WinchesterDave Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 (edited) Anyone use 8s for sporting clays? Always wanted to try them...do they give a more dense pattern at all or not?? Pros cons? Was just having a think about it then so thought I'd ask? Also any makes would be of interest Dave Edited April 22, 2015 by WinchesterDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltings Posted April 22, 2015 Report Share Posted April 22, 2015 I use 7 (personal preference for clay and pigeon)all depends on ranges you are shooting at (I also use half and half chokes one less thing to think about) if you are on target within shotgun shooting ranges half a size on shot should not make a great difference if you can break a few clay targets on a stand the ones missed are down to pilot error I have seen guys using 7 1/2 in one barrel and 9 in the other too mutch to think about forces a mistake as not concentrating on the target Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Fair enough pal, cheers for reply. I hit clays with 7 1/2 im was just curious to try out another shot size really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Anyone use 8s for sporting clays? Always wanted to try them...do they give a more dense pattern at all or not?? Pros cons? Was just having a think about it then so thought I'd ask? Also any makes would be of interest Dave There are between 45-50 more pellets in an ounce of 28g load of English no. 8 shot (2.2mm) compared to 7.5 shot (2.3mm) which means in a typical round you'll have thrown roughly 4500+ extra pellets towards your intended target . Now many will rightly point out that you will break almost any clay at any distance with any shot including 6's if you're ON it. Trouble is that you won't be on it, even the best in the World don't centre everything so we all need the odd marginal hit which is why 6.5's are better than 6's, 7's are better than 6.5's, 7.5's are better than 7's..................... The above argument only holds if individual pellet energies are up to the task of breaking a target at the intended distances which can be very very long these days, up to perhaps as much as 80 yards or even more. I've shot 8's for at least 25 years and wouldn't bet a penny on being able to pick out the break signatures of either 7.5 or 8 shot cartridges at range, up close you might be able to because 8's do seem to smoke more readily . 8's have won domestic and world titles so they're up to the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 WD Shot size choice is subjective, as a novice I would advise you to shoot one shot size through 1/4 and 1/2 chokes. If you are after pigeons it should be 6 or 7 shot, for clays 7 1/2 or 8, meet things half way and buy some 7s and use themn for everything. Get used to what you can do with a simple set up. These days all shells are reliable enough that it will not be the cartridge or the choke that misses the target! Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pothunter Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 WD Shot size choice is subjective, as a novice I would advise you to shoot one shot size through 1/4 and 1/2 chokes. If you are after pigeons it should be 6 or 7 shot, for clays 7 1/2 or 8, meet things half way and buy some 7s and use themn for everything. Get used to what you can do with a simple set up. These days all shells are reliable enough that it will not be the cartridge or the choke that misses the target! Good luck +1 x 100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I think the OP mentions Sporting clays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I think the OP mentions Sporting clays. He does, but as he is a novice I explained a little more without trying to blind him with science! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I tend to use 7.5 or 8 for Sporting clays, frankly I'm not good enough to notice the difference, 9 for skeet. Try them, it's the only way you will know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 He does, but as he is a novice I explained a little more without trying to blind him with science! Appreciated, but surely addressing his actual question is going to be easier for him to absorb, otherwise we might as well cover wild boar and geese loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 try some 9s..... they are my personal favourite through a good dose of choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 This is all about sufficient pellet numbers in a given area to do the job and unfortunately it is impossible to escape the clutches of the devil called choke. Once choke is introduced, the given area will be reduced. For example and taking it to the extreme, if you increase the pattern density from 40 to 70%, the percentage pellet density in the pattern 'core' will double which suits the skillful shooter. Unfortunately, for the average Joe Bloggs, at the periphery (but still within the 30" circle) this increase is less than 50% and can be (usually is) insufficient to strike a clay consistently. Consequently, in a sporting layout where the distances involved mean that a No 8 has sufficient energy, the additional pellets for a given load over that for 71/2 shot can be advantageous as it helps to increase the number of pellets at the pattern periphery which can help the not so skillful shooter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) All, thank you for your in depth responses appreciated; I just wanted to clarify 8s being suitable for club level sporting that's all. I don't want to be rude at all because I'd genuinely hate to come across that way, however, I have been shooting for almost 6 years now (novice to some I appreciate that) but I do understand choke, cartridges and shot size etc However, I am very greatful, hamster, tight choke, wymberly, saltings, and the rest of youfor the time you took to write your comments All the best, WD Edited April 23, 2015 by WinchesterDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 What I think I was trying to establish was; is there a large difference in the amount of pellets between 28g 8 and 28g 7 1/2, that would be noticeable when shooting clays. From hamsters first post it would certainly appear that way. So again thank you all for the input:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 All, thank you for your in depth responses appreciated; I just wanted to clarify 8s being suitable for club level sporting that's all. I don't want to be rude at all because I'd genuinely hate to come across that way, however, I have been shooting for almost 6 years now (novice to some I appreciate that) but I do understand choke, cartridges and shot size etc However, I am very greatful, hamster, tight choke, wymberly, saltings, and the rest of youfor the time you took to write your comments All the best, WD This is a really interesting subject as it happens novice or not, incidentally you made no reference to your experience level and I personally made no assumptions, 6 years is a good level of experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Yes, agreed, tbh I didn't even think to state my experience level, I must apologise for that, sorry. As you've said, an interesting subject definately! cheers again though hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 8s are perfect for sporting.unless you regularly see far off/edge on stuff where perhaps 71/2s slightly better..I doubt any of us could tell difference to be honest...but 8s probably best all round shot size on sporting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aris Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I met Cheryl Hall at a local gun shop not so long ago - she uses 8's exclusively. Make of that what you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 All, thank you for your in depth responses appreciated; I just wanted to clarify 8s being suitable for club level sporting that's all. I don't want to be rude at all because I'd genuinely hate to come across that way, however, I have been shooting for almost 6 years now (novice to some I appreciate that) but I do understand choke, cartridges and shot size etc However, I am very greatful, hamster, tight choke, wymberly, saltings, and the rest of youfor the time you took to write your comments All the best, WD Nothing wrong with 9s, either, certainly in many instances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Sure ED Solomons shoots 8s out of choice, don't see him have much trouble with distance targets. As people have said most what we shoot at energy isn't noticed but shot pattern density is. Try both in a blind test see if you notice a difference, I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Cheers a for responses I'll buy some next time round 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 i watched the Olympics on telly, and one of the televised games was double trap. now these shells are limited to 24g loads. so every now and again a competitor is stopped and any shells can be taken and checked. cut open the shell and weighed, came to 24.1 or whatever it passed the test. then they got the micrometer on them. low and behold, #9 used in the double trap. the commentator said it was unusual to use 9s but was more of a skeet shell. the competitor was crushing most targets. 24g #9 are awsome, but i expect the speed to be 1400fps + Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinchesterDave Posted April 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Interesting pal, thanks for the input 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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