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| < 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ shot hardness |
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 Posted:
Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:19 pm
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Joined: 06 Sep 2007
Posts: 154
Location: Kentucky
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| One hears alot about the soft shot used in promotional loads such as the RGL. I was wondering if anyone here actually has a hardness tester and have actually compared the hardness of the shot compared to say a premium STS or AA Trap load? |
_________________
The chance to act magnamously toward others often lasts but an instant, the chance for regret lasts forever. |
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| Posted:
Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:24 pm
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Member
Joined: 08 Apr 2006
Posts: 104
Location: Northeastern Pa.
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| If you have the new Lyman's book on shotshell reloading they give you a good example of the different types of lead. They also recommended to use hard or extra hard over soft. |
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| Posted:
Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:26 am
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Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 665
Location: Louisiana
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Shooting Sportsman had an article several years ago describing the construction and use of a reliable shot hardness tester. It is easy to fabricate and the article provided the conversion tables necessary to determine the % of antimony contained in the sample.
If you are interested I can look up the date of the magazine issue and post it here. You'll need a reliable micrometer.
Ron |
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| Posted:
Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:24 pm
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Joined: 06 Sep 2007
Posts: 154
Location: Kentucky
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| Thanks for the reference offer but that really isn't necessary. It's not like I could get manufacturers to change their mind and use different shot anyway so ignorance is bliss. Actually I am perfectly satisfied with RGL and most of the other loads in that price range. I was really just interested to see if we had anyone that had actually verified the shot was really that much softer as there seems to be quite a lot of discussion about it in the gun press and on boards such as this. |
_________________
The chance to act magnamously toward others often lasts but an instant, the chance for regret lasts forever. |
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| Posted:
Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:31 pm
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Member
Joined: 28 Oct 2005
Posts: 665
Location: Louisiana
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My personal experience suggests that promotional loads contain significantly 'softer' shot than do premium loads. In the case of Magnum shot (Lawrence) I have tested their smaller sized shot at 6% antimony.
Pattern board testing also appears to show improved patterns with harder shot if you consider tighter patterns as improved.
Ron |
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Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:49 pm
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Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Posts: 38
Location: midwest
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Working within the engineering field I do...I have access to instrumentation to test the surface "hardness" of various materials.
Simply put...there is a difference...even between lead shot claiming to be "magnum" shot.
Even some of the copper plated shot (some of it) is still fairly soft. I primarily hunt pheasant and load up nickel plated shot. I cannot say enough about it. While patterns are aided...I love the fact that the pellets I pull from the birds are still very round and pull far fewer feathers into the flesh.
Is this issue 'overdone'...yup. I'd still kill 99% of the birds I flush with 'normal' shot. But I'm inclined to give the good shot a couple of birds a season. |
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