16ga.com ~ View topic - Skeet loads, Trap loads, what velocity patterns best?

Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 17 Location: United States

I recently lucked in to 8# of Green Dot. I also have 4# of Clays from the 90s. I'm an experienced reloader for the 1 1/8 oz 16ga field loads but I have never reloaded 16ga for Skeet, or Trap, which I just got into last year. Consequently I've got about 4800 empty Herters/Cheddites; and 500 mixed RGLs, and Federal plastics to start with. The truth is that I haven't re-loaded 16ga since the 90s... actually sold the old MEC back then. Now I have a Super Sizer and have ordered a new 650N and expect to be back in 16ga reloading mode by mid June. I've been looking at the available tables on this forum but am a bit confused about what would work best for Skeet, or Trap. I want to start out with the Green Dot in the Cheddites, Winchesters and RGLs; and later on the scarcer Federals. 3/4 oz of 9s is what I have in mind for Skeet; 7/8 oz of 7.5s for Trap. I'm saving my 4# of Clays for the pistols until Hogden comes back on line in Europe, if ever.
Thanks guys.

Member Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 328

Two different shooting games completely.
Skeet is an open choke game and trap is a tight choke game.

But, in my gun and looking just at velocity, 1200-1250 fps pattern more consistently.

Member Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 401 Location: Tennessee

As to what velocity patterns best, there is no hard and fast rule, you will have to test that in your gun. No two guns will likely pattern the same with the same load.

Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 380 Location: Northeast Ohio

You're in good shape to get re-started. All you need is a quantity of DR16 wads.

For skeet I think you'll be very pleased at just how comfortable and efficient 3/4 and 7/8 oz. Green Dot loads are. Usually all I shoot for skeet is 3/4 but sometimes I'll move up to 7/8 for a tournament or league shoot, although I have never actually studied if there is a practical benefit in score. The 3/4 are very, very comfortable.

I do load 7/8 for tournament clays.

I agree with what 3crosses said.

I'm not a trap shooter so I can't offer an opinion there except to pattern and try a couple of different speeds. As we've all heard, supposedly slower loads pattern tighter. Ditto for lighter than "standard" loads in a given bore diameter...as 3/4 and 7/8 are in the 16 ga. So for trap with the heavier 7/8 you may benefit with a little less FPS and for the lighter 3/4 skeet loads, may get a cleaner burn and more open pattern with more speed.

You are really going to like these loads! There is a big difference in perceived recoil when compared to any 1 oz. load. And, they really boil the targets.

Keep us posted

Joined: 15 Jun 2010 Posts: 1358 Location: Twin Cities, MN

I try to make all of my reloads go from 1200 to 1250 fps. This way I never have to worry about my lead changing - even though in fact it takes huge swings in velocity(over 100 fps) to affect your lead. Given the large quantity of Cheddites you have I would just load those. Use the DR-16 wad for both loads. Shoot for 1200 fps for both 3/4 and 7/8oz and you will be a happy camper.
Regards,
Jeff

same here on velocity .. 9's or 8.5 for skeet and 7.5 for trap ....loads are plenty adequate - just let your gun change to the different game . Cyl or just a puff of choke for skeet and as full as you like for trap .

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 601 Location: Virginia

I use 3/4 oz of No. 9 for both skeet and 16-yard trap, just varying the choke--skeet for skeet and full for trap. However, I only shoot trap with my 1100 16, while skeet gets a variety of guns.

Dan

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2349 Location: West MI

More of the same here, 1250'ish works for me, but "what patterns best" is best settled between you, a pattern board, your shotgun and more specifically your chokes.

Only info I can offer; I find moving to 1/2 size larger in winter more or less negates the dense air thing, skeet 3/4oz #9 warm days #8.5 cold...trap/SC's 7/8oz #8.5 warm #8 cold.

BTW; if lugging that awful heavy #8 of GD around becomes a PITA, PM me for a ship to address.

Best of luck...

Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 17 Location: United States

Thanks for all of the input guys. I'm up and running after picking up a 16 ga MEC 650N from the Balllistics Products store in Corchoran, MN. It does work good, for sure, a lot better than the MEC single stage that I had back in the 80s. I'm fortunate that I've got about 4500 empty Cabelas/Herters/Cheddite hulls to run through it, also, 9# of Green Dot, and 4# of Clays; so, I should be good until we get through what I see as a government contrived 'Powder Crisis.' (Be sure to vote in November) Using the Cabelas/Herters/Cheddites, I started out with a W209, DR-16 wad, 3/4 oz of 9s over 19 gs of the Green Dot. I was a little bit nervous about the 1340 fps indicated in the reloading tables for the load. I did a couple rounds of practice Skeet with the Gran Lightning to start off. I have to say that it won't be a magic bullet as far as my scores go, but, it is very comfortable shooting compared to the 1 oz 8 shot 'kickers' that I had been shooting this last year. Also, the targets that did find their way into the center of the pattern did seem to disappear/boil with more authority. I am having a lot of fun. Will run them through the Sweet Sixteen the next time out.

Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 380 Location: Northeast Ohio

The load you settled on is what I often use except I don't go anywhere 19 gr. of Green Dot. It's just my opinion, based on experience, so take it for exactly what you paid for it, Laughing

but I think you could get by with significantly less powder, reduce your recoil, have a more pleasant load and get the same or better results using less powder.

I've fared well in several vintage skeet and clays tournaments and leagues with these loads out of an AYA SxS and a Model 12.

I use from 15.7-16.5 gr. of Green Dot for 7/8 and 3/4 oz. in all my 16 ga. hulls (Cheddite, RGL, WAACF, Fiochhi and others).

I almost always use DR16s but have a good supply of original WAA16 wads and some R16 and card wads too. Any combination of the above works for me although with the RGL hull, I do like to use up the R16s, AA16s and cards, but often use the DR in the RGLs as well.

Once my stock of the other wads and card dwindles, I don't feel the need to ever use anything other than the DR16 for any load up to 7/8 oz.

1 oz. and heavier is a different ball game, although I believe at least one member here has good crimps with the DR even at one oz. as I recall.

16gg's advice is right on the money here. My loads were basically taken from his. You wouldn't be hurt by saving his advice as an option for future use.

I'm not saying the load you cited that you are currently using is bad, just that I think you may find less powder just as nice or nicer and save some precious Green Dot as well...Green Dot that currently is pretty much unavailable.

I found that GD patterned better than Red Dot in 12 ga trap all things being equal. I have seen a tendency for faster powders to open patterns more than slower powders. So in 12ga skeet I used to shoot RD, for trap I used to shoot GD. In 16ga I shoot American Select for targets and Long Shot for hunting. Same idea.

Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 17 Location: United States

Well, I completed the Skeet testing with the Cheddites, the WW209s, the Green Dot under the DR16; all with 3/4 oz of 9s. All of the MEC bushings from M28 to M32, and of course the powder scale; that's 15.7gs to 19gs of the Green Dot. They all seemed to pattern and hit well. Barrel is as clean at 15.7gs as it was on 19gs, and no unburnt powder that I could see. Sure is comfortable shooting.... especially at 15.7gs. I don't have a chrono. Anybody got a guess as to the velocity at 15.7gs?