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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,808
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,808 |
A 7/8oz load out of a 12ga. will break clay targets further and with more authority than many realize. They all essentially get there together with minimal shot string.
laissez les bons temps rouler
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,009
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,009 |
A 7/8oz load out of a 12ga. will break clay targets further and with more authority than many realize. They all essentially get there together with minimal shot string. You're right about that. When my boy was young (around 10-12) he was using a 12 loaded "light" (7/8 oz. loads) and nailing them way out. Even surprised and shocked myself with the damn things . Funny though you could hear the shot and it took a second or 2 to get to the bird , he really had to lead them though.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,181
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,181 |
Thanks to those who answered my original request for specific loads
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 554
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 554 |
My favorite load for singles and first shot on doubles is:
Win hull Win 209 Primer 17.2 grains of Alliant clay dot powder winjammer XL-1 1 oz of shot.
Works wonders on the trap line with little to no recoil at all. Hodgdon Clays is another favorite for light and fast loads as well.
Jack
Check both Alliant and Hodgdon's web-site for full recipes of course.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,539
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,539 |
I shot a sh*t load of quail back in the day with a mod 26" Rem 1100 in 12ga. My pet load was over max. I used plastic wads over 21gr of Red Dot with 1 1/8 of #8 shot.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,828
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,828 |
Gee's I must be lazy, I just buy Remington Sure Shot!
"Any idiot can face a crisis,it's the day-to-day living that wears you out."
Anton Chekhov
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,181
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,181 |
I shot a sh*t load of quail back in the day with a mod 26" Rem 1100 in 12ga. My pet load was over max. I used plastic wads over 21gr of Red Dot with 1 1/8 of #8 shot. Not exactly a light load that I was seeking
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,063
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,063 |
Clays is a clean powder. For your hunting, I would suggest 7/8 oz of no. 7 1/2.
Winchester components, except powder. AA hull, Winchester 209 primer, 18.0 grain Clays, WAA12SL wad. Runs at 8,000 psi, 1245 fps according the the Lyman manual I got it from. (Lyman 4th ed., p. 197). For a denser pattern you can load an ounce and cut the powder to 17.5 gr. Clays, and still get 1200 fps. But 300 pellets is all you need, so why deal with the recoil?
I love those light doubles. I have an LC Smith 12 ga that weighs an honest 6.5 pounds. It's rough as a cob in appearance, but it shoots great and I love it.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,075
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,075 |
My most used 12 gauge load is pretty nearly identical to BSA's: AA hull, W-209 primer, 16.7 gr. Clays, Win. Grey wad, 7/8 ounce shot (9's for skeet, 8's for 16 yard trap, doves, grouse). Thousands of dead skeets will attest to the efficiency of this load!
Since I too mostly use classic doubles anymore (L.C.Smiths in my case) the load is light enough to not cause worrying about cracking tangs and shooting loose while firing thousands of shots.
Also, since chokes are fixed, in order to get more open patterns for skeet and certain hunting applications, I switch to a AA 1 oz. wad (or a clone) and 7/8 oz. shot, with a Ballistics Products X-Stream spreader appliance stuck in. The bigger wad is necessary because of the space the X spreader takes up.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882 |
I just loaded 500 of my favorite 1 oz loads for 16 yard trap. I use to shoot 1 1/8 oz loads but found it really made no difference in my scores. Any Remington hull (STS, Gun Club, Game Load) Fiocchi 616 primer Downrange XL1 (lime green) 17gr's Alliant Claydot 1oz of #8 shot 1180 fps. I shoot this load through an IM choke, (.25) It's a great round for woodcock and grouse up here also, but I prefer to hunt those with my 16ga or 20ga. Don't really need a 12 for those birds.
Last edited by jbmi; 06/24/11.
"The older I get, the better I was"
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,958
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,958 |
You received alot of good advice on quality handloads others spent time and money researching and testing that gave good results for them. If you don't load ,pickup a couple of boxes of Federal Game Loads with 1 oz of 6's and some with 7 1/2 or 8's and do alittle clay birding and some patterns too. Not very fancy at 5-6 bucks a box ,but Federal has been selling them since the beginning of time and they do work fairly well without alot of recoil at a inexpensive price. for ordinary shooting and the 1 st shot in a 2 barrel gun. Obviously premium shotshells are the way to go for 35+ yd shots but how big a % are 35+yd shots?They are a pleasant surprize and easy on the shoulder. Magnum Man
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,083
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 56,083 |
WAA 12L wad 7/8 oz shot AA hull WW209 Clays, forget the charge but it's in the Hodgdon manual.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,066
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,066 |
Very similar to cowboy action loads. I use the STS and AA hulls. The STS are slicker for easy extraction in CAS shooting and seem to get a few more loads before cracking around the crimp. I love Clays and use it with my CAS rifle and pistol. I use AA to duplicate the Winchester Featherlite low recoil loads. AA is very fine grained and with the MEC I need the powder baffle device for spring tension on the charge bar to keep powder from drifting out on top of the bar. That doesn't happen with Bullseye and Clays.
DF
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