Favorite target load?

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Noob_

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Going to be buying a couple of cases and haven't settled on a favourite target load yet for 16 yard trap and handicap. Would prefer to buy one load rather than switching between different loads. Shooting mostly federal top gun or whatever I can find that is cheap. I prefer lighter loads but recoil doesn't bother me to much ... Sooo what would you buy a couple of flats of? This is for a 12 gauge 2 3/4 shells.

3 dram 1 1/8 oz - 7.5 shot,
3 dram 1 oz - 7.5 shot;
2 3/4 dram 1 1/8 oz - 7.5 shot,
2 3/4 dram, 1 oz - 7.5 shot,

Thanks!
 
I've used all those loads and many others. Of that selection I would select 2-3/4 dram 7-1/2 dram for trap. But if you are a regular shooter you will go through a couple of flats pretty quickly so why not try them all over time and discover which one you like best. Of the cheaper shells I prefer Winchester Super Target to Federal Top Gun but only because I can't stand the smell of the Federal shells when they are fired. I'd rather pay a little extra and shoot Challenger or Kent.
 
I have been using Challenger 3 dram 1 1/8oz #7.5 cause they where 50$ a flat at hummason's a little while back, so I bought a lot of it. Some people have problems with it, but i've ran about 6500 rounds of it without a bad one. Cant say the same about Winchester cheap target load.
 
I agree, federal top guns smell like the smell of cedar kindling burning...and they seem to throw a lot of sparks. My only solid complaint about them is that the primers can be seated a bit deep, and when i used to shoot a citori, the odd one wouldn't go off in the bottom barrel. My personal observation is I have to choke them down a bit as compared to say Winchester super targets. The Winchesters i shoot cylinder chokes in my 682, but to get similar breaks with top guns, I use normal skeet chokes. Might all be in my head, but i think I can see a difference.

I personally really like kent and challenger. The nice thing about them, is that they will work in most auto loaders, but in my experience, super targets not so much. In fairness, i did run a box of federal top gun 1oz #8 light loads through a friends Beretta Extrema, no issues!
 
I like anything 1oz 1200fps (sub 3 dram) and I like 7.5 over 8, but probably couldn't tell the difference if I didn't know. Although if I could afford it, I'd prefer to shoot International Target loads (7/8oz, 1/4 dram), same punch, less recoil.

I prefer anything Winchester to anything Federal: I find Federal smells and is dirtier. I just picked up 10 flats of Super Target 1oz, 1180fps and really like them. Although in talking to the importer I deal with, buy what you can. He is having a hard time getting his usual orders, this limiting orders to 10 flats.
 
I pick up the Universal and top gun hulls people leave, and load them with 17 grains of PB, a AA12L or AA12SL wad, and 24 grams of shot .
Works great in my vintage doubles!!( grin)
Cat
 
Do you guys prefer a higher muzzle velocity? What's the belief between say 1140 and 1200 muzzle velocity?
 
Noob_ said:
What's the belief between say 1140 and 1200 muzzle velocity?
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Nothing until after you've shot 100,000 targets. Actually I misread.. I thought you said between 1200 and 1400 to which my first answer applies.

The difference between 1140 and 1200 is next to negligible (no matter how many targets you've shot)

Worry (much) less about what your ammo is doing, and focus more on what you are doing.

Brad.
 
Sapper33 said:
I like anything 1oz 1200fps (sub 3 dram) and I like 7.5 over 8, but probably couldn't tell the difference if I didn't know. Although if I could afford it, I'd prefer to shoot International Target loads (7/8oz, 1/4 dram), same punch, less recoil.

I prefer anything Winchester to anything Federal: I find Federal smells and is dirtier. I just picked up 10 flats of Super Target 1oz, 1180fps and really like them. Although in talking to the importer I deal with, buy what you can. He is having a hard time getting his usual orders, this limiting orders to 10 flats.
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Actually, International Trap loads are 24 grams. The difference between 24 grams and 7/8 of an ounce is approximately 1 pellet (at the 7.5 shot size). More precisely, one pellet is the physical difference. The significant difference is that you can shoot International Trap with 24 gram loads. The rules don't allow for 7/8ths of an ounce.
 
straightshooter said:
Actually, International Trap loads are 24 grams. The difference between 24 grams and 7/8 of an ounce is approximately 1 pellet (at the 7.5 shot size). More precisely, one pellet is the physical difference. The significant difference is that you can shoot International Trap with 24 gram loads. The rules don't allow for 7/8ths of an ounce.
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I stand corrected. I knew it was close but couldn't remember if it was 24 or 26gr of shot. Either way that are nice loads.
 
When I used to shoot competitively I shot nothing but Federal Gold Medal 3 dram 8 @16 and 7.5's for handicap. Since I haven't shot competitively in years I shoot Top Guns. I can't say I am aware of the smell you guys are talking about because I don't notice any funky odour? Maybe I am just used to Federal because they are all I shoot for shotgunning, period, even hunting. On the rare occasion when I strayed to try other loads that were recommended I have to admit though there was always something addictive about the smell of AA's!!
 
Sapper33 said:
I stand corrected. I knew it was close but couldn't remember if it was 24 or 26gr of shot. Either way that are nice loads.
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They are indeed. The Kent Cartridge Co probably supplies the greatest volume of International Trap loads in Canada these days. They tend to be crisp compared to some 24 gr loads, but still soft compared to hunting or all-purpose loads. Federal papers are probably the most respected 24 gr shells available. Mirage in Italy makes a range of 24 gr products that are well liked, too. I've never tried the Challenger shells, but I've never met anyone who shot them and liked them.

You're probably getting sick of hearing me say this, but for hunting the more delicate species such as ruffed grouse and Hungarian partridge, I've taken to shooting Gamebore's 2 1/2" low pressure nitro shells - even in guns chambered for longer shells. In 12 ga, these are the Gamebore "Pure Gold". In 16 and 20 ga, they call them "Traditional Game". Made by Gamebore in the UK, they're available through Kent Cartridge dealers in Canada.

For the hard-to-kill birds, such as sharptail and pheasant, I'm slowly using up my virtual lifetime supply of lead for migratory shells - typically heavy loads in 4 and 5 shot.

I don't need to tell anyone that there's a world-wide shortage of ammo going on; presumably thanks to the high demand by Americans buying guns before Obama sticks his commie nose into it.
 
straightshooter said:
They are indeed. The Kent Cartridge Co probably supplies the greatest volume of International Trap loads in Canada these days. They tend to be crisp compared to some 24 gr loads, but still soft compared to hunting or all-purpose loads. Federal papers are probably the most respected 24 gr shells available. Mirage in Italy makes a range of 24 gr products that are well liked, too. I've never tried the Challenger shells, but I've never met anyone who shot them and liked them.

You're probably getting sick of hearing me say this, but for hunting the more delicate species such as ruffed grouse and Hungarian partridge, I've taken to shooting Gamebore's 2 1/2" low pressure nitro shells - even in guns chambered for longer shells. In 12 ga, these are the Gamebore "Pure Gold". In 16 and 20 ga, they call them "Traditional Game". Made by Gamebore in the UK, they're available through Kent Cartridge dealers in Canada.

For the hard-to-kill birds, such as sharptail and pheasant, I'm slowly using up my virtual lifetime supply of lead for migratory shells - typically heavy loads in 4 and 5 shot.

I don't need to tell anyone that there's a world-wide shortage of ammo going on; presumably thanks to the high demand by Americans buying guns before Obama sticks his commie nose into it.
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Are you buying those Gamebore rounds online or from a store? I'm thinking they might not be okay to use in my SX3 but I am planning on buying a SxS later this year.
 
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Cintax said:
Are you buying those Gamebore rounds online or from a store? I'm thinking they might not be okay to use in my SX3 but I am planning on buying a SxS later this year.
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A friend and I talked to the Kent Cartridge rep and asked him to bring in a half dozen flats of it in various gauges. One of our local dealers that carries Kent loads ordered a few flats for himself, which he later sold on the shelf by the box. The dealer made up the rest of a pallet order with other Kent lead and steel products and all we had to do was pick up our shells at his store when they came in.

We only use them for hunting, so they've lasted several years and will continue to do so for several more.
 
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