Italian Shot Size

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Oldabt

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Jun 12, 2014
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Seems the Italians don't want to know about English 7 1/2 shot size and only load 24 gram in their own version which equates to English 7. One Italian maker loads 7 1/4 shot Italian.

Took some of the latter to the pattern plate and got a shock at the lack of pellets in the pattern leading me to believe that much tighter choking required to avoid the holes which has a knock-on in the accuracy required to break those OT targets.

It doesn't seem to make much difference at the very top level but further down the pecking order maybe an ounce of English 7 1/2 would help those who like to shoot OT but don't have World Cup ambitions.

 
Got to say I have never given it that much thought as everybody out here uses 7.5 shot comes in at about 2.4 mm ? What size is the English shot? Do remember though that the down range energy of the larger shot should break the target better than a hit from smaller shot with less mass and also maybe hold the pattern better at range, so there is a balance to the equation not simply more shot is better other wise use size 9 skeet shells ?

 
Lots of Euro clays are now 'bio' clays, harder to break, so need a bigger pellet with more retained energy...

 
I'll tell George to change when he competes abroad.  :lol: :lol:

 
Oldabt said:
Seems the Italians don't want to know about English 7 1/2 shot size and only load 24 gram in their own version which equates to English 7. One Italian maker loads 7 1/4 shot Italian.

Took some of the latter to the pattern plate and got a shock at the lack of pellets in the pattern leading me to believe that much tighter choking required to avoid the holes which has a knock-on in the accuracy required to break those OT targets.

It doesn't seem to make much difference at the very top level but further down the pecking order maybe an ounce of English 7 1/2 would help those who like to shoot OT but don't have World Cup ambitions.
Click to expand...
If you cannot break an OT target with an Italian 24g 7.5 shot cartridge it has nothing at all to do with the shot size I can assure you. Think more about what you are doing and less about what the cartridge is doing... provided of course you are using a decent cartridge even then it would still be you and not the cartridge.

 
jwpzx9r said:
If you cannot break an OT target with an Italian 24g 7.5 shot cartridge it has nothing at all to do with the shot size I can assure you. Think more about what you are doing and less about what the cartridge is doing... provided of course you are using a decent cartridge even then it would still be you and not the cartridge.
Click to expand...
Yes agree with all that John. Some time back a couple of us took some very good shells and some cheapo ones to the pattern plate. At the same distance, same gun, same choke, the cheap shells had very big holes in the patterns and lots of flyers too! I honestly believe that with shells you generally get what you pay for. OK it is possible to spend silly money on top end shells, I used to shoot RC4 Redshot 24's and 28's, however I was advised by several people to try FBlacks, not cheap still, but a lot cheaper that Redshot, I now use Fblacks, save myself about £70 a thousand and they kill just as well. BUT, to use budget/cheapo shells for OT or any fast trap does potentially leave you open to crap patterns! Just my opinion of course.

 
Also to add to what Les has said, shell down gun makes a huge difference.

I shot for many years with an Mx8 and RC4's when they were green for lead and pink for the Nickel, both using B&P F2 powder, superb match with no problems.

I took a 7 year break due to work and family, (sold the gun), when I started again I purchased a new MX8 and started with the new RC4, it was either smoke or miss, initially I put it down to me being crap after such a long layoff, then I was at a shoot and someone stuck a DT10 in my hands, different result kills up by 20%,  so on returning home, I went up the yard to where I had a scrap caravan, paced out 35yds and let it have it....   Bugger me a 10" circle of shot with no flyers no wonder I was having fun...  I had bought a carton of B&P Flash, so at same distance on a fresh panel, shot again  what a difference a nice 25"+ pattern with no holes or flyers, so I changed ammo.

I also patterned a Flash 36gm ZZ shell, it went through the Aluminium, the cladding and the insulation and the internal panels, the pellets I retrieved were still perfectly round after all that, as they were all over the floor in the van.....

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mutley said:
Also to add to what Les has said, shell down gun makes a huge difference.

I shot for many years with an Mx8 and RC4's when they were green for lead and pink for the Nickel, both using B&P F2 powder, superb match with no problems.

I took a 7 year break due to work and family, (sold the gun), when I started again I purchased a new MX8 and started with the new RC4, it was either smoke or miss, initially I put it down to me being crap after such a long layoff, then I was at a shoot and someone stuck a DT10 in my hands, different result kills up by 20%,  so on returning home, I went up the yard to where I had a scrap caravan, paced out 35yds and let it have it....   Bugger me a 10" circle of shot with no flyers no wonder I was having fun...  I had bought a carton of B&P Flash, so at same distance on a fresh panel, shot again  what a difference a nice 25"+ pattern with no holes or flyers, so I changed ammo.

I also patterned a Flash 36gm ZZ shell, it went through the Aluminium, the cladding and the insulation and the internal panels, the pellets I retrieved were still perfectly round after all that, as they were all over the floor in the van.....
Click to expand...
:) 10 inch sounds a tiny bit of an exaggeration but it does make me larf when people say they never miss because of their tight chokes. 

 
Seems as tho I recall some Italian comments to the effect that they loved the USA shooters' fascination with tight chokes because it pretty much assured them of the occasional miss.

Seems too like the fact of harder, quality shot making better patterns is well established.  Dinner plate sized patterns at +/-30yds from a Perazzi full choke with 24gm loads is no uncommon thing.  A quick shot at DTL can cut a target cleanly in half with those chokes/loads.

 
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