doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Trying ITX....what do you think? **patterns added*

I purchased a 1lb sample of itx to try out on woodies and teal. Short shots on devoting birds.

Because BP hasn't provided any low pressure load data I'm planning to keep the payload light. Has anyone tried 3/4oz 12ga loads with this stuff? I'm going to load 4 different shells tomorrow (2 powders 2 velocities each) and pattern them. These will be adaptations of lead target loads I shoot all the time.

I'll post the results but wanted to know if anyone else had tried this stuff in vintage doubles?

Thanks,
Pat

3/4 oz. on ducks, even woodies and teal? I'd count on having a good dog to retrieve. There's gonna be a lot of wounded birds, IMO.

I have been down the .410 road for doves, and seen the difference in the number of wounded birds when going from 7/8 oz. of shot to 11/16 oz.(and even to 1/2 oz.). I understand the argument that you will restrict your shots to close range, I did, too. But, I am willing to bet you will see a big difference in the number of non-dead hits between 3/4 oz. and 1 1/8 oz., on close range woodies and teal. Woodies are tenacious of life little suckers. They just don't quit.

My reasoning is this, if 1/2 oz. of lead is the absolute minimum for doves inside 25 yds., which weigh 4-6 oz., and you get a very high percentage of cripples even then, 3/4 oz. of ITX is not enough for a woodie that weighs 1 1/2 lbs., at the same distance.

JMHO, SRH

I have shot bluebills at 30 yards with 3/4 oz of #3 steel and it did the job. After thirty yards and at big ducks forget it.


Bill

And big ducks if you have a good location, good decoy spread and know how to use a duck call
No sky-busting allowed!!

Mike

I have been playing with ITX throughout the summer and hunted MN opener this past weekend using 1 1/8 oz ITX loads - FIO hull 36 grains Steel powder. The load is rated at 8500 PSI but since I roll crimped it should have further reduced the pressure. I was impressed. Being from the school that you need 1 3/8 of shot it has been a real change for me to move to the smaller loads. I was using a 1938 3" 12 gauge Francotte that started life as a 27/8 inch 10 gauge. I took at drake mallard at 35+ and some teal at 25 yards - clean kills. I have found the ITX does not pattern well in my Husqvarna. I suspect the tight bores and thick wads are the issue. Eventually I'll pick up some of the thinner RIO wads to make some test loads for the Husky. I see the ITX books has load in the 1 oz - 7400 PSI range using PB powder. Good Luck

I guess my question about it is ......... why? Why would you want to shoot ducks with 3/4 oz. of anything when you can gain a much higher recovery rate with 1 1/8 oz. and up?

There is a big difference in the chances for recovery of a dove shot down crippled, in the middle of a field, and a duck on the water. Any duck hunter knows what they will do if they have enough life left to dive. Lost duck.

I'm not proposing that I have all the answers, fellas, but really, why?

SRH

I'm shooting ITX #4's 7/8 and 1 oz. with both plastic and stacked wads and find they work just fine on ducks, Mallard, Pintails and Widgeon here on the coast. But then my 1970's pre-freeze up load used to be an ounce of lead 7 1/2's and after freeze up jump shooting mallards on the creeks was an ounce of lead 5's .

Don't let anyone discourage you. I have used itx succesfully for 2 years. It is good stuff and cheaper than Bismuth. I would suggest using 7/8 or 1 oz unless you decoy them in close. #4's work real good. #6 for teal work fine and you can get by with less shot.
BP does have some low pressure loads in their manuals. If you need them, PM me.

I have used both 2 3/4" and 3" shells. 1 1/8 oz in 3" in my LC Long range will take ducks to 60 yards, if I do my part. Don't normally like to do that, but I chased a duck last year to at least 60 and he dropped like a rock. (I have a witness)

BTW I think roll crimps can raise pressure.

Jerry

What size shot are you using, Pat?

From my own experience, I'd say steel #4's are about the minimum for consistently clean kills on decoyed ducks, excepting teal where a smaller shot size can be used effectively if the birds are being taken close.

Stan & others are giving you sound advice about using more shot for better results.

When you look at the larger picture, inclusive of effort and overall cost to hunt ducks, it makes no sense to let the high cost of non-toxic shot become a deal beaker. I realize you are seeking a lower pressure solution, but it sounds like you are also loading 'blind' & that is not the best approach. Call BP or check with Alliant about the exact wad & primer to be using w/your shot & powder and keeping the pressures at a low or reasonable level. Both normally have more tested data than they publish.

All other things being equal, roll crimping slightly lowers pressure. Gil