Saw a discussion on another site. Wondered if anyone here has experience with these? Tried 7/8 ouncers today for the 1st time. Worked the bolt on my 11-87 fine & easy on the shoulder. Guy said there's no way a 3/4 oz. load will. Thought I'd see if he's right(wrong?) Anyone have a recipe? Hard to find data on this one.

I've not heard of anyone doing the 3/4 oz load but it would be doable with the AA12L wads and a card wad in the bottom of the cup. Given the performance of the 7/8th oz loads however, I gotta ask why? Keep it simple, stick with the 7/8th oz loads. There's plenty of data out there, something that might be missing for a lighter load...and cycling the action is a salient point.

Many years ago when I used to load 12 gauge for hunting purposes only, I experimented with the lightest weight of shot that would perform well. I used these light shot loads to hunt rabbits. I mostly used #4 shot copper plated. I would take the lightest weight of shot listed for the AA hull. I then put 20 gauge cards in the bottom of the wad and worked from there. I actually got down to ½ ounce of shot. I used the lesser amount of shot because it done less damage to the rabbits. Four shot was extremely effective in that, maybe only a couple of pellets would strike the rabbit, but it was enough to kill it. No ruined meat. Regardless, that is how I work up loads for reduced shot weights. I never had a problem, but remember, this stuff is experimental and without published data, WELL, you are own your own! Good-luck…BCB

[QUOTE Given the performance of the 7/8th oz loads however, I gotta ask why?

Strictly curiosity.

BPI sells wads for these light loads. They can beused for 7/8 and 3/4oz loads. Sorry I have no load data for them. Heres the page to buy them if your looking to try.
http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/products.asp?dept=86

Thanks for the link to BPI. I checked it out and the wad specifically for 3/4 oz loads is for straight-walled hulls. I'll find a use for some Fed GM's I have.

I would suggest using the 24gr winchester wad dont know what they are called in America but here in Oz they are known as WAA1224 they are blue with a domed protusion in the bottom of the shot cup it should still crimp allright with the lesser shot weight use a fast powder like Clays and use data for 24 gram loads as a reference just err a little on the cautious side I'd use about 17.5 grains

I have a magazine article from several years ago titled "28gauge loads in a 12 gauge" I have loaded them for years. They have very little recoil and I beleive titewad powder. I am travelling now, but will try and find the article when I get home.....

Gimpy,
You will find a lot of 3/4 oz., 24 grams and 7/8 oz. lead shot loads in Reloading for Shotgunners (4th edition), pages 144 to 153.
Lefteris

Thought this thread had gone the way of the purple goose. Thanks for the later replies. Not familiar with that particular tome, LV, but will do a search on it. Adios.

Lefteris,

I spent some time in your neighborhood in the mid 70's and for my last honeymoon in 1984. Beautiful area I hope to see again some day!!!

I'm shooting 7/8 oz with 16.5 gr Universal Clays in my over and unders, but they won't function an 1100 Rem.

Gimpy,
You will find the book at www.ballisticproducts.com and I am sure at other places as well.
Lowrider 49,
Nice to hear you had a good time in my area. Not have much experience with American powders. Very difficult to obtain here. From time to time you can find some but you are never sure when the next lot will come (it may take years). I do not know what components you use (hull, wad, primer) but the Hodgdon Universal Clays may be a litle slow burning for 7/8 oz. 12 gauge loads. In the Hodgdon 2001 Shotshell Manual I have on hands, there are enough recipes that I think will cycle the action of your gun perfectly.
Lefteris

Lefteris,
I also found it in an old Midway Shotshell catalog. BTW, I happen to be watching "Zorba the Greek" on Turner classic Movies at this very moment! See ya!

Gimpy,

The 7/8 Oz. loads have been around and published for some time but the newer 3/4 Oz. interest is most probably due to the Olympic Clay Shooting diciplines which are required to use 24 Gramm loads. This actually equates to 13/16's of an ounce.

With the ever decreasing (lighter) payloads prescribed by Olympic clay shooters (down from 28 gramm) there are still some very impressive scores being posted at Double Trap, Trap & Skeet. The reduced recoil though has been negated by the increase in shot charge speeds which are pretty quick.

Like Lowrider says, they work great in newer, better refined gas systems and obviously you're having success with your 11-87 but I cannot get the 24 gramm loads to recycle my (very old) Remington 1100 either; even when I do a super squeaky clean cleaning job. I considered enlarging the gas holes in the barrel to increase the gas charge but felt leaving it as is was the best course of action.

They are great clay bird cartridges but after the payload was reduced from 28 gramms to 24 gramms they are not anywhere nearly as effective as they once were for bird hunting applications in .12 gauge IMO. I tried some 24 gramm's in 9 & 7 1/2's in Arizona a couple of years ago for Quail & Doves and considered them a marginal hunting load.

Our gun club on Peterson AFB sells a grayish silver wad (I think they're Pattern Control, but am not home to make sure) that I have for 3/4 oz loads. Its fine in my O/U and SxS guns for low recoil. Definitely will not function my 1100s. Also, some O/Us with recoil set triggers would not fire the second shell. Mechanical setting triggers of course had no problems.