[QUOTE=Bruce Day;32378]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean Romig
........ We all generally try to keep the pressures down by buying ammo that is made for older guns........quote]
Gee, I didn't know that was what we all generally do. Last weekend on Kansas pheasants that were getting up long, CH shot the Rem Express Long Range 1/4oz at 1330fps for his 12ga Titanic barreled DHE and I was shooting Rem Express Long Range 1 1/8oz at 1295 through a PHE 16ga fluid steel. I also used a CHE 16ga Bernard damascus and was shooting Fed 1 oz out of the box loads. I lent a CHE 12ga with fluid steel barrels to another fellow and he was shooting out of the box Fed 1 1/8oz loads. Years ago Art Wheaton got a pallet of free pheasant loads from Remington for us to use in our Parkers and I ended up with a case of 12 ga Express Long Range and a case of 16 ga Express Long Range. I've been using those for the past 7-8 years now for long range birds. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to use those shells.
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It is personal choice whether one uses light/moderate loads or heavy/stout loads. Without seeing "the" gun in question I think it is always good advice to recommend use of a light/moderate load. I have run plenty of heavy loads through fluid steel Parkers built before the '20's. I didn't hurt them as they are solid guns with tight stocks. However, after I started reloading light/moderate loads, especially the 7/8 ounce 12ga and 3/4 ounce 20ga I found I was giving up very little in observable performance on clays but lost a lot of recoil. Another bonus is that the cost of lead shot makes up 45-55% of the cost of each reload, lighter loads stretch your dollar too.
About the only time I shoot a heavy load is for waterfowling, however I recently stepped up to a 10lb NH 10 bore. I have found that gun with 1 1/4 ounce load will fold a duck or goose like a cheap suitcase if I do my part.
Light/moderate loads, gentle on your gun, gentle on your shoulder and gentle on your wallet. Like Mikey said in the old comercial, "try 'em, you'll like them"
