Favorite Trap loads

sharp shooter

sharp shooter

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So I love reloading. I can't seem to ever sit down so its a great thing for me to do. Its also fun crushing targets with a box of reloads that you just made. I have been very fond of my 18gr Red Dot load with AA12 wads and 1-1/8oz 7.5 shot in a CF AA hull lit by a Cheddite primer. I have always done great with that load but seeing that Alliant powder is scarce I wanted to try something new. I tried Titegroup as there isn't a lot of options. My new awesome load is 17.2gr Titegroup, Rem STS hull, TGT wad, 1-1/8oz #7.5 lit by a good old Cheddite primer. 18grains in a AA hull with a AA12SL wad works marvelous too.

I recently joined a trap club (great club and great people) and am shooting my auto 5 light 12 (I love my auto 5's). I put the gun on the heavy setting so it doesn't spit shells and this load doesn't spit any shells out either and has mild recoil but CRUSHES targets when you are aiming properly. It does not crush targets when you aim outside of the targets path unfortunately.

What are your favorite loads?
 
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I shoot almost exclusively reloads. 1oz of #9 for Skeet, 1oz of #8 for everything else in 12ga around 1220 fps. Very rarely do I feel the need to grab a box of 1 1/8oz loads, when I do it's usually a rabbit target at a distance on a Sporting Clays field.
 
I don't shoot much trap . however 90% of my ammo is home rolled 1 oz of 7.5 or 8 for sporting clays and I load 7/8th oz of 8 or 9 for skeet . both at about 1250 fps . the few times a summer I do shoot trap the 1 oz 7.5 work well for me .
 
These days whatever I can get my hands on. My buddy recently picked up 85 flats of AA's for $135/flat by the time he factored in his fuel to drive the 3.5 hours to get them. He sold me 20 flats. I'm using them only for what I consider the bigger shoots. Should be good for a few seasons.
 
As per Hodgdon data:

WWAA case
18 grains Tight Group (Mec bushing #19)
White CB wad with WW 209 primer
Ounce and an eight of 7 1/2 Hummason shot

Gives me around 1245 fps and great for HC
 
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Yes it is the newer style AA hull. The crimp is deep. In fact it looks very much like a factory AA Super Handicap. The center of the crimp is very much level or maybe slightly depressed.
 
Got this load from the tech at Hodgdon's. Its in their data. Looking for a low recoil load for ladies and juniors. Shot my only 16 yard 100 straight with it. Burns clean and is consistent. I used full choke.

Win AA hull
Win 209 primer
15.6 Tite Wad, (bushing drop checked on a scale)
12SO wad
1 ounce #8 was using home made shot
9000 psi

You can shoot a marathon with it.
 
I settled on an all round load for 16 yard, moderate handicap and doubles about 25 years ago after trying many popular combinations over the previous 10 years.
I load 17.5 grains of 700X in Federal Gold Medal hulls with Win 209 primers, Federal 12SO wads ( or Claybuster equivalent) and 1 ounce of #8 shot. Some other loads worked well for me but the supply of one or more components was inconsistent.
Hulls - Gold Medal last and last with this low pressure load. I have substituted Top Gun, similar results but don’t last through many reloadings.
700X, always available, always consistent, meters well in my machines, burns reasonably clean.
Win 209 primers mostly because of convenient and consistent supply. Federal 209 sometimes jammed my primer feed.
12SO wads give a perfect fit in the Federal cases and pattern beautifully with this load.
There are more #8 pellets in one ounce than #7 1/2 in one and one eighth ounce. This translates to better pattern fill with the benefit of less recoil. Quality hard shot is a must. Seems to break ‘em just fine all the way to 27 yards.
Over many years I probably shot a boxcar full of these, I tried many other combinations, this was best for me.
Disclaimer. This is what I use, I do not recommend that others use this load themselves.
 
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