Range results with the 10 and 8 ga

[Milton C Starr]

Just got back from spending 4hrs at the range and doing some pattern testing with the 8 and 10 gauge. I may be forget some things but anyhow first the heat treated Ts not much of a pattern there but they penetrate well I think, they went straight through the 1/4" ply wood and I recovered some in the 100 yard clay berm and they had no deformation. One picture shows what is either lead #4s or the bismuth #2s stuck in the plywood and you can see the holes where the Ts went straight through. My 8 ga has no choke so perhaps they would perform better if it did? I think the large shot would be more suitable for maybe a 2 1/4oz buffered load. I also decided to test some bismuth 2s in the 8 ga out of curiosity, with this load I wrapped it in masking tape because I have been getting alot of powder burns on my 8 ga cases. Some of the Winchesters have a red sticker partially around them and that protects the cases from powder burns. So I tried masking tape and yep that seams to work.
I patterned some RST 10 ga loads as well and a bismuth handload with a fiber wad. Im probably forgetting some details its been a tiresome day and im about to take me a old man afternoon nap. I ordered some BPI nickel plated 5s last week so im curious to see how well those do and I finally ordered nitro cards for the 10 and 8 ga. Oh on the 10 ga bismuth handload I shot low and to the left, it was the last round I fired and after 4hrs I was ready to pack it up.