The 8-bore is fun to shoot and will draw a crowd at any clays event. We had an 8-bore clays event at the LC Smith vs. Parker Challenge in Sanford last April; and although some were intimidated by the massive Parker and Smith guns from which they had to choose, we still had 54 event entrants. Everyone who participated said it was the most fun they'd had shooting clays; and the entrants included a wide variety of people from 14 year old teen age boys, to several women, and even one frail looking 80 year old gentleman. This elderly gent, as he returned his gun, commented to me as to how much he appreciated being allowed to participate; as shooting an 8-bore was on his "bucket list", and was something he'd wanted to do for years and years (just never before had the opportunity). The shells we used were hand loaded by Jim Stahl of the LCSCA and Jim Hall of the PGCA. Some were loaded with 1 5/8oz, and others with 2oz of #7 1/2 shot; the loads mixed so that everyone had an "equal" chance at the 5 clays thrown. I've no idea as to the load recipes concocted by those boys; but none of those 14 pound Smith and Parker guns had any trouble with digestion.
