| Author |
Message |
| < 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ Shot size and mfg. tolerances |
|
 Posted:
Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:01 am
|
|
|
Member
Joined: 02 Dec 2005
Posts: 591
Location: Plains, MT.
|
|
Reading the posts about shooting with various shot has raised a question in my mind. In the distant past there was an article on pellet size and the manufacture tolerances applied. I seem to remember the information as indicating when one buys a bag of #6 lead shot that the bag can hold shot from size #7 to #5. Maybe some one else can remember this or maybe the writer of the article may chime in with support or correction of my recollections.
Best, 
Ron |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Posted:
Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:38 am
|
|
|
Member
Joined: 17 Feb 2006
Posts: 241
Location: Bitterroots
|
|
| Ron Overberg wrote: |
In the distant past there was an article on pellet size and the manufacture tolerances applied.
Ron
|
Ron,
In the (way?) DISTANT past I remember hearing + /- .005" or + / - one half shot size in more layman terms.
But being one for details, I've probably miked, weighed, calculated pellets per ounce, even ran hardness tests on most everything I've tried.....
With that said better brands in the median size range say 4's to 8's stay somewhat close to this. The percentages away from size I think separates the best shot from the so-so......... In other words, what percent is right on size, what % is .001", .002", etc. etc.
It seems 7 1/2's and 8's stay at the closest tolerences in my tests. West Coast Magnum shot runs close and hard with well over 50% at + / - .002" or better, although I haven't tested to an exact %.
Interestingly, some shot may run very uniform but average an off size! A friend in Billings had another friend pickup ten bags of Magnum 7's while back east. They were Lawrence brand and pretty, round, and hard shot. BUT, they miked .105" average and went 266 pellets to the ounce or in reality number 6 1/2 shot! We checked West Coast Magnum sevens and got .100" avg. and 298 pellets/ounce.
I have several bags of Remington Target shot in very hard 9's. I find the shot size average 60 or 70% #9 with the other 30 to 40% 9 1/2's, 10's, 10 1/2's and even a sprinkling of 11's! I use them in .410 skeet loads and wouldn't know the difference if I hadn't checked the size.
So if there is a tolerence, I don't know how close it is adhered to. West Coast Magnum does a good job in this area.
Slidehammer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Posted:
Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:04 pm
|
|
|
Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
|
|
From what I can remenber, it's the percentage of weight that is the most important. quality hard shot should not weigh more than plus or minus 2% of the nominal sized pellet for the alloy used. Thats why smaller shot seems to be of closer size tolerance.
A number of facters can affect how uniform and round the shot forms up as it drops. The most critical seems to be pour temperature. The ideal pour temperature will vary with the alloy being used and the ambient temperature and atmospheric conditions like air pressure and humidity.
The best, most uniform shot is made from very controlled alloy content and pour temperature plus stable atmosperic conditions. By pouring the shot in a controlled and closely monitored manner, and by not mixing different batches, the pellets will be close to one and other in weight and size.
Some batches of a certain size might run a bit on the plus or the minus side of the nominal shot size. However, the average weight will be close to the mean weight. The shot will hold a shorter shot string and pattern more uniformly than shot from mixed or blended batches. This ballistic uniformity is far more important than how much a batch might vary from the nominal size and weight. 16GG |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT - 7 Hours |
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
