Light load advice
 

Loading 7/8 oz for my well stocked VH 12. Straight out of the Hodgdon manual 17.8 (my Mec is throwing 17.7) Titewad @ 8,600 psi 1250 fps. Works well on Clay targets.

Have my eye on a older Damascus Parker though. Hodgdon has a 3/4 oz load, 15.3 of Titewad. Manual says 6,700 psi 1150 fps.

Think it's a good idea to go to the lighter 3/4 oz load for Damascus guns ? This one could afford to give up a little performance on clays. What do you guys usually run in the older Parker's.

Bill

I've been using that exact 3/4oz load for a while now and found that I've given nothing up in performance compared to the 7/8oz load. What with the cost of lead lately it's a win/win situation. You will love it and so will your Parker.

For what it is worth, I've been shooting thousands of 3/4 oz loads for years now. And I would NEVER go back to 7/8! As noted, you give up nothing and gain much. My Damascus guns love them... and so does my shoulder!

Thanks all

Think I will keep my eye open for 3/4 oz charge bar and lighter powder bushing. If
Going 3/4 for one might as well load 3/4 for all. Save complication.

Bill

bill you will save money and will love those 3/4 ounce loads but those old damascus barrels will take heavier load every once in a while and keep up smiling...charlie

Bill;
If you are using a MEC, buy an adjustable charge bar. No more bushings and bars to fool with and you can dial in exactly what you want with accurate repetition from load to load.

Yes to all above - especially the ACB. I have them for my 600 and 9000H. They're just great. All I shoot is 3/4oz for SC's, 5-stand and skeet or trap. You won't notice a difference.

Define light. I have had excellent results with a 1 1/16 oz Bismuth 12 ga load (notox reqd on public lands in Iowa) on wild roosters. Go below an ounce and you are going to cripple a LOT of birds I don't care how good a shot you think you are. I haven't lost a bird yet- more attribute to the quality of the dogs than my shooting. I have used this load in both fluid and Damascus barreled Parkers. I too like the 7/8 and 3/4 oz loads on clay targets but won't go that route on something that lives.

Jeff, that's fine. If you like what you're shooting then keep on doing it. I believe most of the guys are talking about target shooting - clay birds. An 1 1/16oz load for hunting in a 12ga would also be a light load in my opinion. But it also sounds like a damn fine load. Glad to hear you're not losing any birds.

I share your sentiments on clay targets. When I miss w/ a 3/4 or 7/8 oz load, I wouldn't have chipped it with a normal trap or skeet load. It is just wild (not preserve) birds that I believe require an ounce at a minimum.

Just backed my 7/8 oz 12 g load off to 16.4 of Tite Wad. Shoots well now I need to chronograph it.

Bill

William,

I would also buy a digital food scale (about $10) and check the amount of shot you are dropping, just as you weigh your powder charge. You will probably find it is not dropping 7/8 ounce, probably less is what I have found. And the fixed charge bars drop different amounts of shot depending upon the size shot you are using.

That is why to me the adjustable charge bar is worth every penny you pay for it. They also sell one that comes with a powder baffle, which makes the powder charges more consistent. Just my 2 cents.

I load a 24gram load with PB in STS hulls that is, if I remember correctly, 1150fps @ 4200psi that is really easy on the shoulder and seems work fine on clays. My light damascus GHE12 loves them. They don't burn well in the cold though...... my barrels look like I've been burning BP when I shoot them in the cold, say below 10degF.

I have weighed my shot, mec bar throws a bit light. You can use your powder scale to weigh shot. 7000 grs to the pound. 1/8 oz is about 55 grs

Boats

The new electronic scales will weigh shot or powder charges - only around 30-40$. I got sooo tired of moving the weights on a balance beam scale, having to weigh 1/2 a charge of shot then the rest because mine wouldn't weigh a full charge.

paul i use one of them old ajustable shot dippers for lead i think it adjusts fom 1 1/8 ounce to 2 1/2..then for the light loads use them pre ajusted shot dippers 7/8 ounce and 3/4.. i too did not like weighing the lead on the ajustable scales.. charlie

The main reason I bought one of the $10 electronic food scales was to weigh guns. Works perfectly. Being able to weigh my handloaded buckshot charges as well as testing my adjustable charge bar shot charge weights was a bonus.

Have a old postal scale that weighs up to about 25 lbs. Not real precise but very useful in the shop. Most components I have listed in a notebook with # per pound. Tare weight marked on the bottom of a couple of Aluminum cake pans. Saves a lot of counting and guessing, how many loads are left in that bag of shot or can of powder ?

Single charge of powder bullets and shot use a very old Lyman beam scale that I check with a Lyman weight set, bought it used over 30 years ago. Check everything when setting up don't weigh all loads. Slow but don't use if for long runs. It's precise never needs a new battery and you can get them off Ebay cheap. Main thing is to get one of the check weight sets make sure what you read is what it is.

Bill

I have a nice Lyman trigger scale that weighs up around 15lbs. Can also be used for weighing guns.