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shot size?

3K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  charleyj10 
#1 ·
just wondering,if it was legal would anyone shoot #6's.yes,why. no,why not? last night at a shoot i picked up some hulls that looked once fired but they were marked #6? didn't say anything about it just ask what everyone thought about #6 for trap.

tracy
 
#3 ·
Some shooters think they need the energy the #6 sized shot size gives them to break a target out at say 75 yards or so. But in reality you'll never need a larger size than 7 l/2's for anything you will ever shoot at. As a matter of fact, A very large number of shooting clubs will not allow any shot size larger than 7 l/2's. Unless of course your shooting steel shot. If you can break l00 targets out of l00 targets at 45 yards with ll50 fps shells with #8 shot (handicap winner at the grand @27 yard line) why would need any more than 7 l/2's fired at 1250 fps for 75 yard annie shots or miss and outs??? Unless the temps are very cold. Shoot well and shoot often. break em all Jeff
 
#5 ·
I have been shooting Annies & long range shoots for many years. You can shoot any size shot you care to. If you want to get to the winner's circle or shoot off, you will find # 6 or # 5 shot are the choice of winners. To break a clays on the 3rd. gun past 75 yards, a 7 1/2 does not have the energy. Possible ? but rare.
Clyde Doll
 
#6 ·
its a real danced between shot size, shot drop weight, velocity. game shooters all have their own beliefs about it. 6's have far more retained energy needed to break that target at longer range, while giving up pattern density. Others whip up the velocity and shoot smaller shot still trying to keep up that energy level needed to break the target. We kind of joke about it, "That shell was so fast I shot behind the target and still broke it on the leading edge!" I think Neal Winston had some posted info on number of pellets it takes to break a target seems like a minimum of 3 pieces of 7.5 shot to get a target to come apart. Shot drop weight is another factor some guys use 1-1/8oz drop some 1-1/2oz more the norm is 1-1/4oz. I know some of you are say geeezzz 1-1/2.......I have shot those all night in a CG un single and it really does not beat on you. If your recoil sensitive to any thing but 1oz poofer loads then you wont hold up to them but hey pattern density smokes targets!!
All in all at the end of the day a 1-1/4oz load of 7.5's at 1250fps will keep you in the hunt at the games all night long!
 
#8 ·
Neil has corrected me as to my statement above. I need to change my statement to say one 7 1/2 pellet will break the clay almost every time, slightly less than 100%. Light 8's and 9's may not break the target from the 27yd line.

My own opinion is to say it takes 3 7 1/2's to break a target is not correct. Also I think hits to the dome probably should not be counted in the total since the dome isn't a vital organ.
 
#9 ·
It depends on the energy left in the target, the faster it's spinning, the fewer hits needed to break it. We went out one day after the games were over, and picked up a big stack of unbroken targets with 3-4 holes in them, but still in one piece. We don't allow "screw-looseners" at games.1&1/8 oz 7.5 max.
 
#11 ·
Nieil has mentioned maybe to some one 7 1/2 pellet to break a target, I have in my hand a 1900.00 target I shot at a winter calcutta, Shell, Federal paper 3 dram 7 1/2, Silver Seitz, 41 thou. , 27 yd. calcutta handicap, 50 target winter calcutta, 7 above, 49 straight , last target, right hand, focus on leading edge , fire as I go through, much smoke, target keeps going, hits a gravel road , rolls like a donut and stop! I make 2 other shooters happy, me sad, go to the road, pick up the Federal champion 2 target, 11 ingress holes, 11 egress holes, plus skid marks of other pellets! NEVER belive one pellet will break a target!
 
#13 ·
Well,there was a fella on here a while ago,selling 6's at a decent price.I almost bought some,figgured I could blend some 7 1/2's or 8s with it.But wasn't sure it'd be legal..Next time if price is good I just might try it.I bought some 9's and was told that wasn't good,so I blended it with 7 1/2s and eights and it seems ok for 16s.

Doug H
 
#14 ·
E. D. Lowry, Winchester's famed ballistician and father of modern shotshell ballistics tables says that for 7 1/2 shot and an 80% pattern at 40 yards, the diameter of the circle than can be counted on to assure a one pellet hit is 2.2". For 8 shot than increases to 9.6"

If you read Dr. Jones' work and play with his excellent online pattern optimizer software, you will find that his program finds Mr. Lowry to be a little optimistic in that the program reports there is no diameter of the pattern that will assure a 100% chance of a one pellet hit.

I respect both of these gentlemen's work. So I have to wonder why on earth anyone would decrease their chances further by trying 6 shot for ATA.

I'll also say the same thing for Annies. I've never shot #6 at targets, because all of the clubs I frequent limit shot sizes, velocity and loads to ATA regulation loads. That said, I have seen many, many targets broken just a few yards before the stake with 8 and 7 1/2 shot. I'll also note that the "serious" competitors all seem to prefer nitro 27 and Win Super handicap in 7 1/2.
 
#15 ·
Sometime walk a trap field and pick up missed targets and look at them. Many of the are hit on the rim with chips and holes in the dome and don't break. These are 16 yd, targets. I don't know squat about Annies but if I were going to do it I'd be loading heavy 5's or 6's without question.
 
#18 ·
Red we are speaking of shooting "games" not reg trap. Most places that games are shot will not limit you to the speed or shot drop weight of your shell. Pretty much shoot what ya brung and hope its enough and your good enough!!! I seem to have a problem with the last part.......................
 
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