting a Benelli 3 1/2 super jam-o-matic or a H&H Royal but they do matter and if you would stay on the low end of both, you and your gun will be better off. Don't get me started on 1400fps. or 2oz. turkey loads.

Nice photo Uncle Gringo Milty. I'm sure you were'nt hammering one of your Smiths with that South American ammo.

Mark... Where did you dig up that photo?

[TxHuntermn]

Milt and his lovely bride, and me and my family ended up at the same lodge in Argentina September of 2015. Milt and I bored everyone at the lodge into a stupor with our incessant discussion about double shotguns. The fact we both enjoyed Wine, Whiskey and good cigars cemented our conviviality!

Here are a couple photos. One is me receiving my 2,500 birds in one day shirt!

[Double Lab]

Now that's another " It's a small world" thing is'nt it? You are a better man than I Mark as I love to pull the trigger but 2500 birds in one day is a bit much for me.

I guess you could say "2500 birds and all I get is this stinking T-shirt"?
Nice shooting.

[TxHuntermn]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

Now that's another " It's a small world" thing is'nt it? You are a better man than I Mark as I love to pull the trigger but 2500 birds in one day is a bit much for me.

I guess you could say "2500 birds and all I get is this stinking T-shirt"?
Nice shooting.

EXACTLY!!

At right about 40 cents every time the gun goes bang, they can afford a few ballcaps and t-shirts....I actually shot about 2900 that day, but cramping in my left bicep stopped me there. A good friend and shooting buddy shot 3225 a month or so before, and I had my eye on that number, but i just couldnt raise the gun another time that day. That was my last full day, the last morning I switched to an O/U 28 bore, and shot 261/300 mostly one handed!

[Double Lab]

OUCH! I'm all happy when I kill 15 dove in an hour or so so I can imagine what you arm(s) felt like after that marathon event.

[Milt Fitterman]

I remember Mark very well however I cannot remember a name. It is not because I am getting older. I was like that when I was 20. Credit to his memory and we did not care if we were boring the rest.

You can be sure I was shooting their guns which included a Benelli Montefeltro's and a pair of Beretta O/U owned by the owner's daughter. They brought them out when one of the Benellis broke and we lost some time. Probably after a million rounds and it looked the part.

Although we enjoyed each other, I never expected to run into Mark again. It is a small world and the pics sure brightened a really dreary day here in NJ. We were supposed to shoot clays today but the thunderstorms convinced us otherwis.

Mark forgot to tell you that at the end of the day professional massueses, trained in physical therapy were available to keep the shooters limber for the next day. They were beyond excellent.

The H & H lodges, booked by TREK travel were set up for a King. The lodge was luxurious and the service was beyond that. Coffee to your room at 7AM. End of the day coming back in the van were three waiters serving hot towels, the drink of the day and oeuvre d'oeuvres.

It was nice to live like that for three days!