RST shortage, and other 2-1/2" shell sources?

[Quigley97]

Last Fall I was on Ammo Seek and found Fiocchi super target 12 ga for $49.99 a flat. I figured at that price I would order enough for the two other gentlemen that I shoot with. I ordered 12 flats and when I went to the shipping phase I was shocked to say the least. The shipping was $395.00. I thought that the vender's web site had a glitch so I waited until the next morning and called. The vender was Red River Outfitters. When I conveyed what I had experienced all the man I was talking to said was, "that's the way things are nowadays. They were making up the extra cost of the ammo with an astronomical amount of shipping. Needless to say no order was placed.

[John Allen]

They were probably quoting you their actual cost. Ammo cost a lot because of the weight and special handling. I shipped a flat of 20 gauge shells from Tennessee to Texas and the cost was $39. $395 for 12 flats is high,but probably what they had to pay.

[Mike Poindexter]

So the burn rate and pressure curve of one specific powder could create a different recoil moment or "feel" than another with the same muzzle velocity at the end of the barrels? I.e. some shells with identical printed charge weights and velocities could feel different when fired.

[Aaron Beck]

Powder companies make marketing claims about felt recoil but that doesnt change the physics. Those peters paper shells have a wad which is supposed to absorb some of the initial acceleration. Some will maintain these claims are true while others probably dont notice.

[Cold Spring]

Just my take on things, but if I had a vintage American double gun (Parker, Fox, Lefever, LC Smith, Ithaca) made after smokeless powders came into common use and felt the need to limit it to < 6500 psi for fear of blowing up a barrel and injuring myself or someone else, I'd toss the barrels into my neighbor's swamp and part out the gun. If the barrels were that weak I wouldn't ever sell the gun intact or have it passed on and set someone else up for a blow up and serious injury or worse. I’m talking here about pressure, not recoil; they’re not directly related and are so often confused and some even use the terms interchangeably. Again this is just what I’d do in that situation.

[Mike Poindexter]

Just ordered two flats of B&P Comp I Target 12's, 2 3/4" 7/8 oz 7 1/2 at 1160 fps. $199.80 shipped. Two flat limit. AbleAmmo
www.ableammo.com

[William Davis]

100 dollars a flat is what one of my favorite Sporting Clays courses charges for B&P Comp One. He only stocks 1 oz no 7/8. Only sells to shooters, walk in don’t shoot won’t sell. He has AA 110 dollars Fiocchi 90. Plenty of shells on hand.

That B&P 7/8 oz was my first choice when stating with SxS guns, it’s a great load. 100 per flat = 10 dollars a box. My reloads that duplicate the B&P with 80 dollar per thousand primers 50 dollars x 25 lbs shot. Wads and powder on hand at pre shortage cost box cost 7.50 . Figure scalper powder prices add another dollar.

Looks like it’s what we need to expect going forward.

William

[Stan Hillis]

I have tried to use CompOnes for years because of their proven low pressures. I have given up in every gun except for my external hammer guns. I've tried them in a Perazzi, a BSS, numerous AH Foxes, and several others. All of them are prone to a very high rate of misfires due to light primer hits. My hammer guns will detonate them 100% of the time, so I've relegated the rest of the two flats I bought to those guns.

I'd be interested in hearing of others' incidences of failure to fire with them. Mike K. once told me that he had also seen several instances of it at his range. I'd love to be able to use them in more of my guns, but they just seat too deeply in the chambers for reliable ignition.

[William Davis]

Stan I have never had a fail to fire with Comp 1 shells in Parker’s . To be honest though have not used over a couple flats in one Parker a tight VH. Liking the shell went to reloaded duplicate ballistics with AA hulls.

I have used many Italian shells in modern guns, if they are available buy to conserve scarce components. Weak point on all is the rim. Good example I owned a Remington 31 16 G pump. Used Cheddites mostly to obtain empty’s to cut down for my Parker 16s some say 31 was the best pump, may or may not be true but it would not extract Cheddite hulls well. Beretta gas operated guns handle them fine. Europeans don’t reload much, durable case not needed

William

[Bill Murphy]

Mike P., what you are saying is that the B&P website that says "Everything" is out of stock is not quite telling the truth. "Out of stock" means we have plenty to sell you two flats? The prices are not off the charts compared to some.