Here's another 12ga 1 1/8 oz load that I've "experimented" with extensively on pheasants:
Fed Gold Medal Hull
Fed primer
Fed 12S3 wad
21.7 gr Unique
1150 fps
7000 psi
Throws really good patterns through the guns I've tested with it. Pressure is low enough that I don't hesitate to shoot it through 12's with 2 1/2" chambers.
But when I feel the need for maybe 1 1/4 oz in the tight barrel (not very often), I just go with RST's 2 3/4" 12ga shells. Very close to duplicating the ballistics of the old Super Pigeon load: 3 1/4 DE, 1 1/4 oz shot, 1200 fps. Available in both 6's and 5's.
Those RST 1 1/4 oz loads are pretty monster like. I've shot a few turkeys' with them out of my old Foxes. They generate a good bit of recoil for sure. Falling into the FWIW, category, lots of gunsmiths use those as a Proof Load for classic doubles just to make sure everything is working right and to check for doubling.
