Ammo Preference

[KentG]

Seems there are lots of choices for birdshot to use. Just curious what is the most popular and why. WallyWorld has great prices but irregular supply, Wholesale Hunter has good prices and you get what you want.

What do you like for shot size, weight, and dram?

[George]

3 to 3 1/4 dram equivalent. 1 1/8 OZ shot. #5, # 6, or #7.5 shot size (I like 7.5, but I use a tighter choke, mod). Use at least an IC choke and you are ready to rock.

Reduced recoil slugs are the hot setup also.

--

Regards,

[BigDave]

I don't have interchangeable chokes on the Benelli, so instead of "choking up" I change ammo as the stage requires. I really like Winchester Super Sport 7.5's (1 1/8 oz @ 1300 fps). Does nicely on close to moderate range steel, and clays (of course). For TX Stars, heavy steel or distant steel, I've been using Winchester 1 1/4 oz #4 (Super Pheasant, I think). If it is just clays, 7 1/2 or 8 shot Wally World Value Pak is good enough.

I, for one, don't mind the extra recoil of the heavier loads. I think the fact that if I do my part in putting an accurate shot on target that the target will react is worth a little extra recoil than a make-up shot. I've seen TX Stars laugh at people with 7 1/2 and the wrong choke.

Slugs - like George said, low or managed (Remington) recoil seems to be the ticket. You'll have to try just about everything to see what your gun shoots well. You can find low/managed recoil slugs from Remington, Winchester (Ranger), Federal and Fiocchi (and maybe a few others, PMC?)

Coming to play with us next Sunday, Kent?

[sargenv]

When I was shooting Sporting clays, I tended to change up on loads rather than change choke tubes. For 3-gunning though, I stick with a modified choke and am going to experiement with a fast 7/8 ounce load of mixed 4's and 7.5's. Think pattern density with some extra punch. In the past I'd used 1 1/4 loads of 4's and 6's with pretty good results, but after firing a few boxes of that suff, I was noticing myself getting tired and needing more ammo as the day progressed. My Gold handles a 7/8 ounce charge at 1400 fps reliably (530 pf), so I'm going to experiment that way.

As I shoot a match or three, I might have some insight later on.

Vince

[EricW]

For practice, most any bargain shells will do. For matches just cough up the dough and get the WinAA super handicaps or the equivalent load in a Remmy STS. The Remmy STS is the best SG shell sold in America, IMO.

Went and watched the pistol/shotgun shootoffs at Eddy Brown today. Somebody actually showed up with 1oz Estate bargain shells. A bad, bad plan if you think you expect to last long.

[Run n Gun]

I just picked up a case of Estate 1 1/8, 3-Dram, 7 1/2s for $33 and change. Running a modified choke they seem to do just fine. For slugs, I've found that Federal LE127RS low recoil will consistently shoot <2" 5-shot groups at 50 yards. I'm still looking for a buckshot load I like but I have some Winchester Ranger LE 9-pellet that I need to find some time to test.

Ed

[norbs007]

I've seen TX Stars laugh at people with 7 1/2 and the wrong choke

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It laughed at me so hard that I almost threw my gun at it.

I've been shooting reliably using Federal 7.5's and 6's with my 1100CM without problems and modification on the gun using a modified choke, I never used anything under 1oz. nor anything under 3 DRAM as I heard that it could have issues with the 1100CM. But those Texas stars got me thinking about trying 4's.

[sargenv]

For matches just cough up the dough and get the WinAA super handicaps or the equivalent load in a Remmy STS.

I guess I'm an odd duck, I prefer to load my own shotshell ammo. In all metals.. If Bismuth or tungsten were cheaper, I'd use those for hunting as well, as it is, I load all my own lead and steel (for hunting). I was a shotshell loader and shooter before I shot pistol or rifle, so I prefer to use my own components for these.

If you don't reload, I'd heed EricW's reccomendation and go for the better target loads, Hard shot, clean loads and slick operation is one reason I love picking up STS's. Remington finally made a shell worthy of the old style AA's. I don't pick up the new AA's since they changed the process, but if I see STS hulls, I generally pick those up.

When I shoot matches I don't want to give up my STS or old style AA's so I generally load either the old Peters Blue Magics or sometimes the Remington gun club black hulls. I can get great crimps on these shells, they have good capacity, and a pretty good amount of load data for them, I also don't mind leaving them behind since I can generally pick them up once fired without a problem.

Vince

[KentG]

Seems like I thought, different strokes,,,,

I avoid the really cheap stuff but does it make sense to go overkill on high dollar stuff for club match and practice? I cant see myself loading shotshells (yet) so Im going to stick to a good middle of the road #7.5 shot for whatever doesnt dictate slugs and buy it buy the case from Wholesale Hunter unless someone know of a better priced outlet, not wally world.

[sargenv]

For local club competition and limited ranges, gun club cheapie stuff is ok, but that's as far as I'll go. I know people who shoot the wally world stuff at big matches and do ok. Generally they choose the 1 ounce 7.5 stuff, they like the lighter recoil. Winchester or Federal game loads is what they use, generally tending to use the Winchester stuff. Since I load my own, I can set the taper on my shells and I've seen factory stuff that finicky guns didn't like. Federal game loads in particular.

I'm curious in picking up a couple cases of Rio's or other cheapie (read as under $3.25 a box) to see what other people use. I just haven't broken down to that level yet

We'll see....

Vince

[EricW]

If I'm dropping $100 between match fees, gas, etc., who cares about the extra $12 on a case of shells? Cheapies are $35, STS's are $47.

And I'm just sick of reloading shotgun shells. What a total PITA...

[George]

I have been using Rio 3 Dram 7.5's for almost two years now and it is not only cheap stuff, but reliable stuff (for me). I have about 4k of them downrange with no issues yet. Someone else said they were trouble for them in their Benelli so I took the lot off their hands and they ran fine for me in my Remmy ;-)

Gotta go buy some more Rio's real soon as I am almost done with the 10 cases I bought last year. I shoot Rio shot pretty much exclusively for any level match and always use Federal Tac (low recoil) slugs.

--

Regards,

[dshooter3]

I use 7 1/2 on everthing and only switch from a modified choke to a cylnder when I have a stage of close clays only. I just switched from the 3 1/4 dram 1 1/8 oz super x to the win AA super handicap clays load. I think the harder shot in the AA makes a big differance on steel. At 11 yards on a non falling plate the AA were nocking the plate and stand over. the super x were just rocking it

[Larry White]

I really like the Noble Sport trap loads, 3dr,1 1/8, 71/2s and Fiocchi spreaders for the lite stuff. Rem hvy dove loads 3 1/4, 1 1/8 of 6s is a good load as are the phesant loads 3 1/4, 1 1/4 6s and 5s cover the mediun stuff. Fed tack 4 buck, Fiocchi 00 and slugs do the heavy work. Almost allways with I/C but might use Mod now and then.-----Larry

[atek3]

of the good bird loads for 3gun which is the lightest recoiling? I shoot an 870 so a day of pumping away on that thing and the recoil has really beat me down.

atek3

[bgary]

Whenever I go to Oregon or Montana or one of those wonderful states that have both a "Sportsmans Warehouse" *and* no_sales_tax, I buy a couple cases of the Winchester AA "Sporting Clay" loads, usually their AASC127 if I recall correctly (1-1/8 oz, #7 shot, 1300 fps).

Runs great in my ported 1100, and generally case-price runs about $47 (10 boxes of 25)

I'm with EricW.... life's too short to spend it reloading shot-shells.

Bruce

[sargenv]

I'm with EricW.... life's too short to spend it reloading shot-shells.

Hey now.. I LIKE loading everything

Gives me something to do when there is nothing on TV, the weather is nasty, and I don't feel like doing anything else.

Vince

[Religious Shooter]

Seems there are lots of choices for birdshot to use. Just curious what is the most popular and why. WallyWorld has great prices but irregular supply, Wholesale Hunter has good prices and you get what you want.

What do you like for shot size, weight, and dram?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For practice and locals I use the cheapest shell that I can find that runs in my 1100. For bigger matches for my "general" load I like shells with 1) the lowest DRAM rating that will run in my gun, 2) 7.5 shot, 3) at least 1 1/8 OZ and 4) the cheapest brand or shell that fits the previous three criteria. For my heavy load it needs to be have a bigger payload than 1 1/8 OZ, bigger than 7.5 shot, it has to work in my 1100 and again as cheap as possible.

For spreaders I use Fiocchi with #9 shot. I figure the more the pellets (smaller) the better. And since the load is geared towards short rang clays the #9 pellet doesn't need to have much zing to 'em.

So currently that's:

LOCAL/PRACTICE:

Remington 3 1/4 DRAM, 1 oz, #8 => $3/box at Walmart

Wolf 3 1/4 DRAM, 1 oz, #8

BIG MATCHES:

GENERAL:

Estate 2 3/4 DRAM, #7.5, 1 1/8 oz ~$3.20-4.24/box+ship

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/default.asp

HEAVY:

Estate #6, 1 1/4 oz ~$5.86/box+ship (other 1 1/4 oz shells are in the $10-$17/box of 25 range)

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/default.asp

SPREADERS:

Fiocchi Power Spreaders, #9, 1 1/8 oz, $5.49/box+ship

http://ballisticproducts.com/bpi/1products...occhi_Clays.htm

... and oh yeah, the Estate shells have a more pronounced ridge on the shell casing. I think the ridges make the shell a little easier to grip (and hence to control) when reloading by hand. The Remington and the Wolf are relatively smooth.

... and the Estate shells are shorter than the listed Wolf and Remington shells. With a trimmed to +4" (past the mag tube) Wolf spring and the stock 1100 follower I can get 9 into the mag tube with the Choate extension (the one that's basically flush with a 21" barrel + 1" choke). You don't necessarily need the get the more expensive (and better) DMW extension to get 9+1. Not helpful in USPSA matches. But maybe helpful in IMGA matches after the beep.

... and given the ridges and the length of the shell I can actually manage to handle 5 rounds using the Estate shells vs. the 4 with the Remington and Wolf shells. And I have small Asiatic hands . Power to the people!!! Don't need gorrilla hands to do five.

[Bronco]

Used to reload everything even poured my own slugs ( 1 1/8 oz. round ball @ 1120 fps. ). Now load very few shot shells of any type. Use the Rem. 31/4 dr. 1 oz. # 6 @ 1290 fps. ( wally world and Dicks ) for everything except close clays where I use the Fiocchi 3 dr. 1 1/8 oz. # 8 @ 1200 fps spreader and slugs are Wolf/Schonbeck 1oz. @ 1400 fps. I keep a box or two of Winchester Duck & Pheasant 1 1/4 oz. #6 33/4 dr. in the ammo box just in case but have never needed them. Use a mod. choke in the SX2 for all. I like to practice with what I shoot in a match so the feel is the same, cuts down on the butterflies.

[Airedale]

Mrs. Airedale runs Winchester Low Recoil 00 buck in her Benelli with 15 thous. choke (light mod or for us old folks WS2). She says the recoil is fine and it blew Texas star plates about 6' back off the star this Saturday.

I run my reloads of Titewad and 1 1/8 oz of #5 shot in AA hulls through my cylinder bore Model 12 Winchester. When I run out of #5 shot, I'm going to her 00 load.

Dave

[ap3]

Just to weigh in. I will shoot Remington 3 1/4 number 6. The STS is great stuff, but I have found the Gun Club stuff to run juat as well in my Browning Gold. This ammo is powerful enough to take care of any steel including the star.

[norbs007]

This ammo is powerful enough to take care of any steel including the star.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So what do you guys think is best for shooting the star? Any specific choke-shot combination; and in what order (e.g. 1-2-5-3-4, being 1 on top going counter-clockwise)?

Edited September 19, 2005 by norbs007

[davidwiz]

At the Smm3G this year, they had a Texas Star about 15 yards or so away. I was using #7.5 shot with a modified choke and didn't have any problems with it. With a Texas Star, I try to start at the top, to minimize the amount of movement.

[George]

Powerful ammo isn't the issue with the Star. The plates don't take much oomph at all to dislodge, it's the movement that kills you if you shoot the lower plates first.

davidwiz properly stated rule #1 to shooting the star. Rule #2 is always start at the top. Rule #3 is to always shoot the top plates first!

Choke size is not as important as actually aiming at the plate in question. Remember, you actually CAN miss with a shotgun if you try hard enough.

And remember, always shoot the top plates first ;-)

--

Regards,