Originally Posted by Stanton Hillis
Originally Posted by eeb
I started shooting 3/4 oz in a 12 a few years ago when shot became difficult to get. That load will stretch a bag of shot and break targets fine. I stopped using that load ( and this may sound odd) because the recoil is nothing. I need more “feedback” from my gun than what the recoil of a 3/4 oz 12 gauge load will give.

(1) How far do you think a 3/4 oz. load will break targets on edge with 100% reliability? I need a load that will do that at 50-60 yards with certainty. If I decide to limit myself to closer ranges I use a lesser gauge with a lesser payload, willingly. But, I shoot sporting clays on some tough courses. I am certain 1 1/8 oz. load of 7 1/2s at 1175 fps will do that at 50-60 yards. I use .410s a good deal for doves. I know with 100% certainty how far a .410 will reliably kill a dove. It is a 35 yard gun, maximum.

(2) I understand 100% about the "feedback" (recoil) issue. It is very disconcerting for a load to have too little recoil in my 12 ga. guns.

I hope this answers your question: I had to use tighter chokes in my DT10 to get solid breaks at the longer distances to which you are referring since pellet count is, obviously, much lower in a 3/4 oz load. Now, I rarely see on edge 60 yard crossers at the ranges I shoot, and whether you can hit those type targets reliably is up to you to determine for yourself. When I got a 28 gauge OU a few years ago, my scores on local ranges varied little from my 12 gauge scores. And you know yourself a 28 will break targets a long ways away. So, if you use a tight choke in your 12 and do your part a 3/4 oz load in your target gun should break those long targets. Have fun. Ed