12 gauge light loads

[Tracy Pellett]

I’m starting to load for 12 gauge shells . What powder do you recommend for light loads . Most of the loads I’m looking at are 9000 psi or higher . Also it looks like Longshot is a good powder for 16 gauge . Thanks for any suggestions. Tracy

[Bill Jolliff]

I’m starting to load for 12 gauge shells . What powder do you recommend for light loads . Most of the loads I’m looking at are 9000 psi or higher . Also it looks like Longshot is a good powder for 16 gauge . Thanks for any suggestions. Tracy

Tracy,

If you want to go light, I've been using Alliant Extra Light (14.0 grains) to load 12 gauge with 1/2 ounce of lead shot.

I use 3/4 ounce Clay Buster pink wads, CB0175-12, (for a tapered hull, ie Remington STS, etc.) with a 20 gauge nitro card (0.620"dia by 0.135" thick) in the bottom of the wad. I get that nitro card from Craig Smith of Circle Fly wads.

I had Tom Armbrust test them about 9 years ago. Pressure around 5500 psi with speed around 1350 feet/second.

If you're looking for 3/4 ounce, there are published loads for that. Claybuster has recipes for 3/4 ounce on the back of the label that comes with their 3/4 ounce wads.

Send me a PM if you would like more details. I should add that there is no recoil with those 1/2 ounce loads. :)

Bill

[Dave Noreen]

I don't go to Jolly's extreme, but I've shot tens of thousands of 12-gauge STS handloaded with Remington 209P primer, 16.4 Grains of Clays, Remington TGT12S wad and 7/8-ounce of shot. The loading manuals state 1200 fps and 6300 psi.

[Randy Zimmer]

right off Alliant's web site back in 3/2000.
There are 3 wad combinations with the other components being the same:
Federal Paper Target hull, 7/8 oz. shot, Fed. 209 primer, 17.5 gr. RedDot, 1,200 FPS...
1. Win. WAA12F1 wad @ 4,800 PS| **(l use the Claybuster 1100-12 wad)
2. Rem. PT12 wad @ 5,000 PSI
3. Fed. 12SO wad @ 5,700 PSI

As I understand it, and someone correct me if I am mistaken, the federal gold paper hulls and the federal gold plastic hulls Use the same components.

[Daryl Corona]

right off Alliant's web site back in 3/2000.
There are 3 wad combinations with the other components being the same:
Federal Paper Target hull, 7/8 oz. shot, Fed. 209 primer, 17.5 gr. RedDot, 1,200 FPS...
1. Win. WAA12F1 wad @ 4,800 PS| **(l use the Claybuster 1100-12 wad)
2. Rem. PT12 wad @ 5,000 PSI
3. Fed. 12SO wad @ 5,700 PSI

As I understand it, and someone correct me if I am mistaken, the federal gold paper hulls and the federal gold plastic hulls Use the same components.

Yes, both the Federal plastic and paper are straight wall hulls. They would use the Federal wad or the Claybuster clone designed for straight wall hulls. The Win and Rem wads you have listed are designed for tapered or compression formed hulls.

If you looking for a really pleasant and extremely efficient load try the 3/4 oz load in either a Win or Rem compression formed hull (not the newer Win HS hull) using the CB 1075-12 wad and a powder such as Extra Lite, Tite Wad or Clays if you could find it. Don't obsess over it only being 3/4 oz. It will do the same job as the 7/8 oz load only way less recoil, decent pressure and economical use of your expensive lead. Bill's load of 1/2 oz. is also a great option but requires the use of the card to fill the wad.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

AA Lite makes great 3/4 and 7/8 oz loads using the Claybuster wads, around 1150 fps and low pressure, good loads for those old hammer guns. I dont know if that powder is still in production. I stumbled into 4 1 lb bottles at a local gunshop going out of business a few yrs ago.

[Mike Koneski]

I have my Spolar set up to load my practice shells. 2 3/4” 12g, 7/8 oz DRXXL-7/8 wads over 16g Clays. You can substitute Clay Dot. 1160 FPS. Very nice load.

Hulls are AA, Gun Club, STS and Nitro 27. I occasionally use Fiocchi too but I have a gazillion of the other hulls.

[Andrew Sacco]

This is what I have listed as my "Light Skeet" load but it just works awesome for any clays except Bunker Trap

Nitro or similar hull
Cheddite 209
Claybuster 1075-12
3/4oz #8 or 9 magnum shot
14.5g Extra Lite

I do NOT have pressure or velocity as it's yet to be sent off to Precision for testing, but I was given this by someone on this forum who had used it in his damascus barrels for years and I have used it in them as well. I will post back when I get it done.

[Tracy Pellett]

I plan on using Winchester AA hulls and Winchester 209 primers . Thanks for y’all’s replies.

[Daniel Carter]

Andy, I have been using that load fo skeet with 15 gr. for a while and like it a lot. From the talk on some websites the Cheddite could add to the pressure. I am going to drop the charge half a grain just cause i am a cheapskate. The cost of Extra-lite has gone crazy. A young lady i shoot skeet with is a R.N and her co-workers questioned her about the bruise on her cheek she had from factory shells and she tried mine and turned to her dad and said'' daddy you are going to make me some of these''. We all try to at least equal her score.

[Andrew Sacco]

Daniel it's a great load at 14.5. And it absolutely smacks the birds and people don't believe me it's 3/4 ounce. I love it, but yes, the powder is an issue now.

[Daryl Corona]

I have been shooting that exact load Andy for a few years now. I still haven't found a target that it won't break on the clays course. It's all in your head that 3/4oz. is not enough.

In fact I've gone to 3/4oz. in the 20 and 16ga. too. Economical and pleasant to shoot. What's not to like? I know my shoulder and gun like it.

[Daniel Carter]

Andy i hand them the shell and they say there is nothing in it. Then i smoke the target. Made only one convert in all those years. If i had a dollar for each time i have heard " I need all the bb's i can get'' i wold be shooting anAAHE. i suggest to them a 10ga. 3 1/2 with cylinder choke is the answer to their prayers.

[Andrew Sacco]

I have a friend who shoots 1/2 ounce in 12g for skeet now and then, and they work. The only issue is the amount of work to get it to crimp well and the fillers...etc so he did it more out of curiosity but they feel like carrying a pocket full of 28g. Nice : )

[Tom Pellegrini]

Tracy, I av this load EVER since I Obtained my first {Parker. It is a light load, but still crushes clays. 17.5 grs. Clay dot, Clay buster 4100 wad, 7/8 0unce shot and Cheddite 209 Primer. Try it out you may like it.

[Frank Srebro]

This thread seems to be off on a tangent. The OP asked about light loads < 9000 psi and it seems most of the replies focused on lighter than standard payloads for the respective gauges, i.e., 1/2, 3/4 and 7/8 ounce in 12 gauge, etc. I understand that often means lower pressure but not necessarily so; it would be helpful if the replies stated the payload mass (weight) and pressure as tested or as shown in a published reference.

Also can anyone explain the ballistics ..... why it is that these lighter payloads are often quoted as target crushers, seemingly and enticingly more so than a heavier standard payload in that same shotgun/choke and with the same hold on the target?

[Daniel Carter]

In my patterning of 3/4 and 7/8 12 ga loads i have found the patterns to be very uniform and tighter than choke used. A cyl. choke will shoot as improved and so on. They do not ''crush '' the target better than a heavier load and i think most folks mean that they are suprised that the breaks are as good as the heavier load. They do seem to have a denser core than you would expect, possibly having to do with less deformation due to shorter shot column.
This, to me is all minutia and matters not if you miss. There is no advantage or disadvantage to using them on skeet range targets other than to tightwads like myself and those that are recoil sensitive.

[Frank Srebro]

Just some further comments, I use 7/8 ounce loads in 12-gauge for practice and I've shot > 15,000 of them since powder and lead shot got scarce and more expensive just a few years ago. But it's basically a 20-gauge payload and I don't kid myself that it will do what a 1 ounce or better yet a 1-1/8 ounce load will do in a given 12-gauge gun. That's for longer range clays and serious SxS event shooting. To use a saying from a late friend .... "when the gun goes bang those extra BB's [sic] have to go somewhere".

[scott kittredge]

dust ball or in half, still counts. i am a light load guy too. 3/4 oz in 20 ga and 3/4 oz in 12 ga skeet and 7/8ths oz 12 ga sporting clays and trap, and 1oz for crow hunting. my scores are not that good any way so i save shot and powder.

[Stephen Hodges]

Scott as we shoot together I can say that your scores are very good:)

[Daniel Carter]

Read somewhere that 3 pellets were needed to reliably break a clay target. After shooting skeet with snow on the ground go check the survivors and you will find a lot have 1 or 2 holes in them. 1 out of 25 will have more. So if the 3/4 puts 4 in it its going to break. The 1 1/8 puts 7 in it, can you tell the difference. Ya got to hit the d&&n thing first.
I have seen you shoot Scott!!!

[Andrew Sacco]

I saw one of Mike's birds come off of the hill on station 17 in very cold weather. I shot twice and it didn't break. WTH no way I missed it. It plopped down in the mud about 20' from me and didn't break. I a photo of it somewhere with about 3 pellet holes in it. Yeah, I imagine a number will not break that we think are a clean miss.

[Kevin McCormack]

Much has to do with the type and consistency of the target material. Many times after a bunker match we would wander out and pick up some supposedly missed targets for later use in hand or Lincoln-type traps for fun shooting with youngsters etc. Lots of times a target that looked untouched would have as many as 3 holes in it looking as though someone had drilled them out.

[Mike Koneski]

dust ball or in half, still counts. i am a light load guy too. 3/4 oz in 20 ga and 3/4 oz in 12 ga skeet and 7/8ths oz 12 ga sporting clays and trap, and 1oz for crow hunting. my scores are not that good any way so i save shot and powder.

A refreshing dose of honesty! Well said Scott.

[Mike Koneski]

I saw one of Mike's birds come off of the hill on station 17 in very cold weather. I shot twice and it didn't break. WTH no way I missed it. It plopped down in the mud about 20' from me and didn't break. I a photo of it somewhere with about 3 pellet holes in it. Yeah, I imagine a number will not break that we think are a clean miss.

Usually, 3 or more pellets will tear a bird apart. The scientific reason for 3 not taking a bird apart has to to with how fast the bird is spinning and where the pellets strike the bird. Those high and long incoming cliff birds, or any incomer, lose RPMs rapidly. Since they are showing a lot or all of the belly, you combine the lack of centrifugal force and the softest part of the target and you have a recipe for just punching holes in the target. I've found as many as 4 pellets through the belly. Never more than 4. So there you have it, your scientific clays lesson from Dr. Evil.

[Chris Robenalt]

Tracy, I don't have my CB 3/4 ounce wad chart handy, but I've used several recipes from it . I mainly load AA with Win 209 and use Red Dot. It's great for low psi.
Chris, AZ

[Don Strelioff]

This load is 11/8 oz
GM hull fed 12 S3 wad 22 gr 800x 1200fps 7600-7800psi
I use this load for upland sharp tails and pheasants
For ruffies 1 oz 20.5 gr 800 x
My go to bismuth load is 22 gr 800x 1 1/16 no 2 or no4 shot
This load kills very well out of my 1928 vhe 12 ga out to 60 yds on big canadas 42” constriction both bbl’s
I know some say 800x is not a good powder but I have been using it for many years works for me
These loads are taken from Lyman manuals except the bismuth i simply adapated the 11:8oz load to fit the 12 s3 wax