Does number 9 shot have any use in Clay shooting?

[Mike Bartlett]

Does anyone use number 9 shot for shooting clays in any discipline?

It is available to buy in several ranges of Cartridges but do many of you use it?

I would love to hear what people think of it if you have used or currently use it? If so what targets do you shoot with it, range and type ie close driven, or belly on close loopers for example.

What's the maximum effect range that number 9 shot will break clays in different presentations?

 

[SoR]

Must have in the skeet world







www.proshock.co.uk

 

[Hamster]

9's will not do anything better than 8's, even at ranges below 20 yards, the only case I can make for them is if you decide to shoot a lot of 24g or even 21g loads for recoil reasons then 9's can still give a very dense pattern.

 

[Redders]

I only use 9s on ESK and I also use them for ESP for any clay that shows me all of itself, like a looper, driven, high crosser or a teal.

I also use them on ESP for any close range target. You sometimes get a simple floater that comes in to you and drops 10ft away (open chokes and 9s for me).

I used to always use 7.5s for everything, but once I saw good kills (hits for you modern folk) using 9s, I started to use them more, if only for confidence. Many good shooters are sure to tell you that it doesn't matter what you use, if you put the lead in the right place, you'll kill the target. That said, I carry 7.5s and 9s during ESP for my own confidence.

 

[Mike Bartlett]

I read an interesting post on here the other day that said from research that the chap did using the same gun, choke and cartridge type both measured at 15 yards that the pattern was a 10 inch diameter with number 7.5 shot and a 14 inch diameter with number 8 shot. That's a 40 % increase just with half a shot size increase. 

So what would a number 9 shot pattern diameter be?

And would it therefore mean that you could use more open chokes to give a wider pattern but create the same density of shot by using 9's instead of 7.5's or 8's? For closer targets obviously.

 

[Redders]

I haven't patterned anything, but my approach to using 9s for close or full targets is for the reasons you say. I think I could kill the same targets with 7.5s, but why not use 9s and give yourself every advantage and margin for error. If the research you mention is correct, its a no brainer!

 

[Mike Bartlett]

Agreed - but does anyone know how far out they will break a clay - say belly up presentation?

Or am i going to have to go out and do some testing.

I know Digweed says in his videos that he uses 8's for anything where you can see the underside of the clay.

I was shooting today and a guy using 8's took the tiniest chip off the top of a clay that i don't think would have happened if he was using 7.5's as i currently do. He then made the necessary adjustments and hit the rest. It was a very useful pointer that he learnt from. The clay was about 30 yards dropping edge on.

 

[Hamster]

I read an interesting post on here the other day that said from research that the chap did using the same gun, choke and cartridge type both measured at 15 yards that the pattern was a 10 inch diameter with number 7.5 shot and a 14 inch diameter with number 8 shot. That's a 40 % increase just with half a shot size increase. 

So what would a number 9 shot pattern diameter be?

And would it therefore mean that you could use more open chokes to give a wider pattern but create the same density of shot by using 9's instead of 7.5's or 8's? For closer targets obviously.

I think you may be referring to CleverSC3, it IS possible to get more open patterns from 9's compared to say 7.5's but not all loads and not all guns will replicate this. I can have a 14" pattern with 8's, just change chokes. Will's gun is fixed 1/2 choke so it's useful for him to have a really open pattern to fall back on when the situation demands it. 

By and large the better you get the tighter you go, so that ought to be your long term aim. A favourite shooting one liner goes along the lines that 100 chips are better than 99 smokes, it isn't because that doesn't happen in real life. Chips are a heart beat away from a miss, you only get lucky so many times in a row.

 

[Hamster]

Agreed - but does anyone know how far out they will break a clay - say belly up presentation?

Or am i going to have to go out and do some testing.

I know Digweed says in his videos that he uses 8's for anything where you can see the underside of the clay.

I was shooting today and a guy using 8's took the tiniest chip off the top of a clay that i don't think would have happened if he was using 7.5's as i currently do. He then made the necessary adjustments and hit the rest. It was a very useful pointer that he learnt from. The clay was about 30 yards dropping edge on.

It's possible he got lucky with 8's, there are after all 50 extra pellets (5000 per round), 7.5's could have resulted in a miss. At 30 yards the kinetic energy difference between 2.2mm and 2.3mm is miniscule, the reason for the chip was in all likelihood because the pellet only skimmed the clay.

 

[Mike Bartlett]

It's possible he got lucky with 8's, there are after all 50 extra pellets (5000 per round), 7.5's could have resulted in a miss. At 30 yards the kinetic energy difference between 2.2mm and 2.3mm is miniscule, the reason for the chip was in all likelihood because the pellet only skimmed the clay.

Agreed but it was probably on the outskirts of the pattern and the research i referred to earlier shows that the pattern is 40% wider with 8's than 7.5's. Obviously there is a chance that it could have been a stray pellet that could occur with both shot sizes but probability would say not. 

 

[Mike Bartlett]

We did some testing this year at my local ground and found that 7.5 shot cartridges will break a face on clay at 100 yards but not at 102 yards. You could hear it hitting the clay but not breaking it. We did a walk back maybe i should do the same with 8's and 9's this year??

 

[Hamster]

Agreed but it was probably on the outskirts of the pattern and the research i referred to earlier shows that the pattern is 40% wider with 8's than 7.5's. Obviously there is a chance that it could have been a stray pellet that could occur with both shot sizes but probability would say not. 

40% is getting on to double the spread, was that the same cartridge make ? I've shot Eley Superb 8's amongst others for years and would be reluctant to bet a tenner that 7.5's patterned more than 5% tighter even at 40 yards.

 

[Alan Rowley]

rankster:I use 9s from time to time at skeet in my trap gun, I have on occasion used them for DTL, I prefer 7.5s for most things, nothing wrong with 9s, but at distance you need something bigger, both are 28gm, but at distance the 9s are hitting  like  a feather as opposed to be being hit by a brick!! rankster:

 

[Mike Bartlett]

40% is getting on to double the spread, was that the same cartridge make ? I've shot Eley Superb 8's amongst others for years and would be reluctant to bet a tenner that 7.5's patterned more than 5% tighter even at 40 yards.

Yes that's what he claimed. It was the same cartridge make and model. I think it was through 3/4 choke but i'd have to check.

 

[Mike Bartlett]

I think you may be referring to CleverSC3, it IS possible to get more open patterns from 9's compared to say 7.5's but not all loads and not all guns will replicate this. I can have a 14" pattern with 8's, just change chokes. Will's gun is fixed 1/2 choke so it's useful for him to have a really open pattern to fall back on when the situation demands it. 

By and large the better you get the tighter you go, so that ought to be your long term aim. A favourite shooting one liner goes along the lines that 100 chips are better than 99 smokes, it isn't because that doesn't happen in real life. Chips are a heart beat away from a miss, you only get lucky so many times in a row.

I love it when people make assumptions!  

I agree with the chips bit but we all use the feedback on the clays break to alter lead if required.  if we destroy the front or rear part of the clay we change our lead to try to position the clay in the middle of the pattern. The denser the pattern the better the feedback surely? 

 

[EdSolomons]

I used to shoot loads of 9s as well as 8s and 6.5. A few years back I changed to just 8 and 7 for simplicities sake, but 9s through some choke can kill well a very long way off if you can see some of its guts!

 

[Jonny English]

I got a tub of express end of line stuff the other year, had quite a few 9's in it, broke 50 - 60 yard clays showing belly just as good as anything else, if in doubt do a blind test with some and see.

 

[Shaun Hopkins]

 I used to carry a range of different shot size and was also an avid choke changer from stand to stand thinking this would give me the advantage I needed to build a bigger score

stands to reason bigger spread bigger chance of hitting the target or in reality as it seems not so, I usually average 85% with the remaining 15% down to not reading the clay and I know this because its the same presentation that catches me out every time coaching will solve this far better then different shot size. 

but if it gives you confidence then stick with. :spiteful:

 

[Will Hewland]

Yes that's what he claimed. It was the same cartridge make and model. I think it was through 3/4 choke but i'd have to check.

Hiya it's me!

First off, my personal term 'diameter' comes from me drawing with a black pen around the approximate circle of usable pellet pattern on the plate (or bit of cardboard). Not including fliers.

It was a half choke.. What is important for me to reiterate is that you need to test a cartridge. Never assume that it will spread 'because its a 9'. Generalisations can be dangerous..

The widest 'diameter' spread I ever found was on a 21g fibre wad 7.5 shot express. I forget the size, but it was huge. (Not good for distance shooting of course). Point is, other elements in the cartridge created this effect, other than shot size.