oz of shot

[duckhunter]

ive never really understood the oz of shot and wats the difference? i usually just shoot me 3 inch 1 1/8 kent fasteels but wondering wat the difference is? if i remember right its the size of the bbs in side there?? if you guys could explain it a little better i would appreciate it 

[fishermanjoe]

I was under the impression the oz represented the amount of shot in the shell. Not the amount of powder. So if it said 1 1/8 oz 8 shot there is 1 1/8 ounces of number 8 shot in the shell. 

[sakoshooter]

OZ is an ounce of shot. Not powder. Powders vary widely by shell manufacturer, shell length because of shot charge weight and velocity.
Going back to the ol lead shot days, a shell loaded with 1 3/8oz #4's or 6's was a pretty standard duck load. 1 1/2oz was a heavy duck load. To compare by weight: 1 1/2oz of lead shot is comparable to 1 1/8oz of steel shot. But because steel is much lighter than lead, there is much more bb's in a 1 1/8oz steel load than there is in a 1 1/2oz lead shot load.
The old shells used to say MAX or MAG to signify their powder charge but much of this was just to boost sales.
Most steel shot loads today simply list their velocity. Most of us are more concerned about velocity than how much powder is loaded in them.

[CP]

The number of pellets would be:

[Cut Em]

The ounce is the amount of powder in a shell.  Obviously more powder means more energy and more knock down power.  The shot size 6, 2, 4, BB for example is the number and size of bb's in the shell.  The smaller the number the bigger the bb and less of them. Hopefully I am right with all that and it makes sense?

The amount of powder in a shell is measured in DRAMS (yes drams not grams). Although not typically found on the box for Steel. You generally find them on target loads.

I was under the impression the oz represented the amount of shot in the shell. Not the amount of powder. So if it said 1 1/8 oz 8 shot there is 1 1/8 ounces of number 8 shot in the shell.

 

[CP]

Actually the amount of powder is measured in grains but it is not devolved.  The dram rating is meant to give an energy level measurement in terms of what an equivalent amount of black powder would give.

That is a 3 dram load does not have 3 drams of powder in it, rather it throws the given payload at the same velocity that 3 drams of black powder would.  It’s an obsolete measure that is being replaced by weight of shot and velocity.

[Cut Em]

hence the meaning of 3 dram "equivlent"?

[CP]

hence the meaning of 3 dram "equivlent"?

Correct.

A 3 dram equivalent load of 1 1/8oz of shot is about 1200fps.  That can be done with 3 drams (82 grains) of black powder, or 18 grains of Clays, or 17g of e3, or 20g of Green Dot, etc.  The dram rating provided a standard for comparison that was familiar to shooters back in the day, but it has outlived its usefulness.