16 bore

[njc110381]

Pretty simple really, you don't! That's why I use iron sights on my combi. I found that a scope put me right off!

[clayman]

Hi, Guys,

Can't remember now which I admit is not a lot of help but perhaps someone may know and be more specific. I'm sure it's the 16 bore into which you can put the perfect load. It's often said that the proper Eley Impax in a 12 bore was tasty as, again, I think I'm on track by saying that this perfect load was a relationship between barrel diameter and length of the load within the cartridge. Perhaps about 1oz in the 16 bore?

Cheers

 

Every gauge has a "perfect load" - sometimes called a square load, or a balanced load.

 

In the shell case this means the length of the packed shot is equal to the diameter.

 

In a 20b this is said to be a 24g load - but that is possibly only true of a 24g load with a fibre end wad - as an cup plas-wad would lengthen the load over diameter.

 

The theory is that a "square load" will produce a pattern the same length as diameter at 30yds, but whether such a pattern is actually an advantage is open to debate as there are instances where having increased shot string length might make for better performance, although excessively long shot strings will be a disadvantage too! The BASC pattern report ( download from BASC site) suggests that from their testing, contrary to common opinion, plas-wads give longer shot strings than fibre wads.

 

I don't have definitive figures, but as the bore increases a heavier load would be needed to make the "perfect" loading - so if 20b is 24g; then 16b may be 28g; 12g /32g . Exact info is likely to be available if one searches the net for it or wants to do the math to work it out, bearing in mind end wad loads and cupped wad loads will be different.

 

There's an interesting opinion about the Balanced Load idea at this link

 

http://www.sidebysideshotgun.com/articles/balance_loads_article.html

[wymberley]

Hi,

There we go ; nice one by Clayman. I just couldn't remember; shedding brain cells faster than a mallard sheds water!

Another advantage of the balanced load can be, but note, not always, that the pellet distribution even with choke applied will not be affected by Gauss and the density is virtually constant throughout the 30" circle. Father loaded true 2" cartridges and his little Patstone threw cracking regular and even spread patterns with 15/16oz. I'm guessing and will admit that I'm no longer so inclined to fiddle, but I think this is why 1oz (28gr) of 61/2 (2.5mm) shot is such a good pigeon cartridge through a 12 bore.

Cheers