I agree mostly. I love shooting reloads for non registered singles and doubles. 1oz, 1180fps feel great. But when I’m shooting handicap, I have come to crave the umphf of the 1 1/8 1250. Something about it just makes me feel like it’s made for a longer shot and I like it.

 

Shooting whimpy reloads, sub 1 ounce loads, as light as I can go in a 1ounce wad and still get a decent crimp, no felt recoil. I have gotten the hardest looking hit on with a second shot on a five stand target that the closest comparison is a 30 yard line hard left with a tail wind pushing it flat. But not shooting 9/8 will cost me that target?

You are probably right with the gun fitment issue. I am shooting a field model 870 that is my dads for now before I quit growing. Then I would like to upgrade to a trap gun

Find a take off 870 stock with all the bells and whistles if you have to wait a couple years for the smallest dimension to fit wait tell it does. Even when you finally get a "trap gun!" You will have a backup gun that you know.

I have a thread about this on the other forum. The consensus seemed to be there are only three reasons to shoot less than 1 1/8.
1. To save money on lead
2. To reduce recoil
3. To make the game more challenging

A quote was mentioned from a famous trap shooter...something like "Why do I shoot 1 1/8? Because they won't let me shoot 1 1/4."
Obviously there are a lot of opinions about this but as a new shooter, I am sticking with 1 1/8.

The load that one chooses is a personal choice. Having shot a full day with 1/2 ounces loads I know for myself that those "going to cost me birds light loads!" Just cost me pain (aches that haven't happened) because the birds I miss I would still miss with ounce and half loads. Misses where I, me screwed things up so badly that a pattern that fully covered a barn door would still be a lost target!

Go back and figure how, how a miss by feet can be recovered by inches? Yep I know a question of a bad shooter! A bad shooter that has two one hundred straights (7/8s ounce reload and 1ounce factory,the 125 bird was all my fault another that ounce and a half wouldn't have touched) and a few other accolades.

Al

 

We played a trap game on the 4th, start on the 16 yard shoot until you break , the game ended at 29 yards and one oz loads still broke , using #8 shot.

 

1oz has it's advantages for sure but one of the largest factors in competitive shooting is confidence. The easiest way to destroy confidence is to question a critical component of your shooting.

As my stock began to dwindle, I started loading 1oz again but would be lying if I said it wasn't on my mind that what I'm attempting to save on shot, is costing me more in confidence. So after a couple hundred reloads at 1oz, I marked them for practice and went back to 1-1/8.

I know 1oz is plenty to crush a target. I also know what 1-1/8 will do. Rolling smoke builds confidence. Confidence builds consistency. Consistent confidence will get you out of C class. I think I'd rather stop shooting altogether than to compromise that .

 

I mostly shoot 1oz loads and am looking to go down to 7/8. Trap shooting is like all sports, head games. You need to be confident and ENJOY. I started not not enjoy shooting the heavier loads as my shoulder was punished. I switched to lighter loads and still break the birds, but am not walking up to my 3rd and 4th rounds regretting how my shoulder would feel the next day. It is all in the individual and your confidence in yourself and the equipment you use.

 

I am still working on being consistent with the light loads. In my round of 100 I had a 21, 24, 23, 21. Dropped the 3rd to last bird on the second set of 25. Using 1 1/8 oz shells. Best score I’ve had but really wanted that first 25.

 

I compare shooting 1 oz loads to shooting your first 300 yard with a rifle. Once you pass the threshold the mental issue fades away. 100 yards becomes boring and 1 1/8 oz loads become obsolete. With the cost increases of ammo , I wouldn't be surprised to see 1 oz loads become the norm. Just my two cents

 

My first attempt with 7/8 oz loads at 16 yards was a fifty straight, in practice. Only one I got that month.

 

Lots of people like 1oz, but to me it sounds like a gun fit issue. Your arm should not be sore after a day of shooting trap. I assume since you said 4-h you are a teenager. If 1oz is not beating you up shoot them for everything.

 

You are probably right with the gun fitment issue. I am shooting a field model 870 that is my dads for now before I quit growing. Then I would like to upgrade to a trap gun

 

I have found that shooting 7/8, 1 or 1 1/8 has had no effect on me missing a target.

 

According to Neil Winston, the number of pellets in the hot core of 1.125, 1.0, and 0.875 oz loads are the SAME. So if you can consistently center your targets within that hot core, your scores should be no different between these loads. It separates the real good shooters from the lucky ones.

 

I respect the work that Neil, did but I am going to have to think about this statement a little bit. My first thoughts are that the distribution (Bell shaped curve) stays the same, but since there are fewer pellets the density is less. If the # of pellets in the core stays the same, then the shape of the curve would need to change which I think is not true.

 

I started shooting 1 oz several years ago. Now with 12 gauge ammo in short supply I was able to purchase some W-W 1 1/8 oz. I was pleasantly surprised how the target break was different & in my estimation better with 1 1/8. Just me & my observation.

 

I have been loading 1 oz. loads for 25 years. I feel I get harder breaks with 1 oz than 1 1/8 oz.
They worked well enough for a 200 straight at the Grand in '92.

 

I have used 1oz loads for nearly 40yrs now, never could tell that they cost me any targets! I stay in the gun much better which always translates to better scores. Mine are always reloads as the ammo companies don’t discount the price vs 9/8oz.

 

It would be interesting to see just how much difference in penetration there would be in a large catalog between 1 oz and 11/8. Counting the pages is a perfect test .

 

Wouldn't that be more dependent upon shot size and speed? If a 1oz and 1 1/8 are both at 1200fps and both the same shot size the result would be the same, but the smaller load would have less pellets. No? Its been a long time since I was in a physics class.

 

I always get a kick out of these 1 oz. vs 1 1/8 threads. Today it's the best thing going. Next time when trying to figure out how to make the game harder for the big dogs making them shoot one ounce loads invariably comes up.

 

Thats kinda the point I was trying to make and understand how one breaks the targets harder. I'm not advocating every one should have to shoot a certain load

 

I personally find 1oz 1145 FPS reloads the perfect load for singles. Not too heavy and hits the bird with more than enough power. Also helps to be more on target! It made a hell of a difference when I used 1 1/8 1145FPS factory loads for a competition. Those 3-4 misses/100 with 1oz will be saved with that extra 1/8 oz!

 

I have a thread about this on the other forum. The consensus seemed to be there are only three reasons to shoot less than 1 1/8.
1. To save money on lead
2. To reduce recoil
3. To make the game more challenging

A quote was mentioned from a famous trap shooter...something like "Why do I shoot 1 1/8? Because they won't let me shoot 1 1/4."
Obviously there are a lot of opinions about this but as a new shooter, I am sticking with 1 1/8.

 

A quote was mentioned from a famous trap shooter...something like "Why do I shoot 1 1/8? Because they won't let me shoot 1 1/4."
Obviously there are a lot of opinions about this but as a new shooter, I am sticking with 1 1/8.

Don't know about no famous trap shooter but around 20 years ago at the Mn. Southern Zone shoot I sat at the table with AA shooters. One of them mentioned that someone had asked them why they shoot 1 1/8 oz. instead of 7/8 or 1 oz. and he said because the bastages will not let me shoot 1 1/4 oz. Everyone laughed.

When they went to the line I noticed everyone of them had a big R sticker on their gun.

Couple of years later I reached that point with yips but shoot feathers, a lot of them. Went with a PFS and dropped down to 7/8 oz. Worked my way up to 1 oz. and eventually was able to put the EELL wood back on. Then over the last 5-6 years when it was cheaper to buy factory than reload went to 1 1/8 oz. with an ISIS. Realized this weekend that I am using too much lead and flinching again. Switching back to 1 oz.

Lets talk when you have a couple hundred thousand rounds under your belt

Gawd, it's great to read Neil Winston's writing. He had such a way with words. "Yes, the “50-yard crosser” is a clear warning of worse to come, but in this case it’s just an appetizer, a quail drumstick leading off a turkey dinner."

My thoughts exactly! First met Neil at the Steer and Calf shoot at Del Tone. As in he came over and sat down to eat breakfast and read the paper with my son and I. He is very much the same in real life as on here. Slower to speak, thoughtful and insightful. Damn did I say that I miss Neil?! Talk about an ambassador to the sport...

My son was 14 or 15 then and won the handicap event, it was his first decent check. Shooting 1 oz. of #8's. He was walking on air and a bit cocky about it. I reminded him that he was standing behind the trap house and the big dogs like Neil were at the back fence. He still was a bit cocky so I made him buy me a steak dinner to level set him.

1 oz. will work fine for singles and short caps don't think you give up much in real life. But 25 and back better not bring a knife to a gunfight. At least IME and from what I have seen over the years. On the other hand either you are on them. Or not.

 

I’m confused are we talking about 7 1/2 or 8s?

 

I normally shoot 1oz in my O/U and the recoil is negligible. In my semi-auto I shoot 1 1/8 target loads and in my LC Smith I shoot low pressure 7/8 oz. I enjoy shooting these and other guns and dropping a bird or two due to a light load does not bother me since the recoil is not an issue and my body feels great when done shooting. I shoot to relax and have fun. I have enough stress in my business life.

 

Gawd, it's great to read Neil Winston's writing. He had such a way with words. "Yes, the “50-yard crosser” is a clear warning of worse to come, but in this case it’s just an appetizer, a quail drumstick leading off a turkey dinner."

 

1 1/8 oz should have more pellets than 1 oz, obviously. Then, 1/8 more pellets will produce longer stream and that will help with some lucky kills, right?

 

To quote mg1polo, "pure BS."

 

Some of the best games in skeet I’ve ever run have been with 28ga 3/4oz. For SC, I stick with 12ga 1 1/8oz but have done relatively well with 20ga 7/8oz as well

 

Think in terms of pattern density. Pattern your 1 oz. loads at your normal target distance and determine if you have any target sized holes in your pattern. You can adjust with more shot if needed or more choke. Distance of course will call for more pattern density with a heavier shot load or choke as well.

 

Gun Fit is a great thing. But, the bottom line is 9/8 of shot will still recoil more than 8/8 oz. of shot, with the same shotgun that fits your properly. Staying in the shotgun for each and every shot, shot after shot will allow you to become a better shooter. Some shooters just handle recoil better than others!!!

#8 shot fired at the same speed will always have the same ft. pounds of energy at the same given distance. No matter if the shot is fired from a 410 bore, or a 12 ga. shotgun.

one oz. of #8 1/2 shot, has more pellets than a 9/8 oz. of #8 shot. Don't think for one second that 8 1/2 shot will not break a 16 yard target just as well as #8 shot. Handicap is another story with shot size, but the recoil story stays the same. Now if the GA can be won with #8 shot fired at 1,145 fps. Then you can win, with a once oz. load of #8 shot @ 1,180!!! Now go out there and find your balance!!! break em all jeff

 

One ounce will do just fine. If you're on them, they'll break, regardless. Those who have cited confidence are spot on as well. A shooter has to go with what works for him/her. I've been shooting clay targets for 61 years, settling on 1 oz loads many years ago and haven't looked back. For me, I see no difference.

 

One ounce will do just fine. If you're on them, they'll break, regardless.

Ja, but sometimes I'm not on them. Sometimes I'm off just a bit. That's when the extra pellets in 1 1/8 will get you an occasional extra target. When every target counts, I gladly take that extra target.

 

I have changed to one 1oz for everything. Less recoil and breaks the target the same.