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From: wdo@inel.gov (william d orr)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: shotgun shell loads
Message-ID: <35489@mimsy.umd.edu>
Date: 12 Jun 91 01:38:26 GMT
Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu
Organization: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho
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Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu

In article <35455@mimsy.umd.edu> brian@swdev.waterloo.NCR.COM (Brian W. Gamble) writes:
#
#In article <35304@mimsy.umd.edu> dave@ucscb.ucsc.edu (66350000) writes:
#
#
#However, measuring shot shell characteristics by the size of the pellets
#inside is a very common failing. This is not the way to to choose the 
#velocity of your loads (and hence their recoil)!
#
#The recoil you felt was the combination of the mass of lead pellets 
#(measured in ounces) and their velocity (stated in drams). The Active
#loads that brused you had either more shot or were loaded to a higher 
#velocity (or both).
#
#
#Don't feel bad about the basic error here, most people who come into the
#shop looking for shotgun shells do the same thing. Does get to be fun
#trying to get them to learn some basic physics, sigh :-)
#

Also some people get confused when referring to shotshells as "high brass" and 
"low brass".  Generally speaking, in modern shotshells heigth of brass has nothing to do with velocity.  A handloader can usually load low brass AA hulls to hunting load velocity with no difficulty.  In fact I used to do just that.  If anyone had fired one of my AA 1 1/4oz #5 pheasant loads at a clay target they would have been very surprised.

Bill