Steel Shot 1 1/4 vs 1 3/8 oz loads

[Ken Ihrer]

For such a small increase in speed you may want to stick with the 1 3/8
load. The only way to know for sure is to pattern the 1 1/4 oz load and
compare the pattern density. If they're anywhere close I'd go with the
speed, if not go with the better pattern.

I switched from a 1 9/16 oz load of no. 2s to an 1 3/8 oz load of no. 2s
(both hulls are 3.5") this year but I gained 150fps which was over a 10%
increase in speed. I must admit that I haven't checked the pattern density
on the lighter load (yet) but the proof is in the pudding and the lighter
load has been deadly this season.

>I'm shooting rice fields in central CA and currently using 1 3/8 oz of
>#2s, (3 ", 12 gauge). There have been several recent articles touting
>the 1 1/4 oz loads over the 1 3/8 oz loads. Does anyone have any factual
>information comparing the two? An 1/8 oz of #2 pellets is about 15 in
>number. Does a slight (30 fps) increase in speed at 40 yards compensate
>for the loss of pellets in the pattern? My gun patterns well with the
>heavier load.
>
>--
>Tim Ackerman
>acke...@nccn.net
>"Everyone Lives Downstream"
>

***************************************************************************
Ken Ihrer | I am a hunter and I believe
| The man closest to nature
Ticka Ticka Ticka - Bang! | Knows what nature needs
How sweet the sound. | - D. Watson (Oak Ridge Boys)
***************************************************************************

[Tim Ackerman]

[john.w.lyngdal]

In article <ackerman-131...@ppp181.nccn.net> Tim Ackerman
<acke...@nccn.net> writes:
>Date: Thu, 14 Dec 1995 08:43:27 CST
>From: Tim Ackerman <acke...@nccn.net>
>Subject: Steel Shot 1 1/4 vs 1 3/8 oz loads

Tim,

The only factual information I can offer is nearly a decade of field
experience shooting ducks on Sauvie Island, OR. I would rate the 1 1/4 oz 3"
load superior to the 1 3/8 oz load for any waterfowl application. Pick a shot
size( 2 to BBB) and shell manufacturer that patterns the best and let the
feathers fly.
The Federal W140-1 load at 70F was running about 1400 fps in my
11-87, while the 1 3/8 oz Remingtons could only muster about 1250 fps. 30 fps
is no big deal, however an additional 150 fps appears to have merit.

Good Hunting,

John

[Tim Ackerman]

In article <john.lyngdal...@tek.com>, "john.w.lyngdal"
<john.l...@TEK.COM> wrote:

John, Thanks for the reply. I ended up with 1 1/4 oz loads anyway
because no one, even the wholesalers, seemed to have the 1 3/8 oz loads.
Remember that the 150 fps difference in speed is muzzle velocity. Only
About 1/3 of this is left at 40 or 50 yards. I'd sure like to find some
energy specifications to compare. When I hit a large bird at longer
range, the #2 pellets do not pass through the duck. It falls, but only
after a flight of several hundred yards. This is no problem in the rice
fields, but would be a disaster in tules or flooded timber.