doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shenk Shotshells

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I saw this video today. Hopefully he’ll be able to make it, but he’s trying to work through Shenk his process.

Ken

Update: my order was placed in May and I received my case of #6 shells about 2 weeks ago.
Feedback so far- I only shot a couple of shells out of my Arrieta sxs and for low pressure they sure had some strong recoil. Comparable to 2 3/4 #6 that I have shot. That may have been a bad test as I had already been shooting low pressure 980 #8s at trap so may have skewed my senses. They broke the target no problem.

Only other feedback is the shell boxes fall apart from the bottom with even light handling.

Received a report of a visitor to the Vintage Cup 2023 today. As to Shenk the report said they were there but had no shotshells displayed today.

Report said that as advertised RST was not there.

I did notice on the RST website today they are selling 2 inch 12 bore shotshells @ $250.00 .

To avoid problems I have started loading low pressure shells again using the pb I have with 7/8 oz shot

Shenk is at the Vintagers and I spoke with Jake Shenk at length about his business. His ammo is pricey; I bought a box of 1 oz 2.5” 1,180 fps 12 gauge shells to try on the course. $24 a box. Mr Shenk said pressure is 7,500 psi on what I purchased. His reloading equipment is from Italy and he just received his 16 gauge press. He indicated it will take until next year before he is ready to bring his short 16s to market. He has had some challenges getting powder but he apparently is getting what he needs. He just can’t make it fast enough. He is very young, maybe 25 and is very driven to produce a quality product. I don’t recognize the hull. It is not Cheddite but it seems to used a Cheddite primer. I did not get to ask him about that. I wish him success. RST is not here which I find strange since the event is practically in RSTs back yard.

Here is a report I received today of a Vintage Cup 2023 participant and what he had to say about Shenk shotshells that he bought and used at the 5-stand:

"......Bought a box of the Shenk new 2.5” shells -$24/box and limited amount sold to each shooter. 7500 psi. is not low pressure! I used them on the incredibly difficult 5 stand and they kicked like a 1 1/8 oz. 3 dram load in my 7.4 lbs. LC Smith. BTW the 5 stand was of Tournament difficulty and I did not see one person of the 20 I watched break over 15 - I shot 9. And it took nearly an hour to shoot 25 birds due to broken traps, etc. The Shenk shells will not be suitable for light weight English guns......."

I agree, 7,500 psi is not low pressure, but the recoil was not excessive IMO.

Some points I would make concerning the report of the shooter who sent his report to bushveld ........... I disagree that 7500 psi is not low pressure (for shotshells). It is! Especially so as compared to SAAMI pressure loads that are normally sold OTC. And, also as compared to period shotshells loaded with nitro for black. Secondly, the reporter seems to equate pressure with recoil. That is ridiculous. Recoil is NOT a function of pressure, as a stand alone. IF higher pressure results in higher velocities, THEN recoil is affected. It is also affected it the payload is increased and the pressure and velocity stays the same.

If 7500 psi is not considered low pressure in shotshells, what is? I load shotshells as low as 5900 psi, but just because it isn't sub-7000 doesn't mean it isn't considered low pressure. Nobody asked, but IMO, low pressure is anything from 8000 psi down. Maybe we should begin by defining "standard pressure shotshells". What are they? They are in the 10,500 - 11,500 psi range. Now ......... define "low pressure" for yourself.

I don't often agree with Stan, but he is right on all counts in my book. Whether 7500 is low, is subjective. It may be low enough. Then again, it may not. For a lot English guns I have owned, I would say it is low enough. But not for all of them.