georgiaboy
Senior Member
Do any of you clays gurus use #9 for sporting clays? I generally shoot 7.5 or 8s but I was thinking about trying some 9s.
Good idea or not?
Good idea or not?
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#9 shot for clays
- Thread starter georgiaboy
- Start date
weagle
Senior Member
I have shot some because I got them cheap, but they are pretty lame on targets much past 35 yds. I noticed dust come off a few "edge on" targets that didn't break. I'm not good enough that it makes any real difference, but I'd always go 7 1/2's or 8's over 9's if i had the choice.
For regulation skeet, where the targets are close, 9's work great.
Weagle
For regulation skeet, where the targets are close, 9's work great.
Weagle
Twenty five ought six
Banned
It depends a lot on the range. At most club level ranges, which try to keep everyone happy, they will do fine. At a commercial club, there will be more longer targets where 9's just run out of gas.
So if you're talking about your "all around" shell, 8's are a much better choice (8 1/2's are even better, just hard to find).
That said, a box of light 9's should be in every shooter's bag. You are going to run into the situation where you have a close in shot and a quick follow up, and they are ideal for that.
You will find some hot shots that say that 9's have no place in sporting clays but that's bunk.
In addition to target presentation, consider the target. Battues can be broken at longer distances with 9's, and as they are thrown a lot as chondelles, the wider pattern can be a benefit. We did a test one day, and we could consistently break a battue thrown as a teal at a measured 50 yards (shot was actually a little further) with 9's. Now that's with a tighter choke to maintain pellet density. We were testing to see if 9's maintained sufficient pellet energy.
So if you're talking about your "all around" shell, 8's are a much better choice (8 1/2's are even better, just hard to find).
That said, a box of light 9's should be in every shooter's bag. You are going to run into the situation where you have a close in shot and a quick follow up, and they are ideal for that.
You will find some hot shots that say that 9's have no place in sporting clays but that's bunk.
In addition to target presentation, consider the target. Battues can be broken at longer distances with 9's, and as they are thrown a lot as chondelles, the wider pattern can be a benefit. We did a test one day, and we could consistently break a battue thrown as a teal at a measured 50 yards (shot was actually a little further) with 9's. Now that's with a tighter choke to maintain pellet density. We were testing to see if 9's maintained sufficient pellet energy.
georgiaboy
Senior Member
Thanks guys. I may just buy the larger sizes and be done with it. I am about to add shotgun to my reloading setups but there is enough 7.5 and 8s to keep me gunning for awhile.
I only shoot about 1200 or so rounds per year right now, but I think it will pay off to start loading my own now. Shells are starting to get high, even by the case.
I only shoot about 1200 or so rounds per year right now, but I think it will pay off to start loading my own now. Shells are starting to get high, even by the case.
JohnK3
Banned
My dad was a long-time skeet competitor in Houston. #9 shot was always his choice for skeet. For trap and longer games, #7-1/2 was his choice.
weagle
Senior Member
I can't agree with that. I'll guarantee you that the average shooter will miss more targets on a skeet field shooting a full choke vs a skeet choke. Same thing on a fast bouncing rabbit at 15yds on a sporting clays course. Also, on long quartering away targets the 9's will not always break the clay target.
Weagle
georgiaboy
Senior Member
weagle, do you ever shoot at Etowah Valley?
Letsgotoshadydale
Member
9s are fine for skeet I would not shoot them at trap sporting clays or 5 stand though. I would go with 8s preferably 1 1/4oz
weagle
Senior Member
Yes, I love to shoot up there. The stand where you shoot the rabbit from the back of the pick-up truck cracks me up
Weagle
Twenty five ought six
Banned
It's really not an issue of hitting or missing the target. It is a question of individual pellet energy, and the combined energy of enough pellets to break the target. Except in special circumstances such as I described above, a load of 9's will not deliver enough energy to a target to break it consistently when the target is at 30 yards or more. Especially if the target is edge on. You are hitting it, you just aren't breaking it.
You can demonstrate this easily by going to a trap field, shooting 9's from the 20 yard line or further back, and picking up your misses. Many of them will demonstrate multiple pellet strikes and holes.
georgiaboy
Senior Member
You should come with us sometime. I will start shooting more often now that its cooler and duck season is on us.
May be time to get up a Woody's shoot/ informal get together?
May be time to get up a Woody's shoot/ informal get together?
Doc_Holliday23
Senior Member
Yes, I love to shoot up there. The stand where you shoot the rabbit from the back of the pick-up truck cracks me up
Weagle
rabbit followed by quail on the report... very cool station.
mikey
Senior Member
skeet #9 is probably the best choice some of the other clays games are at longer distances. sporting clays i mostly shoot 8's but i have 71/2 and 9's in my bag for different presentations and mostly shoot light mod for sporting, skeet choke for skeet, cyl for some stuff
georgiaboy
Senior Member
Since I originally posted I have seen guys shooting stationary clays with #8 and #9s (during 3 gun matches) and not break the clays. You can see quite a few holes in the targets but they are intact. This is especially evident on the rabbit style clays. I have also seen recovered "rabbits" that had holes in them but did not break.
With a "Scattergun", it's ALL ABOUT matching the Shot Size and Choke to the Target and the RANGE at which the target is being shot...in the case of the previous Poster's experience with the stationary clays in the "Three-Gun" Match, the #8's PROBABLY would have worked, given enough CHOKE...those "Three Gun Guys" seem to favor the Open-choked "Tactical" Shotguns...what us "Graybeards" would call a "Riot Gun"...
FWIW, in the "Old Days", Winchester did some pattern testing with Clay Targets at "Skeet Range"--21 yards to the Center Stake--that is, the "Target Crossing Point"--measured from the forward edge of Stations One thru Seven...W-W determined that, with the lil' amount of retained ENERGY possessed by each #9, a MINIMUM of THREE (3) Pellets needed to hit the Clay Target to INSURE breakage...
Larger shot, i.e., #8's or #7&1/2's, worked better farther away due to better RETAINED ENERGY levels...
FWIW, IF you have the right choke available, ALMOST ANY Clay Target on ANY reasonably-set Sporting Range can be broken very reliably with #8's...
I used to shoot Trap Singles--from the 16 yard line--with my "Leftover" Skeet loads with #9 shot...since I shoot relatively quickly, I don't think I ever lost a bird due to the shot size...
Hope this helps....mikey357
FWIW, in the "Old Days", Winchester did some pattern testing with Clay Targets at "Skeet Range"--21 yards to the Center Stake--that is, the "Target Crossing Point"--measured from the forward edge of Stations One thru Seven...W-W determined that, with the lil' amount of retained ENERGY possessed by each #9, a MINIMUM of THREE (3) Pellets needed to hit the Clay Target to INSURE breakage...
Larger shot, i.e., #8's or #7&1/2's, worked better farther away due to better RETAINED ENERGY levels...
FWIW, IF you have the right choke available, ALMOST ANY Clay Target on ANY reasonably-set Sporting Range can be broken very reliably with #8's...
I used to shoot Trap Singles--from the 16 yard line--with my "Leftover" Skeet loads with #9 shot...since I shoot relatively quickly, I don't think I ever lost a bird due to the shot size...
Hope this helps....mikey357
Twenty five ought six
Banned
This is an easy sucker bet at the local gun range. When someone starts bragging about old Thunderboomer and it's tight choke, ask them if it will break a rabbit target at 40 yards (normal patterning distance).
Hang one from a string and let them fire away. Unless they center it with a really really tight choke it won't break. Most of target breakage comes from the centrifugal force of the rotating target, and the faster it is spinning the easier it is to break.
If you can find them, 1 oz. of 8 1/2's is a good all around load that's easy on the shoulder, and is sufficient for all but the very longest shots.
