12 gauge light loads

[Andy]

Daniel it's a great load at 14.5. And it absolutely smacks the birds and people don't believe me it's 3/4 ounce. I love it, but yes, the powder is an issue now.

[Double Lab]

I have been shooting that exact load Andy for a few years now. I still haven't found a target that it won't break on the clays course. It's all in your head that 3/4oz. is not enough.

In fact I've gone to 3/4oz. in the 20 and 16ga. too. Economical and pleasant to shoot. What's not to like? I know my shoulder and gun like it.

[Woodcock survey]

Andy i hand them the shell and they say there is nothing in it. Then i smoke the target. Made only one convert in all those years. If i had a dollar for each time i have heard " I need all the bb's i can get'' i wold be shooting anAAHE. i suggest to them a 10ga. 3 1/2 with cylinder choke is the answer to their prayers.

[Andy]

I have a friend who shoots 1/2 ounce in 12g for skeet now and then, and they work. The only issue is the amount of work to get it to crimp well and the fillers...etc so he did it more out of curiosity but they feel like carrying a pocket full of 28g. Nice : )

[Quigley97]

Tracy, I av this load EVER since I Obtained my first {Parker. It is a light load, but still crushes clays. 17.5 grs. Clay dot, Clay buster 4100 wad, 7/8 0unce shot and Cheddite 209 Primer. Try it out you may like it.

[Cold Spring]

This thread seems to be off on a tangent. The OP asked about light loads < 9000 psi and it seems most of the replies focused on lighter than standard payloads for the respective gauges, i.e., 1/2, 3/4 and 7/8 ounce in 12 gauge, etc. I understand that often means lower pressure but not necessarily so; it would be helpful if the replies stated the payload mass (weight) and pressure as tested or as shown in a published reference.

Also can anyone explain the ballistics ..... why it is that these lighter payloads are often quoted as target crushers, seemingly and enticingly more so than a heavier standard payload in that same shotgun/choke and with the same hold on the target?

[Woodcock survey]

In my patterning of 3/4 and 7/8 12 ga loads i have found the patterns to be very uniform and tighter than choke used. A cyl. choke will shoot as improved and so on. They do not ''crush '' the target better than a heavier load and i think most folks mean that they are suprised that the breaks are as good as the heavier load. They do seem to have a denser core than you would expect, possibly having to do with less deformation due to shorter shot column.
This, to me is all minutia and matters not if you miss. There is no advantage or disadvantage to using them on skeet range targets other than to tightwads like myself and those that are recoil sensitive.

[Cold Spring]

Just some further comments, I use 7/8 ounce loads in 12-gauge for practice and I've shot > 15,000 of them since powder and lead shot got scarce and more expensive just a few years ago. But it's basically a 20-gauge payload and I don't kid myself that it will do what a 1 ounce or better yet a 1-1/8 ounce load will do in a given 12-gauge gun. That's for longer range clays and serious SxS event shooting. To use a saying from a late friend .... "when the gun goes bang those extra BB's [sic] have to go somewhere".

[10 bore]

dust ball or in half, still counts. i am a light load guy too. 3/4 oz in 20 ga and 3/4 oz in 12 ga skeet and 7/8ths oz 12 ga sporting clays and trap, and 1oz for crow hunting. my scores are not that good any way so i save shot and powder.

[Steve Hodges]

Scott as we shoot together I can say that your scores are very good