I have loaded 7/8 oz with 14.8 grs. Red Dot. I use Rem. or Win. one piece hulls, CB0178-12 wad (grey). I don't remember checking the speed but the recoil is very light. Larry
Reloading shotgun ammo revisited
- Thread starter DeplorabusUnum
- Start date
I have loaded 7/8 oz with 14.8 grs. Red Dot. I use Rem. or Win. one piece hulls, CB0178-12 wad (grey). I don't remember checking the speed but the recoil is very light. Larry
Birdhunter6
Member
Lots of good advice above.
I would think in terms of a 20 and sporting or 5 stand.
The semi autos are appealing but at 62 I hate picking up the empties when shooting pairs. An over/under weighs a little more but balances better because more of the weight is between your hands, and you can catch your empties and drop them in your pouch.
Since I retired I've been shooting sporting once a week. I shoot with a group of bird hunters who want to improve their wing shooting. We are all on the same page. We bring the same guns we will take to the field, we shoot 'low gun' and don't keep score. We focus on the tougher targets.
I've always wanted to do this but earning a living, hunting and operating a rifle/pistol range kept my clay shooting down to once or twice a year.
Shooting clays all summer really paid off in the field this fall.
Good luck.
I would think in terms of a 20 and sporting or 5 stand.
The semi autos are appealing but at 62 I hate picking up the empties when shooting pairs. An over/under weighs a little more but balances better because more of the weight is between your hands, and you can catch your empties and drop them in your pouch.
Since I retired I've been shooting sporting once a week. I shoot with a group of bird hunters who want to improve their wing shooting. We are all on the same page. We bring the same guns we will take to the field, we shoot 'low gun' and don't keep score. We focus on the tougher targets.
I've always wanted to do this but earning a living, hunting and operating a rifle/pistol range kept my clay shooting down to once or twice a year.
Shooting clays all summer really paid off in the field this fall.
Good luck.
I only used the higher amount of Red Dot, since the patters at
25 yards, for skeet, did not have any "Holes" in the pattern, in my O/U Browning and my 391 auto ejected the cases.
. . . but the reality and big advantage is that the gun is lighter. I have a Benelli 20 ga NRA Montefelro Ultra Light Semiauto @ 5.2 pounds and I can carry it all day long without fatigue. I shoot clays and recoil of a 1 oz load at 1200 fpr is almost not detectable as compared to a 12 gauge. Problem with 12 ga is that they are always heavier, resulting in a person of smaller stature or just plain old like me getting tired of carrying it around a Clays range, or worse yet, hunting pheasants all day.
The fact that there is likely not one affordable shotgun on the market built exclusively for women, so it is also a must to have a gun you buy properly fitted. Length of pull and butt pitch is the biggest issue for women shooters. There is a great article in the link below that details the requirements for women shotgun shooters. Contained is a segment discussing "positive pitch" necessary for most women.
Women & Shotguns - Shotgun Life
Pitch (angle formed by the butt of the stock in relation to the barrels). Women should have a positive pitch on their shotgun stock. For men, the typical pitch angles the recoil pad down into their arm pit area. For women, it should be the opposite given the shape of their body around the breasts. The pitch should reflect the contour of the point where the recoil pad fits into “the pocket.” A simple wedge shaped insert between the recoil pad and the stock butt can inexpensively provide the correct pitch.
OP
DeplorabusUnum
Member
Perfect!! Thank you. Great article.
You don't need a special gun to shoot any particular shotgun sport.
Yes, if you get very good and continue into registered shoots and matches you will want to be able to squeeze every possible target/point out of your ability. A 'better' gun can sometimes do that. But not always.
Like rifle and pistol shooting it can become a search for gimicks it improve your ability.
A decent Field gun that you are familiar with, feel comfortable with and shoot well,,,what else do you actually need at this point.
You are going out for some fun and good times.
Special loads won't help you either.
Keep the Velocity at 1200fps and under and you'll be comfortable & be in compliance with most all of the Clay Target rules I'm aware of.
A 1300fps or more load will allow you cut you lead down 6 inches or so on a speedy crosser out there.
Big deal.
Interchangeable chokes?. Get 'em if they are already on the gun I guess. I see it as you are stuck with them at that point.
I see no need for them.
Just shoot with what the bbl has.
All the shotguns I have are Full choke with a couple coming in at Mod on the right bbl of the SxS.
I shoot Skeet mostly w/ 2 Trap pump shotguns and a SBT gun.
I don't think about the size of the pattern, # of pellets, velocity,,
Just shoot to the correct mark and you will break the bird.
The Tight choke lets you break them out the a ways. I always shoot the Doubles in Skeet 'backwards'. There is no problem breaking that second bird out at 40yrds with the light load and a Full/XFull choke.
But if I don't shoot to the correct mark/position/lead/ keep the gun moving,ect, I will miss just the same as if I were shooting a SK1 choke at an incomer at Sta7.
My reloads in 12ga have been 5/8oz shot for the last 20yrs.
The orig Lyman Manual recipe was for 7/8 oz. I just kept reducing the shot load.
I used to load Clays powder that the recipe instructed to use.
Then when it became scarce I switched over the Alliant ClayDot. Good stuff. I think the load is 14,4gr.
About any primer I can find,,mostly CB1100 wads, but I use others I find here and there,,,about any hull. I load them all the same.
I pick up the hulls at the gun club. It's like picking up brass, can't leave the good ones behind even though you have more than enough already at home for a second lifetime.
I even reload the rollcrimped 'Slug' emptys I find on the rifle range in the Fall. They run through and take a STar crimp just fine.
One piece hulls I sort for the pumps. Two piece hulls (separate base wads ) sorted for use in breakopen guns. I always check the bore(s) before reloading for obstructions.
The extra space in odd mix of hull brands & wads I take up with a couple Cheerios on top of the shot before crimping. Makes for a nice uniform crimps.
I see no reason to change. I use them for Skeet, Trap and SC.
Low recoil, they break everything I hit. Easy to load and easy on the elderly guns I shoot.
Have fun, stay loose,,come Home with a Smile.
Yes, if you get very good and continue into registered shoots and matches you will want to be able to squeeze every possible target/point out of your ability. A 'better' gun can sometimes do that. But not always.
Like rifle and pistol shooting it can become a search for gimicks it improve your ability.
A decent Field gun that you are familiar with, feel comfortable with and shoot well,,,what else do you actually need at this point.
You are going out for some fun and good times.
Special loads won't help you either.
Keep the Velocity at 1200fps and under and you'll be comfortable & be in compliance with most all of the Clay Target rules I'm aware of.
A 1300fps or more load will allow you cut you lead down 6 inches or so on a speedy crosser out there.
Big deal.
Interchangeable chokes?. Get 'em if they are already on the gun I guess. I see it as you are stuck with them at that point.
I see no need for them.
Just shoot with what the bbl has.
All the shotguns I have are Full choke with a couple coming in at Mod on the right bbl of the SxS.
I shoot Skeet mostly w/ 2 Trap pump shotguns and a SBT gun.
I don't think about the size of the pattern, # of pellets, velocity,,
Just shoot to the correct mark and you will break the bird.
The Tight choke lets you break them out the a ways. I always shoot the Doubles in Skeet 'backwards'. There is no problem breaking that second bird out at 40yrds with the light load and a Full/XFull choke.
But if I don't shoot to the correct mark/position/lead/ keep the gun moving,ect, I will miss just the same as if I were shooting a SK1 choke at an incomer at Sta7.
My reloads in 12ga have been 5/8oz shot for the last 20yrs.
The orig Lyman Manual recipe was for 7/8 oz. I just kept reducing the shot load.
I used to load Clays powder that the recipe instructed to use.
Then when it became scarce I switched over the Alliant ClayDot. Good stuff. I think the load is 14,4gr.
About any primer I can find,,mostly CB1100 wads, but I use others I find here and there,,,about any hull. I load them all the same.
I pick up the hulls at the gun club. It's like picking up brass, can't leave the good ones behind even though you have more than enough already at home for a second lifetime.
I even reload the rollcrimped 'Slug' emptys I find on the rifle range in the Fall. They run through and take a STar crimp just fine.
One piece hulls I sort for the pumps. Two piece hulls (separate base wads ) sorted for use in breakopen guns. I always check the bore(s) before reloading for obstructions.
The extra space in odd mix of hull brands & wads I take up with a couple Cheerios on top of the shot before crimping. Makes for a nice uniform crimps.
I see no reason to change. I use them for Skeet, Trap and SC.
Low recoil, they break everything I hit. Easy to load and easy on the elderly guns I shoot.
Have fun, stay loose,,come Home with a Smile.
Trap and Skeet are to different games but they can be mastered.
Trap has 5 stations and each calls for birds to be tossed at spscific angles and rise, set by the club.
Station #1 has a hard Left while station #5 has a hard right, as the longest leads needed to break the "Birds".
All other shots have a reduced leads to where station #3 might have
a straight away, that calls for no lead at all. (Just don't shoot under it )
In the game of Skeet, let it be know that the birds from the low and high house
HAVE to both pass through a "Hoop" that is set up in the middle of the field.
You can "Ambush" a clay by aiming left ot right of the hoops "X"
point of entry and break every clay, but thats not what this game is all about.
One reason that there are rules on what bird must be shot 1st
when shooting doubles.
My longest lead in Skeet is four feet with my reduced loads but
it all depends on how fast you swing your shotgun.
I have seen swings that go from "Lightning" quick to "Slow mo"
but still break targets.
"Pull" !
Trap has 5 stations and each calls for birds to be tossed at spscific angles and rise, set by the club.
Station #1 has a hard Left while station #5 has a hard right, as the longest leads needed to break the "Birds".
All other shots have a reduced leads to where station #3 might have
a straight away, that calls for no lead at all. (Just don't shoot under it )
In the game of Skeet, let it be know that the birds from the low and high house
HAVE to both pass through a "Hoop" that is set up in the middle of the field.
You can "Ambush" a clay by aiming left ot right of the hoops "X"
point of entry and break every clay, but thats not what this game is all about.
One reason that there are rules on what bird must be shot 1st
when shooting doubles.
My longest lead in Skeet is four feet with my reduced loads but
it all depends on how fast you swing your shotgun.
I have seen swings that go from "Lightning" quick to "Slow mo"
but still break targets.
"Pull" !
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