I buy Cheddites here in MN for 105.00 a brick. They indeed are softer than Federal or Winchester. I am not so sure about their performance when shooting from the 25-27 yard markers in trapshooting. For those yardages I am with Fed 209A.

Your 40 yard patterns show an increase in the percentage of pellets inside a 30" circle by going to the Fed 209A in the same load? Or are they going faster through your chrono? If so on either how much of difference is it?

very interesting.... charlie

There are more pellets in the 30" circle with the Fed 209A than with the Cheds. But then, I am shooting 1 ounce with the cheddites and 1 1/8 ounce with the Fed 209A. So there really isn't a true test of side by side loads. I loaded the 1 ounce trap loads in what I thought was a thorough test and came to the conclusion that the 1 ounce load was costing me 5-6 targets in 100 simply because they didn't hit the target hard enough using Cheds and Green Dot.

Shooting the Feds under 700X in the 1 1/8 ounce load there is a marked difference in speed to the target at the further distances. Up close the 1-2 targets per 25 I was giving up vanished with the Feds and 1 1/8 ounce loads. I generally feel that spending a lot of time with chronos, charts and whatever is a waste of time. The name of the game is breaking clays. When they break they count. When they merely leave some dust behind, that is a lost bird. The advantage of the 1 ounce load is the lighter recoil and cost savings in lead and powder. JF

what chokes are you using with these loads ..... charlie

Charlie - I am using a Mod choked 12 gauge for the 1 ounce loads at 16 yards and for the 1 1/8 ounce load, too. For the yardage 1 1/8 ounce loads, depending on the wind, it is either IM or LF. Since I make my own shot the cost differential for 1 ounce vs. 1 1/8 ounce loads is immaterial. The hotter Fed 209A shot velocity contributes to whacking the clay target harder and making chips or soot the result.

john i would like to hear how you make the shot if possible.....thanks for the choke info... charlie

Charlie - PM to me your e mail address. I can explain the shotmaking process better if I can send photos of the shotmaker with the chat. My e mail is; jfarrell@lakedalelink.net. I don't want to learn still another method of posting photos on the Parker site. I barely know how to post photos on email. JF

What's the difference between IM and LF ? It used to be LM was .025 and full .030. But now with all these full chokes - turkey and so forth they probably have .030 to .050. So is the LF now .030 and Full something tighter? Paul

I shoot a Kolar trap gun. It weighs 11.5 lbs with a 34" unsingle barrel. Their chokes are;
LM .015 - M .020 - IM .025 - LF .030 - F .035