Sporting Clays

[Double Lab]

I've experienced the same thing Paul. 1 1/8oz>1>7/8>3/4oz. Scores did'nt change and I'm having a blast shooting some 12ga. guns that just got neglected because I did'nt like the recoil even with 7/8oz. loads. I've also patterned my 3/4oz. load on paper and found that whether it's full choke (.030+) or skeet (.005) the patterns are uniform with no flyers. I load nothing but Lawrance Magnum shot, 6% or higher antimony. Just to illustrate the point, a few years back, they mandated the 24gram load for international bunker. That's about 1/16oz lighter than a 7/8oz. load. That is an extremely difficult game at best. They discovered that their scores actually went up, not down, due to the lack of recoil and the quick recovery for a second shot which can sometimes be at 45yds.+. Last night at our weekly Thurs. night shoot, we shot skeet, all doubles and you have to shoot them in reverse (ie: station 1- low house first and then high house.) Gives a new meaning to Sk in/ Sk out. I was using a grade2, 1frame, 32" fishtail hammer with .036 and .039 chokes. Everyone wanted to shoot it and to a man they all said " That gun really likes that load you're shooting". I don't know about the gun but I know I do. What's not to like; no recoil and low pressure. Bottom line is I think people worry way too much about chokes. The goal is to center the target and that center does'nt change size. I just happen to love shooting tight chokes and vaporizing targets. Great feedback to the old onboard computer between my ears that I do'nt get with more open chokes. But that's just me.