With the ammo being the way it is this year I had to buy 1 ounce 8 at 1170fps. My normal load before that was 1 1/8 ounce 7.5 At 1200fps. I have started to like the 1 ounce loads and to be honest my scores have improved a bird or two. The 1 ounce seems to recoil less and I feel less tired at the end of the day of shooting. Anyone else notice this.
Shooting 1 ounce loads this year.
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I don’t purchase shells as I reload, but to your question…yes. I used to load 1oz., then Claybuster came out with a 3/4oz. wad and since I’m a cheap bastard I figured I’ll give them a try, as I would be able to get an additional 133 shells out of a bag of shot. As you I picked up a couple birds, less tired and wore out, plus my shoulder never bothers me like it did (had rotator cuff surgery). I can shoot 500 rounds in one day and have done that numerous times, and feel no different than I do as I’m typing this.
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Yep. I spent two years shooting 9/8oz 2-3/4dr Top Guns in a 686 field gun and then began reloading 1oz @1180 (+-10). Difference at my shoulder was noticeable after one box. Score improvement, not so much (1st year at it). Bought a heavier target gun, upped it to 1200 and that's been my bucket load for this season. I don't miss the 9/8 shells or the extra pellets. I too like the benefit of squeezing a few more reloads out of each bag of (tough to find) shot. I'm tempted by the 7/8 data but can't find the right powders to make it happen right now. I need to learn to shoot better first.
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I've been shooting and loading 1 oz. for 20 years. Never felt handicapped because of it. I did find
you need to choke a little tighter with a 1 oz. load. I use light full for best results.
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A pattern of 1 ounce of #7.5 (~350 pellets) through a full choke (.035" +) is more than necessary to vaporize 16yd targets. If you're willing to put in the effort to pattern/shoot enough rounds of that combination, you will come to know that's true. Once you know it to be true you'll be liberated. You'll have the confidence necessary to run 100's with 1 ounce loads.
If you, like many others, believe no perfectly pointed 16yd target should ever escape your pattern, then you'll find a modified choke is the minimum necessary with 1 & 1/8 ounce of #8 and an improved modified is necessary with fewer pellets, such as 1 & 1/8 ounce #7.5, 1 ounce # 8, etc.
Get comfortable with a full choke and the cheapest eurotrash and/or soft-shot junk load will suffice for 16yd targets. A full-choked shotgun with 350 pellets of anything is simply not challenged for 100 straights at less than 22 yds.
If you, like many others, believe no perfectly pointed 16yd target should ever escape your pattern, then you'll find a modified choke is the minimum necessary with 1 & 1/8 ounce of #8 and an improved modified is necessary with fewer pellets, such as 1 & 1/8 ounce #7.5, 1 ounce # 8, etc.
Get comfortable with a full choke and the cheapest eurotrash and/or soft-shot junk load will suffice for 16yd targets. A full-choked shotgun with 350 pellets of anything is simply not challenged for 100 straights at less than 22 yds.
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You have approximately the same # of pellets in both loads, so your pattern density is the same.
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I switched to 1 oz loads 2 years ago , 1 oz #8's @ 1200 for sinlges and 1st shot on doubles 1 oz 7 1/2 @ 1250 for caps and 2nd shot on doubles, my scores have gone up since and I don't feel beat up after shooting 1,000 rounds on a weekend. I have started experimenting with 7/8 oz loads in practice and to be honest I can't tell the difference on the breaks and my scores have been consistent with my average but I do feel the difference on the recoil, very mild and nice shooting. I am short yardage in caps so really don't need all that poop.
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After years of rotator cuff pain I now shoot only 1oz. loads…and my shoulder has really improved.
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I reduced my load from 1 1/8 oz to 1 oz and my scores have improved. That said, I think the two are orthogonal. My score improvement likely comes from learning to shoot better, and shooting more often. I reduced the load because lead is hard to come by at the moment and I want 400 shells per bag instead of 355. That, and I'm as cheap as the day is long. The 1/8 oz doesn't make any difference in my ability to smash a target.
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Very insightful. Thanks.
Mr. Winston found (paraphrased) that as long as the shooter could CONSISTENTLY put his targets within the 10" hot core, there'll be no difference in his scores if he used 1.125, 1.0, or 0.875 oz loads. In fact, if I remember his data correctly, 0.875 oz at around 1100fps, gave the densest pattern. As a recreational trap shooter, I accepted that challenge and have been shooting 0.875oz loads. My lead component stash is lasting longer, and best of all, I could shoot all day with those loads and not feel like I've been in the ring with Mike Tyson.
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I now use one oz loads all the time from the 16 to the 20 yard lines. It is not for the economy of using less lead. I am an absolute recoil pussy as I believe when I first started shooting I tore the retina in my left eye due to recoil.
Beyond the twenty I use 1 1/8 oz but try to keep it around 1200 as I do better with those than 1250 and higher.
With the shortage of components and factory light loads, the R&D team at the Bi-Star Gladstone facility has come up with the perfect answer at the perfect time. Soon to be released in time for this years Grand American, the Bi-Star Recoil Pussy shot shells are destined to be a trap shooter favorite for years to come. Place your order now to insure your order will be available at KS-OKIE's campsite at the WSRC.
Contact KS-OKIE via PM for ordering details.
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Beyond the twenty I use 1 1/8 oz but try to keep it around 1200 as I do better with those than 1250 and higher.
With the shortage of components and factory light loads, the R&D team at the Bi-Star Gladstone facility has come up with the perfect answer at the perfect time. Soon to be released in time for this years Grand American, the Bi-Star Recoil Pussy shot shells are destined to be a trap shooter favorite for years to come. Place your order now to insure your order will be available at KS-OKIE's campsite at the WSRC.
Contact KS-OKIE via PM for ordering details.
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We aren't allowed to shoot more than 28gms (nearly 1 ounce) in registered DTL (16 yard) competitions in the UK. Depending on the make of targets being thrown I'll shoot either 7.5 or 8.5s. Both will vaporise targets using a 3/4 choke.
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LOL! You have a bright future in comedic marketing. I split my side with this one. Well played!
I have a friend who has been doing the 1 oz loads for a couple years to get lower recoil. He was the clubs top shooter last year so I guess they work Ok. I am switching to loading up an ounce of 8's for 16 yd shooting this year. I will save the 9/8 oz 7 1/2's for turkey shoots and Annies.
Jerry
Jerry
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