Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Factory load to extend range with skeet/skeet Superposed?

I don't roll my own in 12 gauge. I have a Superposed that has both barrels choked skeet. Love the fit, and shoot it well, but would like to try some loads that might extend the effective range for chukar. Don't want to alter the gun but thought some different shells might help.

This gun has shot a lot of birds but usually over a pointing dog or close flusher. Wild flushing chukar show a definite weakness though.

This is my only skeet gun. My others range from IC to IM. Right now I'm shooting 1 1/4 #5 and #6.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Wouldn't know a chukar if it walked up and bit me. Have no idea what it takes to bring one down.

In my skeet#2 choked Rem.1100, with Win.Heavy trap loads will bring down crows pretty consistantly out to forty yards.

Have you considered trying some of the waterfowl loads. Their shot is pretty hard and might hold pattern better.

Good luck in your search.

Would skeet #2 be improved skeet? Now I want to go measure mine.

I have considered waterfowl loads but rethunk because of the steel.

Chukar in my opinion, are fairly hearty birds, tougher than their size if that makes any sense. (That really just means I'm hitting them poorly). I usually hunt them with either an LT-20 2 3/4(IM) or an 870 12 gauge (M).

This Superposed has killed its fair share as well. I just have some time off while I help my wife recover from heart surgery and I can play around in the yard.

Chukars are not that tough.

I would try to find some 1-1/4 oz #7-1/2 shot copper/nickle plated and 2-3/4 0r 3 dram equiv loads. I shot steel 6s out of my IC/Mod Daly and it didn't hurt the barrels. If you can find that it should work well too. Both loads worked about the same on pheasants out to 40 yards.

If you need more range than 40 yards, then you need more choke and bigger pellets. It's pretty easy to hold 7-1/2s together to put plenty of pellets on target at 40, but they have lost so much velocity they don't penetrate well enough. 6s will go a little further, 5s hold the energy but even heavy loads of fives are hard to hold tight enough to go much past 55 or so.

I would suggest that the first step is to pattern your gun; maybe it is already shooting tightly enough. Otherwise, use the best grade of shot that you can, as this seems to be a factor in tighter patterns (trap and skeet loads etc). Standard velocity loads may pattern better than high velocity according to some people. You may end up paying more than usual for shells due to hard, plated shot costing more than standard shot.

Just gonna need to get some different loads and head to the patterning board and see what works.

Skeet does more that most give it credit.

Thanks.

I went to sportsman's warehouse and got a few different plated/coated loads. I think I'll shoot some paper tomorrow and compare with my normal loads. Not sure the velocities but will find out. Gotta admit I didn't know plated shot flew much different.

Thanks again.

One thing all of us neglected to tell you...

12 gauge reloading tools are readily available now for next to nothing. The only loads that really make sense economically to load are exactly what you are trying to find. By simply adjusting the powder charge up or down you can make pretty noticeable changes in pattern. Changing wads is fast easy fast and cheap and will have big effects on pattern. Shot size and shot load weight are what you have to work with to adjust they max range of a load.

$5.00/box target loads make reloading for target shooting a poor return. $15.00-$25.00 hunting loads to maximize the efficiency of your gun will cost about the same to assemble as target loads so you can come out way ahead dollar wise.

For chukars, try Remington STS Light Handicap Trap loads in #7 1/2 (1 1/8 oz shot, 1200 fps). No need for extra speed, as that speed actually tends to open the pattern vice keep more shot in it. The reason these loads pattern so well is the very hard shot, close tolerances for the STS target ammo, moderate velocity.

On pheasants and other larger birds, I like the old live pigeon load of 3 1/4 1 1/4 #5 or #6 (the latter if your gun will pattern it well, as it will give more density in the patterns). These travel at 1220 fps and are a classic.