Ok...If I shoot a 3/4 oz load in my 12 ga. which ga. has the longer shot string with the same load...the 28 ga., or the 12 ga, or is their no difference?

CL3 - I have been shooting these out of a Cynergy and a Charles Daly O/U. Some new semiautos will cycle very light loads. I had a Browning Silver on loan that shot 3/4 ounce loads happily, as have the A400 Xplors. Some Benellis will, too. I haven't yet seen an 11-87 that would, but yours might be the first. More likely it won't.

So Phil..you don't know which guage has the longer shot string?

I think I have read that the smaller diameter muzzle contributes to the longer shot string of the smaller gauges when comparing similar loads. I think that is the case. Therefore you can conclude that when comparing an 1 1/4 field load in a 20 ga. with an 1 1/4 oz load in a 12, and a similar fbs the 12 gauges pattern could be said to be better because of the shorter shotstring. Probalby nit pickin again. But I like that nit pickin stuff.

That sounds like a good load to try. What powder are you using? It would be a great load for Cowboy Action too. When they have a flyer, it's most often close.
BTW, Mid South often has the best prices on the web.

MG

Not sure these will replace my 1,530 FPS 1 1/8 oz. Longshot loads... :)

Phil, My first 28 was a Ruger red label. That POS would not fire the 2nd barrel half the time. I took it back to my gun shop and bought a Beretta Silver Pigeon end of problem. Nothing more fun than to be first guy limited out on doves when all the other guys are shooting 12 gauge guns.

I can see alot of benefits in using those 3/4 ounce loads. It will really be helpful to young shooter with a problem with recoil. Perhaps one of the ammo makers will read your blog and put out simular loading.

I've been loading 3/4-ounce of #8 for some time now. I started with the load listed on the Hodgdon website for the Winchester AA hull. The Federal 12SO wads worked great, but I couldn't get those at a good price. I tried the Claybuster substitute for the 12SO, but those wads held too much shot. I happened to stumble across some Claybusters CB0178-12 wads and found these to be a suitable substitute. With 16.7-grains of Clays these pattern well and cycle my Beretta 391 reliably. I was amazed to find that I could usually break sporting clays targets to almost 40-yards using an improved cylinder choke. When I run out of these wads I'll give the ones you mention a try.

been shooting 11/16 oz loads in 12 ga for 20+years.
the problem noted about colapse of crimp i solved by dropping one spent shotgun primer in pocket first.
The spent primer costs nothing, it weighs much less than shot hence drops back right away, the plastic wad sleeves protect barrell, so does not affect pattern. because you have less resistance, you must increase powder charge, use a very fast target powder like 700X. you can greatly reduce your 20ga loads as well
with same satisfying results, in fact a little better result. For reducing this 12ga load sends a "ball" of shot, a 20 ga reduced load still gives you a nice little shot string, forgiving some overlead, allowing you to practice shooting the front 1/3 of clay target.
when loading your shells do not exceed 1150fps, this breaks sound barrier only once, greatly reducing sound(ear damage) and needless waste of resources.
If the gub is bruising you, it is because you are holding it wrong!!!
Study some images on "you tube" of olympic class shooters. Gun fits into your shoulder "pocket". Bend forward, rocking back with recoil, your back is stronger than your arms and will repeat a hundred rounds with less fatigue/consistency. Notice the gun comes up to the face, not the face down to the gun. You tend to undo the last thing you did, hence lowering you head to the gun, you raise your head and shoot over the target, lowering you head takes away precious time as well as canting your head causing one eye to be out of flat with other/out of quare with horizon, confusing eye dominance, not realizing it is improper gun mount, not eye problem.
Study pro shooters, save ammo/time.
The English have historically best shooting schools buy one of their tapes, better than money in the bank.
A shotgun is held a specific learned way, like a golf club has a specific way. Do not do it "your way", learn the pro way and make it yours.

N

One thing I failed to mention in the 11/16th oz load, i use a one ounce wad with a fired primer to ad bulk for good crimp.
Everything makes a difference, albeit some more negligible than others.
"If you can't make a shot string by moving a shotgun at a whipping speed it damn well won't make a difference at skeet speed".
You can see the shotstring if shot at a plane such as a hilltop on pure snow. You can see it as well if you are correctly behind bore of gun, it will look like a gray matter going toward the target.
The difference is more exagerated/noticeable with a smaller bore gun.
A 410 skeet choke throws a full choke pattern @ 21 yards(
average skeet range). So ya, a full choke 410 throws a 18 inch "core" @ 25yds. Almost same.
This 410 bore has a shotstring of close to 6 to 9 feet.You must realize that the shotstring is drafting, with the front breaking resistance, the shot BEHIND goes forward, and so forth over and over again, think of it as a roll with the more out of round shot straggling back. To break the very beak/front of a clay target with a 410 you must hit it with the back of the shotstring, hence you know you overlead(the majority of the shot allready flew in front)If the front of the shotstring hits the front of the target, it slows it's forward path causing the rest of the shotstring to pulverize the target(smoke). Remember this is not water the target is moving as well at about 50 miles an hour.
This is many many railroad box cars of target experience over 40 years, talking.
Most tragets are missed by shooting high or behind or both. Critical with a 410 to hold under as the traget is going AWAY as well as across in skeet. If you see a target split you know your shot bounced off/split the top of the clay(shot high).
Remember to bring the gun up to your cheek, do not cant your head!
You do not drive a car with your head leaning to one side do you?
You drive with both eyes open don't you.
Because you are square/level with the horizon.
Break all singles within 3 feet of the center stake. Timimg remains same/consistent/simple.

Hutter,
Easter bunny is fictional, shot strings are real. You are misinformed about what they are. Shot strings do not bend as water out of a hose, that is not what we are refering to. A longer shot column, such as a 3" 410 will have a longer shot string that a similiar 11/16th ounce load fired from a 12 ga., because the shot column is longer.
The English kill driven pheasants with 1 1/16 oz loads (very nicely, I might add) because they feel that this is the optimal load as the length of the shot column equates the diameter of the 12 ga. shell (tall as it is wide). Whether this has anything to do with it I do not know, could be they are just better game shots.
Short shot strings are proclaimed to be better collectors of fowl, simply because all te shot arrived at about the same time, I can't argue the point with John Olin, cause he is dead.

your choke if correct is designed optimum @ 21 yards, hence about the center stake. Stack all the cards in your favor.
True, after a while it may be boring, so I went to modified low gun(old style) a long long time ago.
This keeps me busy, helping me to specific focus on what I am doing, each time, understanding there will never be another bird exactly like that one again.
Makes it easy to shoot international style anytime.
After learning the details correctly, you realize it is not about shooting anymore, it is about mainting Specific Focus 100 times.Concentration Specifically, not so easy as the mind wants to wander.