[Zoom.Golly]

Since the Stone Age I've used 9's for skeet, and 8's for trap and more recently sporting.

I might be making a trip tomorrow to buy reloading supplies. My sporting courses and one of my trap clubs have gone to bios. Folks, mainly at the sporting courses, tell me I should be using 7 1/2s now. I load 12 gauge 1 ounce at ~1150-1200 fps. I shot caps at 21 to 23 yards.

Should I change to 7 1/2s? This will be a universal load for trap and sporting.

 

[smokintom]

I shoot 7 1/2`s in the winter and 8`s in the warm months. Works for me.

 

[Zoom.Golly]

Found what I was looking for:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=95&t=392364

 

[7mag]

I'd say if it has worked for you this far. Why change. Or if you want to see if 7 1/2s work better for you. Go for it. At mid to short yardage you probably couldn't tell the difference if you loaded them 2 shot sizes in the same case with the same load and mixed them together and shot them randomly. It's just what you believe will work for you.

 

[Zoom.Golly]

7mag - You are probably right. But the guys at the sporting clubs seem to think this change to bios is a big deal. I'm pretty sure they have read the discussion at the link. But what the heck, I gotta buy something so why not try some 7.5s?

 

[7mag]

Yep go for it. Then you will know if you like the 7 1/2s better.

 

[timb99]

I've come to the conclusion that 7-1/2's work for all clay sports.

I'd use 7's if they were legal (and I could get them in the USA.)

7's are available over here in SA, and they are great for pigeons.

 

[EdSy]

My only reason to stay with smaller (#9, #8.5. #8) shot vs. #7.5 for most shorter to average 25yd to 40yd clays presentations is the pellet density with lighter shot charge weights. I prefer to shoot 3/4 oz and 7/8 oz loads rather than 1 oz and 1.125 oz. With #7.5 shot I feel I "must" stick with 1.125 oz loads to ensure adequate pellet density at the longer ranges where they really help break the clays. -Ed

 

[Joe Potosky]

In the last year I've moved to 7 1/2's for anything of distance in sporting.

 

[rw993]

You need all available "breaking energy" if you are shooting Bio targets. There is no substitute for maximum mass and velocity

You will never see as much dust from targets as Bios. Exception would be if you shot the Grand the year they shot Blue Rocks and most everyone was headed back to the shell bunker to trade for 3dram shells to shoot singles!!

RW

 

[j2jake]

RW, in trap, bios are ink balled with regularity. Jake

 

[rdf59]

I really like "gassed up" 8 1/2's for 16 yds and sporting clays and skeet. I run the SC's at about 1330 for Sc and high 1200 for trap. Skeet, I use the trap loads.

 

[Tripod]

I have used 1 ounce of 81/2 shot ahead of 16.4 grains of 700X for 16yd targets for years. If you are on your game they will inkball targets bio or not.

 

[MDMike]

7 1/2's for everything....

 

[Zoom.Golly]

I bought 4 bags of 7 1/2s.

I shot some sporting still using 8s. Bio targets. On the lottsa belly targets, the chondelles and teal, there were lots with white smoke, no pieces. Against that sky and with the sun behind us the white dust was dramatic, almost incandescent. I was thinking I wish I had those 7 1/2s.

But then I was able to pick-up a few of those dusted targets than didn't break when they hit the ground. Aha! All the holes were though the dome. There was plenty of energy to drive the shot through the domes so I'm thinking how would more energy help?

The driving home I got to thinking the guys I was shooting with with shooting 7 1/2s and they had as many, if not more, dusted targets that me.

But I have some 7 1/2s to try and the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. Using 7 1/2s won't be a bad thing.

 

[635 G]

If a club doesn't do much maintenance on their traps--they don't impart much spin on to the targets--the centrifugal force helps the target break apart. This situation with the use of bio targets almost makes the use of 71/2 necessary in all situations. I too have a load of 1 oz 81/2's when I shoot @ locations where I know the type of targets and how they maintain the equipment

Phil Berkowitz

 

[wolfram]

I shoot mostly WF Bios and can tell you for sure that #8 will smoke them and thats all the way back to the 27. The trick to the game is centering the pattern on the target and having a high density of shot in the center of that pattern and this is something you need to do with pitch targets too. If you are depending on a pellet or two to get the job done then you aren't going to see very good scores regardless of what ammo is used or what type of targets are thrown. When you see the infamous one or two pellet hit that fails to break the target or just chips it you should realize that you just about missed it entirely.

This is not to say that 7 1/2 is a bad shot size choice, it is actually a good choice but not a cure for bad shooting. Moving up to the full 1 1/8 oz shot charge will make the pattern more effective than just the change in shot size.