Rocketman (and Miller), my statement that perhaps we should all be loading our 12 ga. hulls with 28 ga. wads was, of course, facetious. I had hoped that was self evident. I am also aware that Guagemates "work", but I am skeptical that their use can impart any magical miraculous qualities to a load that defy physics. I expect that a wad skirt blooming out .09" would still contain a lot of the gasses behind it... I just doubt that seal would be anything near perfect. I have seen too many materials from simple leather cups to steel rings to exotic polymers, running in near perfect bores, without the piston running in a bore that suddenly opens .179" in diameter, and know that they all leak (if only a miniscule amount). Perfection would give us the exact same force. Anything less would be a loss, however slight. Any thing more would be impossible, save for some gain from more efficient powder burning in the larger bore as you theorized, or the pressure spikes or detonation I theorized. But I roll my eyes when some speak of magical 13% gains. Like you, I am not aware of detonation issues with shotguns, for sure. I am aware of unexplained shotgun ruptures. They may be due to unknown bore obstructions, dents or barrel defects, or who knows. I know that a friend claimed that it was much reduced loads that blew up his brothers' Beretta O/U back when we were in high school. But I can't prove he was telling the truth as I only saw the aftermath. This friend did play with reduced loads, but he also made up loads that would have left Roy Weatherby shaking in a cold sweat. All I know for certain is that big brother was pissed. Big time pissed. Finally, like you, I too am interested in what is true. I said as much a couple pages back and also said much of this discussion is conjecture. Now conjecture based upon education and years of practical experience beats wild assed guessing and data from the U.S. Journal of Wildly Innacurate Information (a source I may have used to complete one or two late night, last minute term papers). But it is, without extensive unbiased testing, still conjecture. What that means ultimately, I hope, is that we can have these lively and thought provoking discussions, much like those my buddies and I have at the Camp (sometimes fueled by beer and bourbon)... and in the end, remain friends.
Last edited by keith; 10/23/09 11:43 PM.
