Light loads

[Cold Spring]

Originally Posted by Bill Jolliff

Dick,
If you'd like to go a little lighter, here is my recipe for 12 gauge with a 1/2 ounce of lead shot.

Remington hull: Gun Club, Nitro Gold or STS. Older Winchester AACF hulls OK too.
Cheddite, Winchester or Remington 209 primer.
14 grains of Alliant Extra Lite powder.
CB 0175-12 pink wad for 3/4 ounce.
I put a Circle Fly 20 gauge 0.620" dia by 0.135" thick nitro card in the bottom of the CB wad.

I had them tested in 2015 by Tom Armbrust. About 5500 psi and 1350 fps.

I've shot about 15,000 plus over the past 8 years.

They work fine, burn clean and if you hit the bird it breaks, if you miss it, it won't.

They may not make diesel smoke out there at 30 yards but they do break birds. Nice mild recoil and the lead and powder usage is a lot lower.

And by the way, there isn't a clay bird that can't be broken with this load at our local Sporting Clay's course. (Emphasis by Frank)

I hope this helps.

Bill

I shoot clays quite often on regular sporting courses with 410's and 1/2 ounce of 8's and 9's (2-1/2" shells) and have to be dead nuts centered on the bird or it's a miss. That's why I call them Professor guns. 1/2 ounce in a 12-gauge has got to be just as critical if not more so owing to the much shorter shot column. Bill, I've never been at your local Clays course but I'm wondering if it’s set with a lot of "cupcape" presentations, to use the jargon of sporting clays shooters.

Me? My light 12 gauge practice load is 7/8 ounce of 7-1/2’s or 8”s at about 1150 speed and driven by Alliant E3 powder. That’s in Remington hulls, Cheddite primers and gray Claybuster wads.

[Bill Jolliff]

Originally Posted by Frank Srebro

I shoot 1/2 ounce of 8's and 9's in 410's (2-1/2" shells) quite often and have to be dead nuts centered on the bird or it's a miss. 1/2 ounce in a 12-gauge has got to be just as critical if not more so owing to the much shorter shot column. Bill, I've never been at your local Clays course but I'm wondering if it’s set with a lot of "cupcape" presentations, to use the jargon of sporting clays shooters.

Hi Frank,

Yes, our course has a lot of "cupcake" presentations that do not include any real long, Bo Whoop type shots. Hence, a half ounce of shot in the right place will "kill" your bird. There are enough tricky ones tho that will make you humble.

Ya gota hit 'em tho. 1/2 ounce or 1 ounce, ya gota hit 'em!

Admittedly, some by what you have called, a "Golden BB" that produces that visible chip. (I sure wish they put more of those in a bag of shot.)

We don't keep score but we do like to do the best we can. For me, and the mostly old farts I shoot with most of the time, it's more social and it's good exercise. As in, a one mile plus walk carrying a 7 1/2 pound side by side. A Fox or Parker of course.