A load / recoil question shooting clays

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S4Lee

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I'm still kinda new to shotguns, and there are alot of details to figure out, so bear with me...

I recently purchased a Winchester SX3 for shooting clays. I've taken it to the trap range to try it out, and using a 2 3/4" #8, 1 1/8oz, 1150fps load the recoil is very managable in my semi-auto. I bought a few cases of this ammo on sale last week. I also bought some 2 3/4 #7 1/2, 1 1/8oz, 1200fps, and though not bad as far as recoil, I can definitely feel the difference in the higher-velocity rounds.

This weekend, I'm going to shoot clays with some guys from work. I told them I'd supply the ammo (since I went overboard when I saw it on sale), but they'll be renting guns, which I know are double-barrels at this particular club. One will be a first-time shooter, and one is also bringing his 14yo son (the one w/ his son have gone 2-3 times before). If I share my ammo, will these loads beat them up too much w/ the O/Us over a round of 100 and maybe 1-2 rounds on the 5 stand? The lighter 1oz loads seem to be a bit faster, so in my thinking, the lighter and faster load probably has about as much kick as the heavier / slower one (right?). Is there's any point in going out and buying a different ammo for them, unless I get them some of the managed recoil rounds?

Thanks for any insights!
 
There are two types of recoil - actual and perceived. Actual is a factor of mass, velocity, weight of the gun - in short- shooting the heaviest gun with the lightest loads gives you the least actual recoil. Perceived recoil, aka "kick", is the result of the fit of the gun to the shooter. This can be mitigated to some degree by using a gas action, recoil-dampening pads and devices and having the gun FIT.

Since there won't be time for friends renting guns to ensure a proper fit, use the lightest loads you can find. Dropping the shot charge down to 1, 7/8, (or even 3/4 - my favorite), will drop actual recoil to a greater degree than just by lowering velocity alone. As an example - the recoil from my 3/4oz reload is 40% less than my old 1oz reload's recoil - that's a LOT.

It doesn't sound as if you reload (yet!), so look for 7/8 or 1oz loads going no faster than 1200 and preferably in the 1145-1180 fps range. You usually won't find those at wally world, but you can find them at Dick's in the form of Remington Gun Clubs which they put on sale about every 3-4 weeks.

Kemen has just announced a new 7/8 oz load running at 1200, which should also work well

Good luck, have fun, and see if someone where you're renting guns can help the boy get something close to fitting
 
Winchester low recoil loads

Winchester makes a great low recoil, low noise AA load, 1 oz of #8. Nice for kids, new shooters, and old farts like me. Perfectly usuable for sporting clays and trap at 16 yards.
 
With trap, your regular sight picture will be slow and behind with those low noise light recoil rounds. In practical terms, I want over 1200 with trap.
Skeet will not be as critical.
Let the beginners/youngun shot a handfull at the high house posstion or the low house position. Hitting the bird is a wonderful remedy for pain.
 
Okay, that's what I'm saying... Given the same gun, is there a significant difference in recoil between the Gun Club #8 1oz load @ 1185fps and the 1 1/8oz load @ 1145fps?

Thanks for the tip, Red Cent. That may explain why the first time out I broke 13 with my new gun at trap w/ 1200fps loads, and the next week I couldn't hit half that with 1145fps load (at last that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!).

BTW, tomorrow we're shooting sporting clays, not trap/skeet.
 
Neither load should kick enough to bother anyone, especially in an SX-3 gas operated gun.

1 1/8 oz trap loads used to be the lightest recoiling 12 ga shell you could buy.
Both my kids started shooting them when they were big enough to hold up a shotgun & yank the trigger. Both became pretty darn good shots as they got a little bigger.

rc
 
I've always thought SXS shotguns kicked the hardest, its probably precieved but I've put a lot of rounds thru my O/U's and on the same day SxS kicked harder. I for one would not start a beginer on one, more power to you if you shoot one well.
That said 7/8 or 1 oz loads.
 
I'm not worried about the loads in my SX3 (semi-auto, not a SxS), and they're welcome to share it. I'm just worried about the kid and the new guy using the double-barrels that they rent at the place (I think the ones I saw were all O/U's when I've been there before, but I could be wrong...). I don't want them to get beat up by the 4th or 5th station and scared off.

Maybe I'll run out and grab a case of 1oz loads, just in case...

BTW, we will have an instructor with us.
 
Had a senior moment there was thinking you bought a Mdl 21. Semi auto helps a lot but the heavier the shot column the heavier the recoil. look for the 7/8 oz or 1 oz that will help, my O'U fit well and recoil isn't bad.
 
I find 12g to be more of a push than a hard recoil. Even though The recoil in FTlb is pretty high. I shoot 1 1/8 oz load at 1250 or so with my hand loads. I use a slow burning green dot and the recoil seems about the same as a 1oz game load. The recoil pulse is longer and not as sharp with slower burning powers so perceived recoil seams lower. I also shoot these out of a Model 12 pump with a lymbsaver pad and i think a 14 year old would be fine with that setup.

That being said the factory shells can vary with the perceived recoil. But i think he will be fine. I would buy a slip on Lymbsaver pad for about 20 bucks at walmart them should make more difference.
 
I shoot 1 1/8 oz load at 1250 or so with my hand loads. I use a slow burning green dot and the recoil seems about the same as a 1oz game load
Click to expand...

IF the gun and velocity are the same (the only difference being the payload), there is about a 20% difference in recoil - that can be quite a difference for some folks.

Okay, that's what I'm saying... Given the same gun, is there a significant difference in recoil between the Gun Club #8 1oz load @ 1185fps and the 1 1/8oz load @ 1145fps?
Click to expand...

Over 2 lb/ft difference - from 14.46 to 16.54 - both of which can be tiring for a new person shooting for a while............
 
Thanks, guys. I did go out earlier and picked up a couple of cases of the 1oz Gun Club loads. I'll use the 1 1/8 oz. loads in my Semi-Auto, and they can use the 1 oz loads in the double-barrels. Maybe we'll swap a few rounds for 'experimenting'. ;)
 
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