Why is the 8 bore illegal for waterfowl/migratory game?

[Ray Masciarella]

Charlie

The wad is a problem but I think the biggest difference is the choke size of your gun. Remember my choke is super tight at .675. I think your gun was made to blast 'em at closer ranges.

Ray

[charlie cleveland]

ray you could be rite but ive read a lot on these old 8 s and some of them were 100 yard killers of geese and ducks...im working with some new wads hope to improve my patterns by the weekend...got to work in the garden the next few days.... charlie

[Ray Masciarella]

Charlie

I have read those stories too but don't believe them. Many a punt gun or other mini cannon but not a shot gun. Even if the shot could travel that far, it would spread out and not have the knock down power needed to kill geese in any number, if at all. I don't know much about shooting an 8 ga but they also don't seem to have very tight chokes. Most I've seen, and it not many, are in the modified choke area. No way they kill anything at 100 yds.

My turkey gun uses modern powder and wads. Has 2 7/16 oz of shot, as much as an 8 ga. Very tight choke. After 70 yds it is pretty much useless. I don't believe an 8 ga would ever do better merely because it's fatter!

The stories are folklore and your tests show that 8 ga should not be illegal for any hunting. The regulators are crazy. My turkey gun with three rounds is far more lethal then any 8 ga with two. We should start a movement so you can go hunt ducks with your!

Best, Ray

[charlie cleveland]

well ray ive been doing some more shooting...have not beat the 16 pellets with the 8 ga yet..tried my best browning pump gun wich is a 3 inch gun shot a no 6 lead 3 inch winchester supreme load at 70 steps at the same 8 1/2 inch paper plate only 16 pellets in it....got the ithaca 10 ga magnum out used a hevi shot load of 1 3/4 ounce of no 6 and it put 36 pellets in the paper plate at the same 70 steps. this old ithaca has a fixed full choke...found some of the shells you are using in 10 ga it should bring up the number count ...the payload in them was 2.4 ounce in no 4 5 6 and 7 size shot at 1350 fps.. and they like them shells too these things cost to much to shoot much... i shot several 3 inch and 3 1/2 inch 12ga just reguler loads at the 70 step target but results were very poor... ray what will your gun do with just a ordinary 3 1/2 inch shell say a no 6 2 ounce or 2 1/4 ounce shell...i know choke is important but i think the reason we get good results is because of these new shells.... charlie

[Ray Masciarella]

Charlie

In my gun the choke makes all the difference. I tested the following chokes: .660, .665, .670 and .675. All by different manufacturers. Then I tested them with different ammo. Using Hevi shot no 6 3 1/2" shell, I got 260-270 pellets in 10" at 40 yds. That was with Rhino .670 choke. My best combo is the Indian Creek .675 choke with the mega weight blend with 290-300.

Charlie, I just don't think you are going to be able to do much better with modified choke.
Just not tight enough. I don't think your gun was intended to go real long range.

Best, Ray

[Ray Masciarella]

Charlie

In my gun the choke makes all the difference. I tested the following chokes: .660, .665, .670 and .675. All by different manufacturers. Then I tested them with different ammo. Using Hevi shot no 6 3 1/2" shell, I got 260-270 pellets in 10" at 40 yds. That was with Rhino .670 choke. My best combo is the Indian Creek .675 choke with the mega weight blend with 290-300.

Charlie, I just don't think you are going to be able to do much better with modified choke.
Just not tight enough. I don't think your gun was intended to go real long range.

Best, Ray

[charlie cleveland]

ray could you shoot and pattern just a reguler 3 1/2 inch shell with just no 6 shot ....would be interesting to know the differance between the blended loads and just a reguler old shell...in my old 10 ga its the shell thats making a big differance..it put 36 pellets in the plate with a hevi shot shell versus only 12 to 16 on average with a regular shell... if your gun shoots the regular shells as well as it does the blended load or even close then its got to be the choke and not the shell making the differance...thanks .... charlie

[Ray Masciarella]

Charlie

I looked through my patterns shot this past spring. Using #6 copperas plated lead turkey load, it shot it the 230-250 range 40 yds/10" circle. I isn't shoot the lead at 70 sp I don't know what it would do at that distance. You want me to give it a try at 70 yds? If I had to guess it would be in the 40 pellet range. Hevi shot is always better then lead, and in my
gun Mega shot is always better than Hevi shot.

There is no doubt the tight choke makes a big difference. Remember my turkey choke is XXFull. But I have to tell you getting 36 pellets at 70 yds is pretty darn good for that old 8 ga. Sure would kill a turkey. I remember the days i thought getting 36 pellets at 40 yds was good! You better send it down here so I can give it a try next spring!

Best, Ray

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Ray,

What is "mega shot"?

Mark

[Ray Masciarella]

Mark

Hevi shot is made of tungsten, nickel and iron, and Mega shot is made of tungsten, bronze and iron. Mega is about 10-15% heavier and unlike, Hevi it is round-not chunks of metal. Mega shoots better out of my Brownings but Hevi shoots better out of my Benelli's. I was able to increase the effective range of my turkey gun this yr by about 10 yds by using Mega. Mega give me more even patterns too although the Hevi shot is very, very good. The difference in the quality of pattern wouldn't matter to most hunters.
The Hevi likes a tighter choke. I think because the Mega round has a lot of weight. 2 1/4 vs 2 7/16. But I think that extra weight has given me more down range effectiveness. Sadly, I don't know of any major ammo maker who uses Mega. But it will catch on over the next few years I think. It costs slightly more than Hevi but I think worth it. Also wont scratch your barrel as bad as Hevi.

Best, Ray