Preferred load?

[Sleepy Floyd]

I finally have all the guns needed for CAS.  Just finished by getting a used Rossi Overland external hammer in 12 GA.

What is the preferred commercial load most are using?  I currently have 00buck in my home defense shotgun, but it is a little punishing.

Mike

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I reload, so my opinions are tentative.  I found that Remington RXP and Nitro27 slip out of my old TOZ66 the best.  The cases also last.

Range rules usually set a maximum shot size so find out and go small.  I'd say 7 1/2 or 8 is where you will end up.

Knockdown targets are set for standard 20 gauge loads, so go for 7/8  oz to 1 1/8 oz LIGHT loads.

Try a variety of loads to see if fired hulls pop out after firing with a rearward jerk of the open gun.  I don't like the super-saver discount loads, generally.  Don't spend a lot, and save the cases if you plan on reloading, at least the better R-P types.

Look at the Remington GUNCLUB loads, as my suggestion.

[Sleepy Floyd]

Good place to start.  Time to get some different manufactures shells to see what works best.



Mike

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[Blackpowder Burn]

No. 6 is the larges SASS legal shot size.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Thanks for reminding us of the SASS rule.  Quite often the RANGE regulations mandate a smaller shot size.  #6 are found in game loads that are often more expensive than light target loads, which is where my thinking was going.

[Stu Kettle]

& don't be afraid to try the discount loads.  My gun likes the federals from WalMart & shucks them better than AAs even when reloaded several times.

[Sleepy Floyd]

I'm heading off to WallyWorld this weekend.

Mike

[Tornado]

Winchester AA Reduced Recoil - low noise.  They work great for me.

[Seth Hawkins]

1-1/4 oz Goex FFg Express and 1-1/4 oz of #8 lead shot in a Magtech brass shell modified to accept a 209 primer.
If you don't get a clean kill shot on whatever you were aimin' for the BOOM!, Fire & Smoke is guaranteed to scare it to death!
And make sure you've got a good hold on it when you pull the trigger. 

[jimbobborg]

Just my $0.02.  I bought over 100 of the Winchester bulk 1 oz loads which work great out of my IAC 87.  However, when loaded in my Spanish SxS, they won't let my shotgun open.  However, bulk Remington shells work great in the SxS but don't eject properly out of the 87.  Find what works in your shotgun first before you buy in bulk.  You can't return ammo.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

1-1/4 oz Goex FFg Express and 1-1/4 oz of #8 lead shot in a Magtech brass shell modified to accept a 209 primer.
If you don't get a clean kill shot on whatever you were aimin' for the BOOM!, Fire & Smoke is guaranteed to scare it to death!
And make sure you've got a good hold on it when you pull the trigger. 

Nothin like overkill!! For game? OK. But for Clay & Klang, 60 gr & 1 ounce gets it done.

[Abilene]

1-1/4 oz Goex FFg Express and 1-1/4 oz of #8 lead shot in a Magtech brass shell modified to accept a 209 primer.
If you don't get a clean kill shot on whatever you were aimin' for the BOOM!, Fire & Smoke is guaranteed to scare it to death!
And make sure you've got a good hold on it when you pull the trigger. 

Seth, I've no doubt your loads qualify for warthog status, but 1-1/4 oz FFg?  I imagine you are describing a square load, but with a bit of a typo on the weight! 

[Seth Hawkins]

Abilene - that's no typo.  I'm loading a square load of 1-1/4 oz powder & shot - volume, of course.  I just loaded a couple boxes today.  They do get the attention of everyone on the range when I turn 'em loose.

[Abilene]

Abilene - that's no typo.  I'm loading a square load of 1-1/4 oz powder & shot - volume, of course.  I just loaded a couple boxes today.  They do get the attention of everyone on the range when I turn 'em loose.

Adding the phrase "volume - of course" helps with the intention but it can still be misleading.  Like I said, I know you are trying to describe a square load, but 1-1/4 oz is a weight, not a volume.  That is approximately 547 grains of Black Powder.  I don't think so!  If you had said "1-1/4 oz of shot and an equivalent volume of powder" that would have been okay.  I'm not trying to be picky, but some people might take the weight literally.  "Grains" can be both a weight and volume (approximately equal) when referring to BP.  "Ounces" is only a weight when referring to powder (1 lb = 16 oz = 7000gr).  I expect your volume (and weight) of BP is what, around 80 gr ?

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

"Square load";  When the height of the shot column is equal to bore diameter.  In 12 gauge that comes to 1 1/16 oz. of #6 shot.

NOTE: A square load of shot was found to have the most EVEN shot distribution, thus the most efficient. (Fewer spaces or clumps & without using more shot than was necessary.)

In common misuse, it CAN describe another principle of loading gunpowder in shotguns, loading a greater volume of powder than shot is a total waste! In fact by reducing the powder volume, patterns improve, down to about 30% less volume than shot.

My Mother, who just turned 98, says "Nufs as good as a lot".  Last August my Son used some of my old BP loads. He used all the good stuff and pulled a few from another box (80 gr FFg under 1 1/8 oz #8) In bright sunlight the flame appeared like a foot long blowtorch bloom. Did the knockdowns fall? Yep.  Any faster than the factory superlights? NO!

We pay $30 per pound for GOEX here, to use more than necessary is pure is pure CONSPICUOUS COMBUSTION

[Seth Hawkins]

My apologies for misuse of the term "square load"  I understood it to mean that an equal volume of shot and powder was being loaded.

As for the weight of my powder - I just weighed some.  It averaged around 90 grains weight.  When I load my shells I use a black Lee adjustable dipper to scoop my powder with that dipper set to 1-1/4.  I also used it to adjust my press to drop an amount of shot that fills that dipper when set to the same 1-1/4 setting.

So, yes.  I'm loading 1-1/4 oz (about 545-ish grains weighed) of lead, and when using that same dipper, I'm scooping about 90 grains (weighed) of powder.

Sorry for any confusion.

And as for my abuse of powder and shot…  I lump the shotgun into the same class that I put horseshoes and hand grenades - I should only have to be close for it to count.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Seth
That is the load I use for Turkey Hunting . It works great on Tom Turkey . Well I use # 5 shot .

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

No need to apologize, Son!   It is a very common misunderstanding of the term, and the use you put it to almost makes sense as shooting a greater volume of powder than shot exceeds the point of diminishing returns.

Did I mention another old British term that still makes sense.  It is "The Gunmakers Rule".  This rule (NOT a LAW!) says that for reasonable balance of power, recoil and portability the gun should weigh 96 times the weight of shot it is intended to shoot.

For example;  A gun weighing 7 1/2 pounds is suitable for a 1 1/4 ounce shot load.  Likewise, a 6 pound gun works best with a one ounce shot load.

Shoot safely and well. It's all fun.

[Seth Hawkins]

I used to shoot a "1 oz square" load.  But, for some reason, I was having problems knocking down the poppers with it.  I went to a "1-1/8 oz square" load next and had better success, but still left a few standing if I didn't get a good solid hit.  This "1-1/4 oz square" load will knock down anything that gets in front of it, even if I just catch the edge or the top of the target.

Yes.  This load does go thru powder and shot at an alarming rate.  But I don't have to wait for the smoke to clear to see if I knocked down the targets.

And it sounds like I have discovered a good turkey load, too.

[Abilene]

Fortunately BP is not too hard to come by in this country.  And if using more makes for a bigger grin, nothin' wrong with that!