Took some high brass to the trap range

[ninepointer]

I was given a box of old high brass Imperials in No. 7 1/2 (can't figure why they put #7 1/2 on those big purple duck loads ) and I thought it might be fun to burn 'em up on the trap range. All I can say is WOW!!!

The first thing I noticed was the lack of lag-time between pulling the trigger and crushing the bird. It seemed instantaneous! The other thing I noticed was that if I was anywhere reasonably near the bird, it broke! It was like I could not miss.

The downside of course is that my shoulder didn't appreciate it very much. Accordingly, I found myself increasingly anticipating and bracing for the kick and, as a result, I bungled the last 3 birds .

I'll just stick with 1200 fps

 

[3macs1]

I was given a box of old high brass Imperials in No. 7 1/2 (can't figure why they put #7 1/2 on those big purple duck loads ) and I thought it might be fun to burn 'em up on the trap range. All I can say is WOW!!!

The first thing I noticed was the lack of lag-time between pulling the trigger and crushing the bird. It seemed instantaneous! The other thing I noticed was that if I was anywhere reasonably near the bird, it broke! It was like I could not miss.

The downside of course is that my shoulder didn't appreciate it very much. Accordingly, I found myself increasingly anticipating and bracing for the kick and, as a result, I bungled the last 3 birds .

I'll just stick with 1200 fps

I hope to you took the time to smell every shell right after firing. Nothing is as sweet smelling as some old imperial shotgun shells. I am not sure what powder they used but I know everyone was a sniffer back in the day.
They also patterned very well but I would be shocked if they are much faster than the 1200, you probally had 1 3/8 or 1 1/4 oz loads also.
Cool shells for sure

 

[ben hunchak]

Most trap ranges would not let you use those loads, partly in courtesy to other shooters, usually those rules are written on a sign on the trap field, those imperial 7 1/2s were great on ducks.

 

[3macs1]

Most trap ranges would not let you use those loads, partly in courtesy to other shooters, usually those rules are written on a sign on the trap field, those imperial 7 1/2s were great on ducks.

I'm real Glad we don't have any issues like that here.Every fall I will shoot a few rounds with my 10ga to get ready for the geese.
Nothing like some old 2 1/4 oz lead loads to make ink spots out of targets.

 

[Covey Ridge]

I was given a box of old high brass Imperials in No. 7 1/2 (can't figure why they put #7 1/2 on those big purple duck loads )

Imperials were not just duck and goose loads although those 7 1/2s were often used for decoying birds. (I found that they had too many pellets for close range) In Alberta those were late season long range pheasant hammers Just curious, but what was the load weight? Were they paper?

 

[colecreek]

The purple-hulled high-brass CIL Special Long Range all held 1.25oz of shot,
even in the smaller shot sizes.

Here are the specs from a leftover box of 12ga #2:

Imperial Special Long Range
2.75", plastic hull
"Dynawad" plastic wadding
Drams equiv.: Max (whatever that means?)
Oz shot: 1.25oz

I have no idea what the velocity is.

 

[Covey Ridge]

The velocity should be around 1330 f.p.s. and the dram equiv was around 3 3/4. With the powders available at the time, 1330 was about as fast as they could push 1 1/4 oz.

 

[beretta boy]

... those imperial 7 1/2s were great on ducks....

X 2 ... Used them to great effect years ago out of a Model 12 Skeet on decoying birds.
A little later in the season, switched over to 6's, then finally down to 4's out of a full choke gun for divers. As I recall, they were 1-1/4oz "MAX" Dr. Equiv.

 

[3macs1]

The velocity should be around 1330 f.p.s. and the dram equiv was around 3 3/4. With the powders available at the time, 1330 was about as fast as they could push 1 1/4 oz.

Cool.Without looking too hard I put my hand on a box of 7 1/2 12ga and the same in 16ga. Few more boxes there also. Not sure why I am keeping them old girls other than for some day when I want to smell that powder again.

 

[colecreek]

When did CIL/IVI stop producing their ammo lines?
I see your box was $11.89....my box of #2s was $4.44

 

[Covey Ridge]

IVI bought out CIL. IVI also produced military ammunition as well. When military contracts became more lucrative, sporting ammunition was phased outi In the 80s.
3macs1 will probably know more.

 

[3macs1]

IVI bought out CIL. IVI also produced military ammunition as well. When military contracts became more lucrative, sporting ammunition was phased outi In the 80s.
3macs1 will probably know more.

Cannot remember off the top of my head but we went through this on another post if I recall just a few months ago. This will help some

http://members.shaw.ca/cartridge-corner/shotgun2.htm

 

[Covey Ridge]

Cannot remember off the top of my head but we went through this on another post if I recall just a few months ago.

I can not remember either. Must be from sniffing too many just fired hulls

 

[M12shooter]

I can not remember either. Must be from sniffing too many just fired hulls

The old paper Imperials, Maxums and Canucks smelled the best. Something to do with the powder and the wax used to make the hulls. Brings me right back to my youth on a cold October morning in the marsh.

My dad was a pack rat and always bought ammo by multiple case loads...back when a case was 500 rounds. I still have a dozen or so boxes of old CIL paper shotshells. Fire a few at game now and again and sniff away... before I toss em into the grass for old times sake.

 

[Smokepole]

The old paper Imperials, Maxums and Canucks smelled the best. Something to do with the powder and the wax used to make the hulls. Brings me right back to my youth on a cold October morning in the marsh.

My dad was a pack rat and always bought ammo by multiple case loads...back when a case was 500 rounds. I still have a dozen or so boxes of old CIL paper shotshells. Fire a few at game now and again and sniff away... before I toss em into the grass for old times sake.

Yep... one of the joys of shooting.

 

[BCFred]

It's sure a relief to hear that I wasn't the only one that loved to smell fired shotgun shells when I was a kid. Here I was thinking that I probably needed some kind of treatment program back then. I'm OK now, of course! I actually went over to my shop to stroke a couple of the boxes of old Imperials I have collecting dust on the shelf after reading these posts (That's OK isn't!!!). They look like the brass is longer than the paper. As I recall, we used to use the 71/2's for pheasants. I have been told that 6's and even 5's are used for pheasants today. We used 6's and 4's for ducks as we were doing mostly pass shooting on the dikes.

 

[tigrr]

Thanks guys that brings back fond memories. I think I'll go check on my highbrass imperials now. The last box of #2 I used for goose hunting before the lead ban, most of the brass cracked. New reloads with 700X are great smellers too!

 

[kjohn]

Those nice old Imperial Special Long Range 7 1/2'swere all my old Dad ever used in his Tobin double. Many a Prairie Chicken and bush partridge ended up in the frying pan because of those shells. And, yes, I was a sniffer as a kid. There is nothing as heavenly as a good whiff of one of those old C-I-L hulls.

700X is nice, too. I have a few of the old paper shells. I'll have to go let one off so I can be taken back to the time as a kid when I was the retriever. That old Tobin does kick with those Imperials.

 

[the spank]

I dont know about the other provinces but here in Ontario the CFO rules for gun clubs are very clearly stated and must be posted at the club that you may only use ammunition on the clay target ranges that has a dram equivalent of 3 1/4 or less with a shot charge not to exceed 1 1/8oz and shot size may be no larger than 7 1/2. The reason being that the shot must not be able to reach out beyond the 275 metre fallout area of each field. Heavier loads are only permitted on the rifle ranges where an adequate back stop is available.

Now that being said I cant see why anyone would want to shoot cannon loads on a trap/skeet field. Personally the softer the load shoots the more rounds I can fire off in a day and isnt that the name of the game. Shoot til you puke as my buddy says.....

Those old CIL shells were good stuff but when IVI took over, the stuff they produced was pure garbage IMO. Thats when I took up reloading for waterfowl.

 

[BCFred]

I dont know about the other provinces but here in Ontario the CFO rules for gun clubs are very clearly stated and must be posted at the club that you may only use ammunition on the clay target ranges that has a dram equivalent of 3 1/4 or less with a shot charge not to exceed 1 1/8oz and shot size may be no larger than 7 1/2. The reason being that the shot must not be able to reach out beyond the 275 metre fallout area of each field. Heavier loads are only permitted on the rifle ranges where an adequate back stop is available.

Now that being said I cant see why anyone would want to shoot cannon loads on a trap/skeet field. Personally the softer the load shoots the more rounds I can fire off in a day and isnt that the name of the game. Shoot til you puke as my buddy says.....

Those old CIL shells were good stuff but when IVI took over, the stuff they produced was pure garbage IMO. Thats when I took up reloading for waterfowl.

I think the rules are the same out here, but one place you get a grey area is with meat shoots that happen on the same ranges that other clay games are shot. I have heard tales of people using 1 1/4oz #6 shot and even #4. Sure have to agree that shooting cannon loads doesn't make sense in trap/skeet.