what is best load for skeet?

sjones · December 24, 2002, 10:51 PM

I am new to this sport and have a few questions.What are some of your pet loads?Does it matter if you use 1 oz or 1 1/8 oz. What vel do you shoot for. I am using green dot to 1200,with 7 1/2 shot. Also,what kind of choke is best?I am using skeet choke,would ic or im be better? sj

sricciardelli · December 25, 2002, 12:04 AM

3 dram, 1-1/8 ounce of #8 shot.

HSMITH · December 25, 2002, 01:40 AM

If you are shooting an auto I would recommend a 1 oz load at around 1200 FPS, and that one ounce be #9 shot. If you are shooting a fixed breech gun I would recommend that you shoot 1 ounce at 1100 or so, and make that one ounce #9 shot. The higher velocity of the auto gun load will help to open the pattern up a tad with an open choke, but still provide adequate density to hammer the target. The lower velocity of the fixed breech load is the lowest I have been able to go and still get the load to respond to choking, any slower and the patterns get really tight really fast.

The longest shot you are going to have in skeet is no more than 30 yards, if it is longer you screwed up bad and load selection is not going to help. Shoot a few patterns at 25 yards and take a look at the loads I mentioned. You are going to want to look into a cylinder or skeet choke, both lighter than imp cyl but he skeet only a tad.

Stay with #9 shot if you buy shot for skeet. #8 is not going to cost you even one lost bird, niether is 7.5. Shoot what you have on hand, but #9 will give you the really spectacular breaks that make us all feel good.

Keep the velocity AND the shot charge as light as you can, it helps make practice fun and you improve that much faster. Skeet is a game that takes some practice to hit the upper levels, don't hammer yourself with heavy loads when they just are not needed.

sjones · December 25, 2002, 01:31 PM

I shoot an auto and I will get some #9's next time I buy some. I have quite a bit of #7 1/2 left. I can always use that for dove season next year.I have been loading 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2 to 1200 fps and some to 1270 fps.i will have to go out and do a lot more practice. sj

addecus · May 28, 2004, 09:28 PM

yes an ounce is plenty, and like mr smith says, keep it under 1200fps.

K80Geoff · May 29, 2004, 09:31 AM

I agree that 1 oz is enough shot, if you use a good quality #9 shot. I use a Remington STS hull with remington tgt 12 wads, which are designed for 1 oz loads. 18 grains of 700X or 17.5 gr of clays. gives 1180 to 1200 fps. Use Briley cylinder chokes in my O/U.

I always load with Lawrence magnum or west coast shot.

I do prefer the 28 ga for skeet, almost no recoil. Like shooting a 22.

priv8ter · May 29, 2004, 12:27 PM

Okay, hopefully I don't embaress myself here, but please keep in mind I can count the number of timesI have shot skeet on one hand.

I have often heard said that when it comes to the cost of reloading(for a pistol at least) it is hard to beat the cost efficiency of Wal-Marts 100 round WWB value-pack.

The Wal-Mart near me sells 100 Round packs of shot-gun shells(2 3/4 inch, 7.5 shot) for something like 12 dollars. And, the few times I did skeet/trap, that always seemed like a pretty unbeatable deal to me.

Can you really reload shotgun shells cheaper than that?

greg

K80Geoff · May 29, 2004, 01:13 PM

$12? Best I ever did was about $14.

The wally world shells are decent, the Federals especially are very good. Trouble is they only come in #8 and #7.5 shot.

OK if you don't mind and they are popular in sporting clays, many folks have stopped reloading and use the value packs.

If you buy the components in bulk you can save a little. Cost about $2.70 to 2.90 for 25.

By bulk I mean getting the cheapest price for shot, primers in cases of 5000, wads in cases of 5000, powder in large quantities (*EG 700X in 12# kegs).Re using your own hulls.

You have to wait for sales or group buys where a group of shooters will get together and put in an order for a ton of bagged shot and large quantities of other components. Gun clubs often do this, with a member who has access to a trailer unloading facility that can handle pallets.

If you buy powder by the pound, a bag of wads at a time and 100 primers at a time you will be better served using the wally world value packs as they will be cheaper.

YMMV

HSMITH · May 29, 2004, 06:38 PM

I do 100 rounds for less than $10. $9.20 or so is what it costs me, and WM is over $15 around here not to mention I shoot better shotshells than what they sell.

December 24, 2002, 10:51 PM	#1
sjones Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Location: waxahachie,Texas Posts: 337	what is best load for skeet? I am new to this sport and have a few questions.What are some of your pet loads?Does it matter if you use 1 oz or 1 1/8 oz. What vel do you shoot for. I am using green dot to 1200,with 7 1/2 shot. Also,what kind of choke is best?I am using skeet choke,would ic or im be better? sj

December 25, 2002, 12:04 AM	#2
sricciardelli Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2001 Location: Montana Posts: 489	3 dram, 1-1/8 ounce of #8 shot. __________________ http://stevespages.com/page8.htm

May 29, 2004, 09:31 AM	#6
K80Geoff Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 1998 Location: NE Pennsylvania Posts: 3,639	I agree that 1 oz is enough shot, if you use a good quality #9 shot. I use a Remington STS hull with remington tgt 12 wads, which are designed for 1 oz loads. 18 grains of 700X or 17.5 gr of clays. gives 1180 to 1200 fps. Use Briley cylinder chokes in my O/U. I always load with Lawrence magnum or west coast shot. I do prefer the 28 ga for skeet, almost no recoil. Like shooting a 22. __________________ I am no longer a member of this forum. Bye!

December 25, 2002, 01:40 AM	#3
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	If you are shooting an auto I would recommend a 1 oz load at around 1200 FPS, and that one ounce be #9 shot. If you are shooting a fixed breech gun I would recommend that you shoot 1 ounce at 1100 or so, and make that one ounce #9 shot. The higher velocity of the auto gun load will help to open the pattern up a tad with an open choke, but still provide adequate density to hammer the target. The lower velocity of the fixed breech load is the lowest I have been able to go and still get the load to respond to choking, any slower and the patterns get really tight really fast. The longest shot you are going to have in skeet is no more than 30 yards, if it is longer you screwed up bad and load selection is not going to help. Shoot a few patterns at 25 yards and take a look at the loads I mentioned. You are going to want to look into a cylinder or skeet choke, both lighter than imp cyl but he skeet only a tad. Stay with #9 shot if you buy shot for skeet. #8 is not going to cost you even one lost bird, niether is 7.5. Shoot what you have on hand, but #9 will give you the really spectacular breaks that make us all feel good. Keep the velocity AND the shot charge as light as you can, it helps make practice fun and you improve that much faster. Skeet is a game that takes some practice to hit the upper levels, don't hammer yourself with heavy loads when they just are not needed.

December 25, 2002, 01:31 PM	#4
sjones Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Location: waxahachie,Texas Posts: 337	I shoot an auto and I will get some #9's next time I buy some. I have quite a bit of #7 1/2 left. I can always use that for dove season next year.I have been loading 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2 to 1200 fps and some to 1270 fps.i will have to go out and do a lot more practice. sj

May 28, 2004, 09:28 PM	#5
addecus Member Join Date: January 23, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 87	yes an ounce is plenty, and like mr smith says, keep it under 1200fps.

May 29, 2004, 12:27 PM	#7
priv8ter Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2002 Location: Silverdale, Wa Posts: 356	Stupid Question! Okay, hopefully I don't embaress myself here, but please keep in mind I can count the number of timesI have shot skeet on one hand. I have often heard said that when it comes to the cost of reloading(for a pistol at least) it is hard to beat the cost efficiency of Wal-Marts 100 round WWB value-pack. The Wal-Mart near me sells 100 Round packs of shot-gun shells(2 3/4 inch, 7.5 shot) for something like 12 dollars. And, the few times I did skeet/trap, that always seemed like a pretty unbeatable deal to me. Can you really reload shotgun shells cheaper than that? greg __________________ "Get a shot off fast. This upsets him long enough to make your second shot perfect" "Never underestimate the power of human stupidity" -Lazerus Long

May 29, 2004, 01:13 PM	#8
K80Geoff Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 1998 Location: NE Pennsylvania Posts: 3,639	$12? Best I ever did was about $14. The wally world shells are decent, the Federals especially are very good. Trouble is they only come in #8 and #7.5 shot. OK if you don't mind and they are popular in sporting clays, many folks have stopped reloading and use the value packs. If you buy the components in bulk you can save a little. Cost about $2.70 to 2.90 for 25. By bulk I mean getting the cheapest price for shot, primers in cases of 5000, wads in cases of 5000, powder in large quantities (*EG 700X in 12# kegs).Re using your own hulls. You have to wait for sales or group buys where a group of shooters will get together and put in an order for a ton of bagged shot and large quantities of other components. Gun clubs often do this, with a member who has access to a trailer unloading facility that can handle pallets. If you buy powder by the pound, a bag of wads at a time and 100 primers at a time you will be better served using the wally world value packs as they will be cheaper. YMMV __________________ I am no longer a member of this forum. Bye!

May 29, 2004, 06:38 PM	#9
HSMITH Senior Member Join Date: June 21, 2002 Posts: 2,019	I do 100 rounds for less than $10. $9.20 or so is what it costs me, and WM is over $15 around here not to mention I shoot better shotshells than what they sell.