Low pressure shells

[Den]

I emailed Cheddite and they responded relating to Herters Low Recoil

Dear Sir,



12gauge Low Recoil 1oz. has velocity 1,060 FPS (recorded at 1 meter from the barrel) and 8195 PSI as pressure.

Instead 16gauge we don’t have any low recoil and any shotshell in 7/8 oz ,but only Dove and Quail 1 oz. , If you refer to this , the velocity is 1,165 FPS (recorded at 1 meter from the barrel) and 8775 PSI as pressure.

[C.O.B.]

B&P marketed a low pressure 12ga called Sub Sound at 110 FPS but it's no longer imported. There is an Italian company called Clever that makes some nice shooting shells. The have a 3/4oz 20 at IIRC 1100 FPS but I don't know what the pressure is and haven't been able to find out. I suppose I'll have to send them out to be tested. I know I can't tell the difference between them and my reloads but that's not a valid comparison.

[Milt Fitterman]

How do you resolve Target Low Recoil 1 oz. 1060 9,200 (tested) with
factory info: 1,060 FPS (recorded at 1 meter from the barrel) and 8195 PSI as pressure?

[Den]

Originally Posted by Milt Fitterman

How do you resolve Target Low Recoil 1 oz. 1060 9,200 (tested) with
factory info: 1,060 FPS (recorded at 1 meter from the barrel) and 8195 PSI as pressure?

Typo? 8195 could be considered 8200 and typed as 9200. That's only a guess on my part. Personally I will follow reported factory specs.

[Gary Laudermilch]

Shotshell manufacturers are pretty stingy with their pressure specs although I have not tried to get any data from them recently. I am not sure it would mean much anyhow as their ooadings change as much as a woman changes shoes. Their specs can and does at least occasionally change from lot to lot. Twenty years ago we did a bunch of testing on factory loads after noticing patterning differences. We tested randomly over the course of a year and found pressure differences in the same advertised loading, i.e AA, STS etc., could vary by as much as 1400 psi. However, their reported velocities remained pretty constant. I would be very surprised if that were not the case today.

[Milt Fitterman]

It leaves me in a quandary. I am sure I am not the only one. 8200 works in most of my old guns but 9200 is too much for some in my opinion. At 8200 I would use Herter's 12g. LP and not bother reloading except for the few. I have a few guns that I keep below 7000psi. I now load for 10, 16, 28 and .410 to get the loads I want or to save expenses.

[TxHuntermn]

Originally Posted by Milt Fitterman

It leaves me in a quandary. I am sure I am not the only one. 8200 works in most of my old guns but 9200 is too much for some in my opinion. At 8200 I would use Herter's 12g. LP and not bother reloading except for the few. I have a few guns that I keep below 7000psi. I now load for 10, 16, 28 and .410 to get the loads I want or to save expenses.

Milt,

What do you suppose the pressures on that smokey argentinian ammo was?

[Gary Laudermilch]

Maybe, the old sxs community is hyping the need for low pressure just a bit too much. Especially since many cite the need to protect old wood. See Bruce Day's comments in past threads regarding the need for low pressure.

[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by Gary Laudermilch

Maybe, the old sxs community is hyping the need for low pressure just a bit too much. Especially since many cite the need to protect old wood. See Bruce Day's comments in past threads regarding the need for low pressure.

Gary, I have seen Bruce's comments on shells and I don't agree with them, as in the past twenty years I have seen in person two butt stocks cracked by "promo" loads, your mileage may vary, but to me that's a stupid way to save a buck or two............

[Double Lab]

I'm with Milt on this one as I don't really worry so much about pressures as long as they are below my own personal thresholds. But I load for every gauge I shoot because I feel my ammo is as good if not better than any off the shelf fodder. I also can't find the loads I want when I want them, so I go down to the loading chamber and crank 'em out by the 100's.

The commercial ammo manufacturers (except RST and other boutique loaders) have never been clued in on the pressure thing because they don't have to as long as they stay within the SAAMI limits for each gauge. Our guns fall into that boutique category. The rest of the shotgun world does'nt give a hoot about pressure or recoil and how it affects their modern guns. In reality it does'nt matter to them as long as it goes boom and the target or bird is hit. Gary is correct in that velocities and pressures in factory ammo will vary from lot to lot by virtue of differences in powder density, interior hull dimensions, wad composition and primer brisance, just to name a few.

The bottom line is it's your gun buy what you like and shoot, shoot, shoot. It's all good. If you worry about pressure and recoil, and you should if you are shooting a gun made more than 50 years ago, either you buy the boutique ammo or load your own. It's not rocket science and there is a tremendous satisfaction of bagging your limit or shooting a good score on the clays field with your own ammo.

Oh, by the way just to reiterate, pressure and recoil are not related. I don't care if you are shooting a Benelli 3 1/2 super jam-o-matic or a H&H Royal but they do matter and if you would stay on the low end of both, you and your gun will be better off. Don't get me started on 1400fps. or 2oz. turkey loads.

Nice photo Uncle Gringo Milty. I'm sure you were'nt hammering one of your Smiths with that South American ammo.

Mark... Where did you dig up that photo?