Shot shells and steel targets

[Brian Payne]

I am going to the FN 3-gun next week. It sounds like some of the shotgun steel targets may require more than IC choke and light target loads. Not a problem, and it is nice to know this in advance. My question is this.

If the only shotgun I had was an 18" cylinder bore fixed choke 12 ga. What sort of ammo should I look for to be able to still take down long range, small size, steel targets? Please keep in mind the largest shot size you can use is 6 shot. Also for the shotgun experts, could you please explain how or why a payload of 1 1/8 oz of 6 shot traveling 1300 fps would work better than a payload of 1 1/8 oz of 8 or 9 shot traveling at 1300 fps?

[smokshwn]

Larger shot has more retained energy and depending on the quality of the loading has the potential for tighter patterning and shorter shot string. Most folks tend to think of shotgun patterns as flat pie plate shaped objects that impact a target but in actuality they are three dimensional and shortening the length component coupled with decreasing the pattern size delivers the energy over a shorter period thus increasing the effectiveness.

Hope this makes sense as I have been up all night running calls.

[Jesse Tischauser]

I did a little research from my old text books and its not as simple as I was assuming by any means from a mathematical standpoint.

So I would take Benny's advice below and run with it.

Edited May 12, 2010 by jtischauser

[benny hill]

1 1/4 oz #4-6 and your are good to go.

[springy]

This is what I've read, and experienced a little

The smaller the shot - and less weight per pellet - the more each piece of shot will lose momemtum. A load of #8's will not be going as fast at 18 yards as the load of #6's, with all else being equal. And the smaller pellet will move around a lot more as it passes thru the air, the heavier pellet will hold it's line better. And finally, as air moves into the shot stream, it will spread the #8's out more.

So, the heavier shot will have more speed on target and hold a better pattern.

Some loads have a buffer loaded in with the shot load (buffered). It looks like a cross between salt and talcum, I have no idea what it tastes like......

but it restricts the airflow in the shot stream and makes for a tighter pattern, and a bigger hole in your billfold.

I'm thinking we're all going to have to help each other at the FN next week.......

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by linking arms to keep the tornadoes from ripping us off the range!

IMHO

[Jesse Tischauser]

Sounds like Im going shopping for a few more boxes of #6 this week.

[J.Schmitt]

Just got back from my local Gander Mountain store. #6 shot sure isn't cheap. I couldn't find any that was classified as target load, it was all game load and high brass. I'm going to have to check Walmart and Fleet Farm. Anyone who finds a good deal on a particular brand please post so I can check the local stores.

thanks

Jay

[MarkCO]

Larger shot has more retained energy and depending on the quality of the loading has the potential for tighter patterning and shorter shot string. Most folks tend to think of shotgun patterns as flat pie plate shaped objects that impact a target but in actuality they are three dimensional and shortening the length component coupled with decreasing the pattern size delivers the energy over a shorter period thus increasing the effectiveness.

Hope this makes sense as I have been up all night running calls.

Sleepy smoky got it right.

I think some of the others who answered may have been up for like a week though.

[lmccrock]

Just got back from my local Gander Mountain store. #6 shot sure isn't cheap. I couldn't find any that was classified as target load, it was all game load and high brass. I'm going to have to check Walmart and Fleet Farm. Anyone who finds a good deal on a particular brand please post so I can check the local stores.

thanks

Jay

Remington Shurshot Heavy Dove, 1 1/8 oz #6 at 1255 fps. Usually $6/box, these days; was $3.29 at beginning of dove season about 2 years ago. I get it at Academy, but you probably do not have those.

Lee

[J.Schmitt]

Thanks Lee,

I will look into that

Jay

[J.Schmitt]

Remington Shurshot Heavy Dove, 1 1/8 oz #6 at 1255 fps. Usually $6/box, these days; was $3.29 at beginning of dove season about 2 years ago. I get it at Academy, but you probably do not have those.

Lee

Ok, So Academy sports is the only carrier of the Surshot in #6. Others around here carry it in 7 1/2 and 8 for 7.99 a box. The dilema bleeds on! Regular 6 shot in Minnesota is all high brass and too expensive to use for targets.

So what would be the next best step, the 7 1/2's with a FULL choke? I'm used to using the realy cheap target loads and shooting pepper poppers, stars and static clays.

Jay

[Tom D.]

The stores in Duluth/Superior usually have either Win or Estate Heavy Game loads wich will fill the bill without breaking the bank.

[Charles Bond]

Remington Shurshot Heavy Dove, 1 1/8 oz #6 at 1255 fps. Usually $6/box, these days; was $3.29 at beginning of dove season about 2 years ago. I get it at Academy, but you probably do not have those.

Lee

Ok, So Academy sports is the only carrier of the Surshot in #6. Others around here carry it in 7 1/2 and 8 for 7.99 a box. The dilema bleeds on! Regular 6 shot in Minnesota is all high brass and too expensive to use for targets.

So what would be the next best step, the 7 1/2's with a FULL choke? I'm used to using the realy cheap target loads and shooting pepper poppers, stars and static clays.

Jay

Order what you need on line. I have always been able to find what I need at www.ableammo.com.

Good luck.

Edited May 31, 2010 by Charles Bond

[Sean Gaines]

Remington Shurshot Heavy Dove, 1 1/8 oz #6 at 1255 fps. Usually $6/box, these days; was $3.29 at beginning of dove season about 2 years ago. I get it at Academy, but you probably do not have those.

Lee

Ok, So Academy sports is the only carrier of the Surshot in #6. Others around here carry it in 7 1/2 and 8 for 7.99 a box. The dilema bleeds on! Regular 6 shot in Minnesota is all high brass and too expensive to use for targets.

So what would be the next best step, the 7 1/2's with a FULL choke? I'm used to using the realy cheap target loads and shooting pepper poppers, stars and static clays.

Jay

Order what you need on line. I have always been able to find what I need at www.ableammo.com.

Good luck.

if you don't have access to some #4 or 6, you can go to a tighter constriction on your choke and keep all those pellets in a tighter group, all you have to do is unscrew and screw in a different choke.

[lmccrock]

The stores in Duluth/Superior usually have either Win or Estate Heavy Game loads wich will fill the bill without breaking the bank.

Winchester and Estate both have a load like the Rem Heavy Dove, at a similar price...at least, they used to, when there was a Sportsman's Warehouse around.

As for choke - full is probably too much, but if you have a place to pattern the gun first, go for it. Usually IC or mod or imp mod. Most matches allow choke changes between stages, although not DURING a stage and sometimes there are mixed targets, so having a default choke is good. Plus, with my gun, there is a risk of moving the slug zero when the choke is changed. YMMV.

ETA: Since the match passed, how did it work out?

Lee

Edited May 31, 2010 by lmccrock

[J.Schmitt]

The FN match was great.

I bought a few boxes of Rem Surshot heavy dove in 7 1/2 at 1255fps and a Rem STS Handi 7 1/2 at 1235fps. I went with a modified choke which proved to be more than adequate. The mod was knocking the 3 inch steel plates way the heck off their stands. I shot my last stage of day 1 ( stage 8) with the heavy dove and had a fail to chamber with a round. I cleaned the gun that night and then had 2 more fail to chamber on my first stage of day 2 (stage 9). These were the only 2 stages I shot with the heavy dove. I switched to the STS and it ran flawlessly through my Benelli for 4 more stages.

I will say that a guy on my squad had a gun with a fixed IC choke and had a few problems knocking some of the 6 inch steel over.

The 7 1/2 with the modified was more than adequate.

Lesson learened on the type of shells as well. I won't be buying anymore heavy dove loads. The STS are better built.

Jay

[lmccrock]

Lesson learened on the type of shells as well. I won't be buying anymore heavy dove loads. The STS are better built.

I have run thousands of the Rem heavy dove through a Mossberg 590 and a Rem 1100 without incident. I guess those guns are just better than a Benelli.

Lee

[kurtm]

No it is because Benellis have a tight "match" chamber, and don't like shells that flair out at the end. Now I know that sounds bad, but.....with the match chamber they are much more accurate and that is why folks with the Benellis didn't have any trouble with the steel, cause we could always depend on a nice centered pattern on those pesky 6,ers!

[J.Schmitt]

I was taking a look at a few shots in slow motion from video we shot on stage 7. I used a mix of the heavy doves and STS's. The heavy doves would fire and then the bolt would cycle and I was getting flames out the ejection port and shell opening. Didn't appear that the powder was burning off in time. I would wager that was where my malfunction stemmed from in 2 later stages. I just need what works in my gun.

Jay