12 gauge light loads

[Woodcock survey]

Read somewhere that 3 pellets were needed to reliably break a clay target. After shooting skeet with snow on the ground go check the survivors and you will find a lot have 1 or 2 holes in them. 1 out of 25 will have more. So if the 3/4 puts 4 in it its going to break. The 1 1/8 puts 7 in it, can you tell the difference. Ya got to hit the d&&n thing first.
I have seen you shoot Scott!!!

[Andy]

I saw one of Mike's birds come off of the hill on station 17 in very cold weather. I shot twice and it didn't break. WTH no way I missed it. It plopped down in the mud about 20' from me and didn't break. I a photo of it somewhere with about 3 pellet holes in it. Yeah, I imagine a number will not break that we think are a clean miss.

[Kevin McCormack]

Much has to do with the type and consistency of the target material. Many times after a bunker match we would wander out and pick up some supposedly missed targets for later use in hand or Lincoln-type traps for fun shooting with youngsters etc. Lots of times a target that looked untouched would have as many as 3 holes in it looking as though someone had drilled them out.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Originally Posted by scott kittredge

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.

A refreshing dose of honesty! Well said Scott.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

I saw one of Mike's birds come off of the hill on station 17 in very cold weather. I shot twice and it didn't break. WTH no way I missed it. It plopped down in the mud about 20' from me and didn't break. I a photo of it somewhere with about 3 pellet holes in it. Yeah, I imagine a number will not break that we think are a clean miss.

Usually, 3 or more pellets will tear a bird apart. The scientific reason for 3 not taking a bird apart has to to with how fast the bird is spinning and where the pellets strike the bird. Those high and long incoming cliff birds, or any incomer, lose RPMs rapidly. Since they are showing a lot or all of the belly, you combine the lack of centrifugal force and the softest part of the target and you have a recipe for just punching holes in the target. I've found as many as 4 pellets through the belly. Never more than 4. So there you have it, your scientific clays lesson from Dr. Evil.

[Chris Robenalt]

Tracy, I don't have my CB 3/4 ounce wad chart handy, but I've used several recipes from it . I mainly load AA with Win 209 and use Red Dot. It's great for low psi.
Chris, AZ

[Don Strelioff]

This load is 11/8 oz
GM hull fed 12 S3 wad 22 gr 800x 1200fps 7600-7800psi
I use this load for upland sharp tails and pheasants
For ruffies 1 oz 20.5 gr 800 x
My go to bismuth load is 22 gr 800x 1 1/16 no 2 or no4 shot
This load kills very well out of my 1928 vhe 12 ga out to 60 yds on big canadas 42” constriction both bbl’s
I know some say 800x is not a good powder but I have been using it for many years works for me
These loads are taken from Lyman manuals except the bismuth i simply adapated the 11:8oz load to fit the 12 s3 wax