doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Duplicating the 12 gauge pigeon load

I don't find reloading economically unjustifiable. Matter of fact, I'd have trouble just finding the loads I shoot let alone finding them for the same price I can reload them. I could explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.

Eightbore,

You're absolutely right. There was some information in the Academy Q&A section, but I'm not sure it's accurate. I looked it up on the Rio website, and they have two versions of their "Texas" load. The Texas Game Load 36 is 1.25oz in shot sizes 4, 6, 7.5, and 8, a velocity of 1250 fps measured at 3.3 feet from the muzzle, and 3 1/4 dram. The Texas Game Load HV 36 is 1.25oz in shot sizes 4, 5, 6, 7.5, 8 and 9, velocity of 1330 fps measured at 3.3 feet from the muzzle and 3 3/4 dram. Both are 2.75" shells. I believe Rio also publishes a general idea of the pressures of their shells, but its up to the individual if they want to trust those or not.

http://www.rioammo.com/en/rio_ammo/products/game/standard_line

Pressures for both loads:
http://www.rioammo.com/media/Default%20F...20Load%2036.pdf

http://www.rioammo.com/media/Default%20F...d%2036%20HV.pdf


I also understand the OP was asking for information regarding reloading to the original specifications, I just thought I would mention this load, as I have used it in the past with success and it appears at least to me, that it is similar to the loads mentioned earlier.

I'll sometimes use them late in the season on pheasants. Because I don't use all that many, I'll just order a box or two of RST's 1200 fps, 1 1/4 oz loads in 6's or 5's in a mixed flat. Close enough to Win's old Super Pigeon formula--which they appear to have discontinued. They dropped it in 6 shot quite some time ago, but continued it in 7 1/2. That now appears to be gone as well. Federal used to offer the 3 1/4 DE, 1 1/4 oz load at 1220 fps in their Flyer line. That formula does seem to pattern very well, although from the comparisons I've done, the original Super-X formula (3 3/4/1 1/4, 1330 fps) isn't far behind. But does kick you harder.

Somewhat off topic, but I have a letter from the PGCA on a DH Parker that specified it be patterned to shoot ��extra close�� with 11/4 oz of #7 shot over 48 grains of Schultze powder. What kind of velocity would that generate? It�s a #3 frame 12 with 28�� Barrels.

For a number of years, I was invited to gun pheasants and pigeons for Springer Spaniel field trials. Ideally, the pheasants were to be shot at distance, so that we could evaluate the dog's ability to mark and retrieve. I developed an 800x load which I still believe provided better performance than other commercial 1 1/4 shells.

800 X 26.5 grains
AA Hull
9,900 PSI
1275 FPS
Soft-shooting due to the slow burn rate
I also think there is less pellet deformation and therefore better patterns due to the slow burn rate.

Schultz powder was a 42 grain powder IE 42 grains was a 3Dram Equvelent, loaded with a 3 dram black powder measure by volume, not weight. 48 grains then would be just a bit shy of 3 1/2 DE so likely looking at around 1275 fps velocity.

Thanks Miller