Light 3/4 oz Loads for Vintage Parkers

[Kensal Rise]

Friends:

I just shot a round of sporting with Claybuster's new 3/4 oz wads and 3/4 oz. loads for 12 bore. All I can say is that I will hardly ever load a 7/8 oz. "magnum" cartridge again! Even with IC choke I easily broke targets to 40 yards and more. When I did things right.

The best part is I get a "free" shot charge every seven rounds, less recoil, less strain on the gun, less weight to deal with in the cartridge bag -- and more FUN.

It's like shooting an improved 28-bore. I'm hooked. Thanks Claybuster!

The only concern is that the cup volume is reduced via a small moulded-in pillar in the bottom of the cup floor, about 1/16 inch high. It takes a little getting used to at the wad insert station. But once that's past, no issues.
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Best, Kensal

[Ed Blake]

What powder did you use Kensal? I've been meaning to try those wads.

[Kensal Rise]

Ed:
Good old Clays or Clay Dot, either one. On this test, I used Clay Dot. And 16.1 grs per the MEC bushing. A few tenths either way won't matter much if you use other means.

Best, Kensal

[John Hancock]

Cyril Adams left a couple of boxes of 3/4 oz #7 shot with one of my shooting friends, after having been here to shoot doves. I shot all but one of them and they were really good on doves. Cut one open and don't know what powder was used but the wad was Balistic Products mfg. Cyril had them loaded in England was all I found out about them. I think part of the reason they "killed" so well was the #7 shot. Shot them out of .018" and .023" chokes and they would kill at distance. Very soft in recoil. Regards, JH

[Ed Blake]

Theres a link to an article on the other board regarding the benefits of the 3/4 oz 12 gauge load. Shorter shot strings or something, but the economic benefits are great. More than two flats of shells out of a 25 lb bag of shot.

[Kensal Rise]

Ed:
At today's prices for shot, that's a significant factor. But when I load more 3/4 oz ammo, I'm going to try 8.5 shot (or no. 9?) instead of 8. A few more pellets may help pattern density for the same charge weight. But it's probably all in my mind anyway. Targets break well with No. 8.
BTW... all my cartridges were loaded in 2 3/4 AA hulls... and shot in 2 1/2 inch chambers.

Best, Kensal

[J. A. EARLY]

I'm hooked on the 8.5 for early season doves and reduced weight target loads. Kills easily and fills the pattern completely.

[Double Lab]

Kensal,
Welcome to the world of low recoil, low pressure 3/4-7/8oz. loads. I will make you a bet that in 5 yrs. you will still be shooting those loads and wondering why you ever thought you needed 1 1/8oz. loads. I've loaded shot sizes from 7 1/2-9 and they all work adequately but for my money I load all 7 1/2 and shoot them in both tightly choked guns and open choked guns. 7 1/2's are good for 25yd. targets and the 40yd. targets. They just retain more energy and where a #8 or 9 will "dust" a target, 1 or 2 -7 1/2's will generally be enough to break it. Just my opinion.

[Paul Harm]

Last week I recieved a free sample from ClayBusters of their 3/4oz wads. 24 at skeet and 20 at 5-stand - about as good as I normally shoot. When my 7/8oz wads are used up my next order will be 5000 of the 3/4oz wads. Because of the shorter shot column height there's less deformation of the bottom layers of shot [ less weight pushing backwards ] . This means almost all the shot flying straight instead of a lot of flyers. You'll find you'll need less choke. I've been shooting the 24gm load [ little less than 7/8oz ] for about a year and found even a skeet choke will break clay birds out to about 35yds. I would think the 3/4oz load would still have a nice pattern out a bit futher. Paul

[Kensal Rise]

Double Lab & Others:
I did a bit more testing with the new Claybuster 3/4 oz. wads and Alliant's new Extra Lite powder today. Result: I've found my new all-time favourite clays load:

3/4 oz. of No. 8, Claybuster wad, 14 grs. of Extra Lite and Fiocchi 209 primer in AA 2 3/4 inch case.

(if you try this, scale your powder charge to be sure. MEC bushing No. 27 does it for me)

Try this on any clays target at any common range and you'll never shoot the shoulder busters again. For me, that includes my current huge supply of 7/8 oz. loads.

BTW ... I've shot the above 3/4 oz load in 2 1/2 and 2 3/4 inch chambers. No noticeable difference in any respect.

Hope this helps some of you keep the old doubles shooting without issue.

Best, Kensal