The challenge in judging patterns from the same barrels with different weight loads is that most patterns are measured on boards in two dimension and not the three dimensional cloud they actually are. Authors like Burrard, then Oberfell& Thompson, and Brister to name a few all address shot string. Having read their books and Jones too, I agree that patterns remain similar from the same barrel with different weight loads, and that the shot string is shorter. Perhaps there are less trialing shot and therefore the load either hits solidly or not at all, but there is a point, which is difficult to determine exactly, that reducing shot reduces effectiveness.
The mythic, or mystic belief in the square load is part of this question. Ultimately reducing weight reduces effectiveness. Skeet averages declining with the guage ( load ) size shows this.
Load efficiency in reducing loads is problematic as is increasing load weight with magnum loads is.
Last edited by old colonel; 04/03/16 08:56 PM.
