12ga International Target Loads

AF_Reloader · October 30, 2008, 08:11 PM

I've got an Alliant Handloading Guide that lists recipes for 24 gram (7/8oz?) International Target Loads. The recipe is:

Win AA Shells
Win 209 Primers
Win WAA12L Wads
20.0 grains Red Dot

These bad boys run at a whopping 1345 fps, but I imagine you pay a price with recoil. There are also recipes listed fro Reming Premier STS and Federal Gold Medal hulls, although they're nearly the same.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Is this something a guy would save for competition shooting (not just for weekly practice)? Would practicing with slower loads (aka 1250 fps) throw you off when shooting these faster loads?

So many questions!

BigJimP · October 31, 2008, 03:37 PM

7/8 oz loads at 1300 + fps is certainly a hot load. I have shot a number of the Remington Nitro loads 1 1/8oz at 1300 fps.

I have also reloaded some real hot loads using Hodgdon Longshot in Rem STS or Nitro hulls / 1 1/8 oz , WAA12 wad (I used a Blue Duster version), Rem 209P primers - and at 31.7gr of Longshot its 1475 fps ( and 10,400 psi) - and there are loads in the books with 32.7 gr of Longshot at 1530 fps and 11,500 psi....but holy cow .... you have to decide when enough is enough.

I've also loaded some 1oz loads using Clays in STS hulls at 1290 fps /and there are other options using Hodgdon International as well.

7/8 oz or even 1 oz at 1300 fps is ok in a fixed breech gun - if the gun is around 8 1/2 lbs. If your gun is lighter than that - they are punishing loads to shoot, in my opinion. If you go to 1 1/8 oz at anything over 1300 fps / shooting it in a fixed breech gun ( like a pump, O/U, etc) is just plain masochistic unless you're only shooting 6 or 8 shells - although I did shoot a couple boxes of them in a 10 lb Trap gun, that had a GraCoil recoil system on it ... and they were fine. I have also shot all of these loads in a Benelli semi-auto - the super sport with the comfort tech system in it / and they were fine in that gun as well ( even out to 1475 fps) - but you could tell they were hot loads.

Its always a joke on a sporting clays course - when they put a crossing target out there at about 45 yards - 60 yards / and someone will reach into their bag and grab some of these "elephant loads" just for the heck of it with 7 1/2's in them ...... and they will "reach out and grab somebody "....

Can heavy loads ruin you - yes, they can. The experts tell us that recoil is cumulative - and over a day when you shoot 6 or 8 boxes / or over a 3 or 4 day shoot - it will take it's toll especially in terms of your concentration. I'm 6'5" and 290 lbs - but even at that, there is a limit. I can shoot them all day in a Trap gun with a GraCoil system on it / but honestly, there have been so many tests run on 1 oz loads, how well they pattern, how well they break targets - that a 1oz load around 1225 fps is really a more friendly load to shoot day in and day out.

Shooting them and having some fun - sure do that. A steady diet of them, in a light gun, under 8 1/2 lbs, would be a bad idea in my opinion.

With the price of shot going up so much, a lot of my buddies are shooting 7/8 oz loads in 12ga and still whipping my butt / so the move internationally to 7/8 oz loads is probably going to move into the US in the next year or so as well.

Jim Watson · October 31, 2008, 05:04 PM

ISU target loads are limited to 24 grams (less than 7/8 oz) by rule.
There is no limit on velocity, so they load them hot to minimize lead and maximize striking energy.

I would either shoot them all the time or not at all. I load 7/8 oz at 1150 for US Skeet.

crowbeaner · October 31, 2008, 08:54 PM

When I hear the words "international trap" I think about 1270 fps and 1 1/8 oz of shot, not these warp speed featherweight loads. Sure you can reach some phenomenal speeds with light payloads, but the above poster stole my thunder. How fast is fast enough?

October 30, 2008, 08:11 PM	#1
AF_Reloader Member Join Date: February 18, 2008 Location: Beale AFB, CA Posts: 73	12ga International Target Loads I've got an Alliant Handloading Guide that lists recipes for 24 gram (7/8oz?) International Target Loads. The recipe is: Win AA Shells Win 209 Primers Win WAA12L Wads 20.0 grains Red Dot These bad boys run at a whopping 1345 fps, but I imagine you pay a price with recoil. There are also recipes listed fro Reming Premier STS and Federal Gold Medal hulls, although they're nearly the same. Does anyone have any experience with these? Is this something a guy would save for competition shooting (not just for weekly practice)? Would practicing with slower loads (aka 1250 fps) throw you off when shooting these faster loads? So many questions!

October 31, 2008, 03:37 PM	#2
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	7/8 oz loads at 1300 + fps is certainly a hot load. I have shot a number of the Remington Nitro loads 1 1/8oz at 1300 fps. I have also reloaded some real hot loads using Hodgdon Longshot in Rem STS or Nitro hulls / 1 1/8 oz , WAA12 wad (I used a Blue Duster version), Rem 209P primers - and at 31.7gr of Longshot its 1475 fps ( and 10,400 psi) - and there are loads in the books with 32.7 gr of Longshot at 1530 fps and 11,500 psi....but holy cow .... you have to decide when enough is enough. I've also loaded some 1oz loads using Clays in STS hulls at 1290 fps /and there are other options using Hodgdon International as well. 7/8 oz or even 1 oz at 1300 fps is ok in a fixed breech gun - if the gun is around 8 1/2 lbs. If your gun is lighter than that - they are punishing loads to shoot, in my opinion. If you go to 1 1/8 oz at anything over 1300 fps / shooting it in a fixed breech gun ( like a pump, O/U, etc) is just plain masochistic unless you're only shooting 6 or 8 shells - although I did shoot a couple boxes of them in a 10 lb Trap gun, that had a GraCoil recoil system on it ... and they were fine. I have also shot all of these loads in a Benelli semi-auto - the super sport with the comfort tech system in it / and they were fine in that gun as well ( even out to 1475 fps) - but you could tell they were hot loads. Its always a joke on a sporting clays course - when they put a crossing target out there at about 45 yards - 60 yards / and someone will reach into their bag and grab some of these "elephant loads" just for the heck of it with 7 1/2's in them ...... and they will "reach out and grab somebody ".... Can heavy loads ruin you - yes, they can. The experts tell us that recoil is cumulative - and over a day when you shoot 6 or 8 boxes / or over a 3 or 4 day shoot - it will take it's toll especially in terms of your concentration. I'm 6'5" and 290 lbs - but even at that, there is a limit. I can shoot them all day in a Trap gun with a GraCoil system on it / but honestly, there have been so many tests run on 1 oz loads, how well they pattern, how well they break targets - that a 1oz load around 1225 fps is really a more friendly load to shoot day in and day out. Shooting them and having some fun - sure do that. A steady diet of them, in a light gun, under 8 1/2 lbs, would be a bad idea in my opinion. With the price of shot going up so much, a lot of my buddies are shooting 7/8 oz loads in 12ga and still whipping my butt / so the move internationally to 7/8 oz loads is probably going to move into the US in the next year or so as well.

October 31, 2008, 05:04 PM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,620	ISU target loads are limited to 24 grams (less than 7/8 oz) by rule. There is no limit on velocity, so they load them hot to minimize lead and maximize striking energy. I would either shoot them all the time or not at all. I load 7/8 oz at 1150 for US Skeet.

October 31, 2008, 08:54 PM	#4
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	When I hear the words "international trap" I think about 1270 fps and 1 1/8 oz of shot, not these warp speed featherweight loads. Sure you can reach some phenomenal speeds with light payloads, but the above poster stole my thunder. How fast is fast enough?