It's official. Count me in the 7/8th's oz is fine for 12 ga. camp! Started loading the new Downrange pink wad (XXL) in straightwalled hulls, screwed in the full choke, and went playing on the trap field. I'm not much of a trap shooter, a solid 18-20, but this time I turned in scores of 25, 23 and 24. Lots of targets turned to dust. On the clays course, I'm about a 38/50 shooter, but with a mod and full choke (too lazy to open them up...), I promptly shot a 43/50.

7/8'ths at 125o. No recoil, lots of broken targets. I'm going to go load some more..... FWIW, Dutch.

Wise old handloader say "Any load that work is a good one"

LOL! That's sort of like the definition of a good dog: "one that pleases his owner". Dutch.

would some info on reloading 7/8oz.I hear you have to use a WAA12L wad and a 20 ga card .070 or .030. is this true

Not at all. In a tapered hull, you can use the Winchester Grey wad or a clone (or the pink Downrange wad), in straight walled hulls, the new orange Downrange wad work splendidly.

Just make sure you have enough crimp (say at least .07") especially if you have lengthened forcing cones, overbored barrels, or 31/2" chambers. The deep crimp increases pressure and velocity to ensure a consistent ignition with slower loads. FWIW, Dutch.

I have used 7/8 oz. loads of #8 shot at 1290 or 1300 when roughing in the sight-in on turkey guns.

LORD!!!

I've often been tempted to load a few up in #6 shot and go smoke some longbeards. Those #8 loads through a well tuned 12 will print patterns at 40 yards that'll knock yer socks off!!

I use 7/8 oz. 12 ga. loads at about 1150 f.p.s. for skeet. They work well in a O/U but maybe not in an autoloader (too low power to cycle the mechanism).

I use the Winchester grey wads, Winchester or Remington hulls (usually with the corresponding Winchester or Remington primer, but it doesn't really matter; you can interchange them), and 15.6 to 16 gr. of Red Dot or Hodgdon Titewad. (I prefer Titewad when I can get it.) You don't need any extra cards. You do need to adjust your loader a bit differently to get the best crimp on whatever hull you are using.

I don't think you need more shot or power than that for skeet.

Shot just hit $40 a bag locally. Yesterday at the Club not only 7/8 ounce 12 ga loads but 3/4 ounce loads for the twelve were THE topic of conversation.

20 years ago I was the exception but I loaded both 7/8 oz for 16 yd and 1 oz for 25 yd hcp and never felt I was giving anything up or handicapping my self in any way.

With shot and primers going insane the lighter loads WILL be the only thing to keep Trap alive. WHO can afford to shoot 1 1/8 oz loads at $40 a bag and $150 per 5K for primers??
Not me.

FN in MT

Well, I'm not desperate enough to actually pay $150 for primers........ I have a standing agreement with my local gun peddler that he calls me before he places his Fiocchi orders, and I tell him how many cases of primers I need. The last sleeve cost me about $100.

Wish I could help with the lead. Copper wire was invented when two Dutchmen found a penny, so when I run out of my stash, it will be quite traumatic...... Dutch.

Dutch,

Living in rural ID You can probably relate to our dilemma here in MT. Few Gun shops with DECENT prices. Little competition so they can set prices to whatever suits them. Winchester,CCI or RP 209's are WELL in excess of $150 per 5K. The $150 price was a quote from the LONE components dealer who travels to the various shoots with discounted components.

If it wasn't for Bill and his truck full-O-goodies probably quite a few shooters would have given up or would be shooting a lot less.

Any good deals to be had in Twin, Idaho Falls or Boise on shotshell components?? Or better yet loaded AA's in 20/28 ga. I get to Boise and Twin probably two or three times a year.

Trying to find 500 to a thousand WW AA 28 ga hulls right now and always looking for 20's.

FN in MT

Yeah, I know, I know. Drive me nuts sometimes.

Other than a relationship with your local gunpeddler like I've developed, I'd suggest these:

Larry's sporting goods in Nampa (East of Boise) He used to be as good as it gets, but he's stepped back a bit lately. I usually stop by and pick up a case of wads and at least 16 lbs of powder. http://www.larryssg.com/

The best in the Northwest is Connies components in Olympia, WA. Strictly wholesale (they won't hold your hand when you call, and emails take a while to be answered). http://conniescomponents.com

Also, don't forget Graf's (grafs.com) out of Missouri. They pay the freight, eat the hazmat over 32 lbs of powder, and give you 5% off over $500. They also have a "club" program (at least, used to), where they will ship larger quantities by motor freight for additional discounts. My last order of Promo got laid in for $81/8lbs. Pretty fair, I thought?

If you ever go to the Coast, Connies is the place to be..... $28 for shot (half ton price). That's a steal in today's world! $66 for Windjammer wads.

Just for fun, I put Connies numbers in the calculator at trapshooters.com, and come up with $3.12 per box. You can still save over a buck a box over cheap ammo......

Told you those Dutchmen were frugal..... HTH, Dutch.

Dutch,

Next trip to Boise I'll visit Larry's...thanks for the information.

We have a Scheels super store in Gt Falls. Two indoor laser shooting ranges, in store Espresso Shop(??), and all sorts of bling in every Dept.

Prices are basically full boat LIST and yet You can still barely find a parking spot! Simply amazes me.

I don't deny a Store a reasonable profit but between my two closest Towns there just isn't a deal to be had. If they DO discount a bit they don't have the item, and wont order or they are full list.

In November we are getting a Sportsmans Warehouse in Helena....will be interesting to see how the three Sptg good/gun shops in Helena "respond" to that.

FN in MT

You'll like Sportsman's. The one here in Idaho Falls is about two miles from my house, and it's absolutely fantastic to be reloading on Friday night, realize you are out of primers (powder, bullets, whatever), and be able to run and get some in a few minutes.

Their prices are pretty good, too, a little better than the catalogs depending on the freight charge. HTH, Dutch.

We have a Sportsmans Warehouse in Missoula, about 2 1/2 hrs west of us. I visit when I'm in Missoula but other than some occasional shotgun shells on sale they are a bit high. BUT then again I've never been there for any of the seasonal sales and they DO have some bargains time to time.

Is Idaho Falls the location of the big Surplus Store on the Interstate?? Same guy that had the store in Butte, MT about 30 years ago. Great place to burn a few hours looking at surplus. Too many Towns in Idaho with FALLS in them....get them mixed up all the time.... Post Falls, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls etc, etc.

FN in MT .... near Great FALLS

Yup, that's the Falls. You forgot American Falls. It's between Twin Falls and Idaho Falls. It's as bad as Billings, Butte, Bozeman....... Too many "B" towns! LOL! Dutch.

quote:

Originally posted by Dutch:
It's official. Count me in the 7/8th's oz is fine for 12 ga. camp! Started loading the new Downrange pink wad (XXL) in straightwalled hulls, screwed in the full choke, and went playing on the trap field. I'm not much of a trap shooter, a solid 18-20, but this time I turned in scores of 25, 23 and 24. Lots of targets turned to dust. On the clays course, I'm about a 38/50 shooter, but with a mod and full choke (too lazy to open them up...), I promptly shot a 43/50.

7/8'ths at 125o. No recoil, lots of broken targets. I'm going to go load some more..... FWIW, Dutch.

Glad this is working for you.

But, my suggestion is you should give yourself as much advantage as you can. And having more pellets is definitely better than having less.

In my younger days - early 80's - when I shot trap. I used the heaviest loads allowed. I am sure that had something to do with my two year average for 16 yards being 99% and 99.5%

Saeed, you get no argument from me! For those who do not know, Saeed was a winner, I believe, of the Grand American, and his baby brother won an Olympic medal last go-around.

If I were in your league, or even shooting competitively, I'd get more pellets, and more velocity. Especially in competitive trap, even "one slipping through" is unacceptable.

However, since I am shooting purely for my enjoyment, and to become a better field shot, I just can't see a benefit to the extra cost, recoil, and blast of "maximum allowed" loads. There will be a lot more clays missed because I stopped my swing, lifted my head, miscalculated speed or the line of the target or any number of other "reasons". JMO, Dutch.

Larry's stopped carring shot because he does not want to pay the high price for it. When I was in there about 3 weeks ago he was telling me the prices are going up fast and by the day for everything.

For years I have been a big believer in 1 oz and 7/8 oz load for trap. I have run the house many time with both loads from the 27. I have come home from shoots with more money in my pocket with the 7/8 oz loads then I have with 1 1/8 oz loads shooting handicap.

Trap is not skeet but if You have ever watched a truly capable skeet shooter SMOKE targets with a .410 and 1/2 oz of shot You start to question those 1 1/8 oz 12 ga loads you've been beating yourself up with. At least I did many years ago.

FN in MT

Frank, it is interesting though when you talk to the big boys that consistently win at the Worlds, they shoot 1 1/8 ounce in the 12 gauge. I was shooting 1 ounce but went back to 1 1/8. I am also shooting a gas gun in the 12 now.

I do need to get my shot makers (4 of them) going and convert all the tons of wheel weights I have in my garage into bags of shot.

Can someone tell me why primers took such a big jump in the last year? I had been getting Fiocchis and the last batch cost $85 from Grangers in Pendleton and now they are over $100. I suspect it is just because they can.

The last few years a friend of mine has been shooting 7/8 oz of # 8 in international sporting clays and winning. When you can hit 50 and 60 yard shots with them it is hard not to question the use of 1 1/8 oz loads.

Chic,

I guess one can't argue with the Shima's and Benders when they run a thousand plus straight time after time each season.

I doubt if they PAY for any of their shells. I DO. With a 25# bag of #9's 1 1/8 oz gets me 355 loads. A 1 oz loads yields 400, and 7/8 oz gets me 457. Quite a difference. FOUR extra boxes of shells vs 1 1/8 oz. I'm talking practice rounds, for REGISTERED I'd probably use 1 oz in the 12 and 7/8 in the twenty.

In the 20 gauge by dropping to 3/4 oz loads one gets 533 loads per bag. Thats my next project; to try some 3/4 oz 20's for skeet.

Then again; I'd bet if I ever made it to a shoot off in 12 ga..... I'd grab those 1 1/8oz #9 AA's I've been hoarding.

FN in MT

Sometimes, you have to shoot factory, and the factory charges the same for 7/8's or 1 1/8th! FWIW, Dutch.