Differences Between Commercial Target Loads

Rob!

Rob!

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I recently picked up 5 flats of different loads in the hope of finding something I like for sporting clays. Now some of the differences are obvious like shot size, shot weight and velocity. Some are more subtle like antimony content and I suspect powder burn rate and wad design.

I'm hoping to see a discussion on what factors are seen as significant and why. Perhaps your favored loads and why? Favorite manufacturer? Maybe things to avoid?

I know this is just one base on the way to a home run. I've got a decent shotgun that fits me well. I've got an outstanding instructor. I practice as often as a peaceful marriage will allow and even practice mount reps at home.

Rob!
 
I shoot Challenger, Score, Winchester 7.5 or 8. Whatever I can get a deal on. I can't see a measurable difference between any of those. Maybe if I was a 99% shooter looking for that one more bird but shooting 94% there are a lot more things I need to work on. Maybe if I started buying ammo at 15.00 a box my scores would go up but I doubt it. I have read various studies by Neil Winston and others on Trapshooters.com that show the difference between 7.5 and 8 and the various loads are so miniscule that it only exists in the shooter's head. Velocity differences between 1150 and 1290 FPS mean hundredths of a second in travel time. Almost unnoticeable. Others may have experienced different things but, for my money, I'll buy cheap ammo and shoot a lot of it. That's the path to improvement.

I won't shoot that Black Goose crap though. I have never shot dirtier ammo in my life. I pulled my 3200 apart after a few hundred rounds of that and the insides were encrusted with black crud.
 
Rob!
I think your shotgun shell brand will be the smallest factor in performance or score. When it comes to 1 1/8 ounce 12 ga loads @ 1250 fps for modern guns I buy flats of shot size required by my club according to best price. A secondary consideration is for a hull that I might want to reload for some of my low pressure guns. Outside of that I don't see a difference in performance although I'm shooting for recreation not at an elite level.
Never had a bad round I could blame on the ammo. Well, maybe some black powder rounds I made up that were more like 900 fps.
 
Londonshooter said:
Rob!
I think your shotgun shell brand will be the smallest factor in performance or score.......
Click to expand...

That would be my expectation as well, but while not picking up extra birds by ammunition, I may get some by comfort. I've never considered myself recoil conscious - at least not with a gun that fits - and I never get a bruised or sore shoulder (except for qualifying with 1 1/4 oz slugs from prone). Having said that, my scores hold up better over 50 than they do over 100 or more so I thought I'd experiment with something less than 1 1/8oz. I can't say any of them have made much difference in my scores one way or the other but I have perceived things unexpected. All have been 1180 - 1200fps. My Federal 7/8 oz were the lightest but felt more like middle of the pack. The AA 1oz feel lighter than their specs would suggest. Can't tell much difference between the Supertargets and the Challengers.

Note to self. Trying to perceive minor differences in ammunition is not good for concentration. Having said that, somewhere along the line I'll be buying 10 or more flats at a time and I'd like to put a little thought into it. :confused:

Rob!
 
Considering that a 12 g has the recoil of a 30-06, recoil certainly can be an issue. I prefer to shoot the 1 oz light loads (for skeet), and the recoil reduction compared to standard loads is noticeable. I'm not particular to brand, however, I avoid the Winchester promo loads as they tend to stick in the chambers of a few of my guns. Even the Win SuperTargets stick, so they're out as well..
 
I shoot whats cheapest, and i am perfectly fine with 1oz loads. If I shot handicap trap i might care about a heavier load, but at skeet, sporting, and 16 yard i dont even look at what the load is on the box i grab.

If a load gives you more confidence for any reason, then shoot that.
 
I buy flats of Federal Top Gun, and have bought a few flats 20 Gauge Super Targets, when they come on sale. Net cost for the best deals on flats of shotshells lately has been about $70 a flat.
When Winchester AA come on sale, and there is a $2 rebate, making their cost about $8 a box I prefer to buy them. I doubt that I have broken more targets with better shotshells, though.
 
I don't use as many 12 gauge loads as I do the sub gauge loads, but when I see the Challenger target loads go on sale for $7 per box or so, I generally top off my supply. When 20 gauge loads go on sale for around $8, I top them up, with whatever is cheapest.
 
The only way to find out what works well in your guns is to pattern them. I shoot primarily Challenger 1 ounce Light Loads and Kent 1 ounce Velocity. Both pattern well in my guns and are consistent performers. I will step up to 1-1/8 Challenger for longer targets.

Winchester Super Target and the Wally World equivalent are not consistent and so poorly made they don't function reliably in my semi-automatics. Federal Top Gun patterns and functions well but I can't abide how they smell after being fired.
 
bdft said:
I shoot Challenger, Score, Winchester 7.5 or 8. Whatever I can get a deal on. I can't see a measurable difference between any of those. Maybe if I was a 99% shooter looking for that one more bird but shooting 94% there are a lot more things I need to work on. Maybe if I started buying ammo at 15.00 a box my scores would go up but I doubt it. I have read various studies by Neil Winston and others on Trapshooters.com that show the difference between 7.5 and 8 and the various loads are so miniscule that it only exists in the shooter's head. Velocity differences between 1150 and 1290 FPS mean hundredths of a second in travel time. Almost unnoticeable. Others may have experienced different things but, for my money, I'll buy cheap ammo and shoot a lot of it. That's the path to improvement.

I won't shoot that Black Goose crap though. I have never shot dirtier ammo in my life. I pulled my 3200 apart after a few hundred rounds of that and the insides were encrusted with black crud.
Click to expand...

Well 94 singles average I am asumming? Is dran good shooting with all the highs and lows and most casual shooters would be disappointed if they actually kept track...

The teachings of our savor Neil also tell us to pattern with premium ammo.


I understand that speed shouldn't make much difference in time to a target but my findings from actually shooting handicap and watching even, it is very easy to see the difference in a 1150 shell vs a 1250 one.

Was shooting doubles not to long ago guy had 1 oz reloads for first shot just over 1000 fps he figured, they really smoke first birds. But he had accidentally put two boxes in and shot a round those shells would not reliably break a second bird lots of dust off but not many breaks.
 
So far my favorite out of what I've shot so far is Remington Gun Club 1oz 1185fps #8 in 12ga. It seems to shoot softer, burn cleaner and works in pretty much all distances 16-27yds.

I've tried: Winchester Super Target; Winchester Super X; Challenger Light Load; Challenger Handicap Load; Federal Top Gun; Federal Gold Medal. All in a variety of 1 or 1 1/8 oz, 1145fps to 1250fps, #7.5 or #8 shot. The Federals are a bit stinky and smoky, the Challengers had some issues extracting out of my pump gun, and the Winchesters are OK but we had some bad hulls at the club (peeling plastic or the bottom of the shell near the brass had bulged out) among several different shooters.
 
I definitely find a difference between 2 3/4 dram 1 1/8oz loads and 3 dram 1 1/8 shooting handicap and my second shot on doubles with cheaper loads. From behind the gun though it sure seems like there is a time difference and difference in downrange break performance from my currently assigned yardage (25.0). However with premium loads such as 2 3/4 dr Federal Gold Medal I get just as nice of breaks on handicap distances but still notice a slight difference in speed to target or maybe I just perceive it to be that way. For everyday shooting my preferred loads are 2 3/4 dr #8 Top Guns or Kent Light 8's. If its an important shoot such as Provincials, Zone Shoots, Canadians or The Grand I run Gold Medals no ifs ands or buts.
 
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Most standard brands are good enough for me, when I choose not to reload.

However, the Winchester white box stuff, even in an over under, can vary significantly from BOOM!! to pffuff...

C
 
Thanks for all the responses. It's been kind of fun!. Went out for a round yesterday and I was glad to be alone. Wouldn't have wanted people to notice me sniffing spent federal hulls. :redface: (Guess my olfactory senses are not refined enough to pick it up.)

I mixed up a few 7/8 Federal Top Gun with some 1 oz Top Gun at one station and couldn't tell them apart - for recoil or for breaks. Think I'm drifting in to the 1 oz zone. Not big on the Super Targets, but the Top Gun and Challengers are fine. The big winners are the AAs. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe its psychological. They just feel better - like the difference between a Norinco and a Dan Wesson 1911. I probably only get out once every couple weeks on average. Might as well enjoy it.

I'm about to start another related thread on consistency. Hope to see some of you there.

Rob!
 
I shoot what ever is on sale. Usually challenger 1 oz. 7.5. I used to shoot #8 shot, however with the switch to biodegradable clays I started shooting #7.5. I found that the biodegradable targets are harder to break. I have found targets intact with 5 and more holes in them. #7.5 shot seems to break them better.
 
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