Heavy Loads

[dooderman]

Hey boys,

 

Lame question but I am new and want to clear my mind. I got a SS w/ comfortech. I LOVE this gun. The manual says to shoot 3-4 boxes of heavy loads. I am confused as I don't know what is considered heavy.

 

I put 2 boxes of 1 1/4oz, 3 dram, 3 inch magnum #6 shot at 1550fps Federal Golds through it so far. I then went and put 100 rounds of standard(blue box) Federal 1 1/8oz, 3 dram, 2 3/4 inch #8 shot at 1200fps.

 

I want to compete and as I move a long would love to try the lower recoil loads. I am just confused of what is a heavy load and what to look at on the box. Is the ox size what I should be looking at or the FPS or dram. I see 1 oz shells at high 1450fps loads and makes me wonder if that is considered a heavy load.

 

Help, my brain hurts!

CR

[Jordan]

Heavy loads just means hunting loads if I'm not mistaken i.e. 00 buck. It's mostly for break in of tactical models before using tactical/low recoil rounds I believe, but I suppose it could also be for break in before using bird loads. I'm not a bird hunter so I'm not too familiar with powder loads in birdshot.

Hope this is of some help.

[dooderman]

Thanks for the info but that doesn't do it.

 

There are a TON of hunting loads so what do I choose.

 

Any other takers?

[tucker301]

The older method of distinguishing the potency of a particular load was to use the drams eq. measure. This meant that the smokeless powder charge delivered the same energy as that many drams of black powder.

 

Recently, the manufacturers have moved away from the drams eq. labeling and are showing ounces of shot and FPS.

 

Heavy loads should be considered heavy field or heavy trap loads.

Typically, they will be loads that deliver a shot charge of 1-1/4 ounces or more at a muzzle velocity in excess of 1400 FPS.

 

Benelli recommends a minimum load of 3 drams, 1-1/8 ounce of shot.

This is what I'd call a medium field load.

Anything lighter and the gun may not generate enough recoil to properly cycle.

 

If your gun is shooting the Federal Blue Box loads without a hitch, you can go ahead and try some light field or light trap loads, but don't be disappointed if there are some hang-ups.

[HOGWILD]

I would do the heaviest load i intended to shoot in that gun, so if ya going to shoot Turkey use a Turkey shell ie hevi-shot, If ya going to shoot Geese use a Geese shell ie hevi-shot, but for a skeet gun i would think the 3 3/4 Dram 1 1/4 oz #6 high brass would probably be heavy enough and a little cheaper than the hevi-shot if ya were not going to kill something. once ya break it in the low brass rounds should cycle and if they do not ya find one that does! Italian gun likes different shells than most! my SBEII likes cheap 7/8 oz federals and winchesters just a pian on the range loading one sheall at a time!

[dooderman]

Tucker and Hogwild,

 

Thanks a ton for the info. This really helps me. One last dumb question....

 

I got the Montefeltro 20g for the wife. What is heavy loads for 20g. We ran some Federal 1 1/8oz, 3.44 dram, 3 inch #6 at 1300fps. That gun kicked hard as it is so light. Ran just like mine 2 boxes through it. We then ran about 100 rounds of the blue box Federal 7.8oz, 2.38 dram, 2 3/4 inch, #7 1/2, 1210fps.

 

My question(s) on these is I am assuming that 1 oz would be big enough for break in or should I be breaking it in more with the 1 1/8 loads. Also, I like federal but I cannot find any lower load than 3/4oz for 20g. Is there lower like 1/2 or is that just not applicable?

 

Super sorry for all the questions? I thought I had it figured out but there are SO many options.

 

Thanks again guys! It is always a pleasure to hear from guys like you that know what is up. Thanks for that.

 

CR

[HOGWILD]

Tucker and Hogwild,

 

Thanks a ton for the info. This really helps me. One last dumb question....

 

I got the Montefeltro 20g for the wife. What is heavy loads for 20g. We ran some Federal 1 1/8oz, 3.44 dram, 3 inch #6 at 1300fps. That gun kicked hard as it is so light. Ran just like mine 2 boxes through it. We then ran about 100 rounds of the blue box Federal 7.8oz, 2.38 dram, 2 3/4 inch, #7 1/2, 1210fps.

 

My question(s) on these is I am assuming that 1 oz would be big enough for break in or should I be breaking it in more with the 1 1/8 loads. Also, I like federal but I cannot find any lower load than 3/4oz for 20g. Is there lower like 1/2 or is that just not applicable?

 

Super sorry for all the questions? I thought I had it figured out but there are SO many options.

 

Thanks again guys! It is always a pleasure to hear from guys like you that know what is up. Thanks for that.

 

CR

 

Seems from what you have said i think ya probably allready have it broken in and after reading your owners manual i am cluless on what 36 Grammes shot load might mean and i used to reload shotshells, obviously that was back a few years when a fox squirrel had no chance in getting away from me! and only takes a few minutes to call Benelli C/S, i called a couple days ago and had my answer in less than 5 minutes! any round ya would shoot at Pheasant i would think would work on break in! Federal webpage explains the shot weight to grammes?? a little bit they said 1 1/4 oz shot weight equals 35.44 grammes which your manual say not to exceed 36 grammes if you have the 3" Mag 20, have not heard of anything smaller than 3/4 Oz and looked on hodgdons and federal sites and seems that is the smallest charge weight! good info on gramms /charge weights if needed!

[HOGWILD]

Seems from what you have said i think ya probably allready have it broken in and after reading your owners manual i am cluless on what 36 Grammes shot load might mean and i used to reload shotshells, obviously that was back a few years when a fox squirrel had no chance in getting away from me! and only takes a few minutes to call Benelli C/S, i called a couple days ago and had my answer in less than 5 minutes! any round ya would shoot at Pheasant i would think would work on break in! Federal webpage explains the shot weight to grammes?? a little bit they said 1 1/4 oz shot weight equals 35.44 grammes which your manual say not to exceed 36 grammes if you have the 3" Mag 20, have not heard of anything smaller than 3/4 Oz and looked on hodgdons and federal sites and seems that is the smallest charge weight! good info on gramms /charge weights if needed!

 

Those 3/4 Oz loads were 28 Ga only for the ones i have seen and that federal blue box light loads 20 Ga were only a 2 1/2 dram powder charge which is probably enough but ya might wanta call C/S just to make sure! they will probably tell you like your manual tells you that if it cycles shoot it! Important issue is break in and seems ya did a good job with that issue and manual also says if it does not cycle do not shoot!!