Thoughts on pellet counts for clays?

[Mike of the Mountain]

Originally Posted by Kevin McCormack

Harry had the edge but Tom can compensate without going to the heavier 1 oz. load. All Tom needs to do is order out some Spooky Dust Minimal Load Ballistic Enhancer (SDMLBE) from Ballistics Products. It's a little pricey at $74.99 per 6 oz. can, but compared to the retail price of other reloading components lately (not to mention factory ammo when and where you can find it), it will give him the edge he needs.

Kevin, is that the spray can or the buffer container?

[Andy]

Originally Posted by todd allen

I would give the advantage to the number 8 shot. Pattern density/coverage = more odds of a kill.
As for the 3 dimensional shot cluster: The shot is going so much faster than the target that the whole column has passed through or by the target in an instant, making the pattern results quite two dimensional.
You could do the math on this.
Target is traveling at say, 35 - 50 MPH
Shot is traveling at, let's say 1000 FPS, or 682 MPH
I'm not going to go through the whole exercise, but the target, even at 50 MPH, has moved very little vs. the 682 MPH of the shot.

A re-read of Bob Brister might help. I do believe there is a factor with target speed there. I'm not a great shot, but I know a few really talented shooters. NONE of them pattern to count pellets, they only use a plate for checking barrel regulation and POI. One is an older gentleman who was on the 2004 Olympic trap team who said you get more benefit from a HIGH QUALITY nickel plated factory load and being on target than you ever will from counting pellets and trying to predict patterns. I think as a whole the Europeans are better at realizing this than we are. Can't say I would disagree with simplification. Back to the original question, FOR ME, I would choose a slightly higher pellet count to offset my suckage, whether it matters or not who knows.

[Cold Spring]

Perhaps Tom and Harry can have a rematch in coming weeks, shooting together with the guns in this vignette and using the same load either 7/8 ounce of 7-1/2’s or 1 ounce of 8’s. Just sayin .....

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

Kevin, is that the spray can or the buffer container?

I've got a container of the buffer in the handy gel formula and all you have to do is roll the shot in it to coat it, then bake it in an oven at 400* for one hour, let it cool and load away. I'll have some for sale at HH.

Once again the old axiom of; It ain't the arrow it's the Indian holds true here.

Frank may as well have mentioned my name as one of the 3/4oz. proponents as I just enjoy the total lack of recoil and the way it breaks targets. I load nothing but 7 1/2's and like my good friend Tommy P said "when you're on, you're on.

Yeah, my money is on Harry.

[Researcher]

What would George Digweed do????

[Mike of the Mountain]

King Digweed would shoot from the hip with his full choke bbls at 100 yards and break every target. Just sayin'.

[10 bore]

I shoot all 7 1/2s. I found with alot of test patterns, the bigger the shot the tighter the patterns. But that what i found and that 7 1/2s shot better than 8s in 3/4, 7/8ths and 1 oz loads at 1150 fps.
Scott

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by scott kittredge

I shoot all 7 1/2s. I found with alot of test patterns, the bigger the shot the tighter the patterns. But that what i found and that 7 1/2s shot better than 8s in 3/4, 7/8ths and 1 oz loads at 1150 fps.
Scott

That has been my experience too Scott. I only use the pattern board for POI. I can tell from target breaks how effective my loads are. I only load 7 1/2's as I believe there is more energy in them than 8's. This is my opinion and everyone has own their favorite load, shot size and opinion.

I shoot every week with a nice bunch of guys and just today of of them asked me what choke I was using on one particularly long bird which turned out to be a midi which made it look further out than it was. He knows I shoot 3/4oz of 7 1/2's for everything. It was a full choked M12 12ga.

This gentleman is a constant choke changer and asked me if I didn't wish that I had a more open choke for pair of incomers at 20yds. Of course not why would you ask? His solution is 3 separate shot charges. 7/8oz of 8 1/2's for those close in babies, 1 oz. of 8's for mid range targets and an 1 1/8 of 7 1/2's for any thing over 30yds. I looked him straight in the eye and asked him; "If the 7 1/2's can break a target at 40 yds then they certainly can break a target at 25 yds." Why confuse yourself? He paused for a moment then said "I never looked at it that way"

We'll see if it sinks in over the week.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

This gentleman is a constant choke changer and asked me if I didn't wish that I had a more open choke for pair of incomers at 20yds. Of course not why would you ask? His solution is 3 separate shot charges. 7/8oz of 8 1/2's for those close in babies, 1 oz. of 8's for mid range targets and an 1 1/8 of 7 1/2's for any thing over 30yds.

Ya really can overthink these things...





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[Double Lab]

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;341346]Ya really can overthink these things...

And that is where the trouble begins. KISS.