low recoil 20ga loads -how is it done?

iwannausername

Shot some skeet this weekend,bought a box of low recoil 20 ga loads from the range for one of my rounds.

VERY low recoil.

How is this done? I'm used to shooting field loads w/ 7/8oz of shot at 1300fps (advertised), the LR ones were 7/8oz at 1200fps. Night and day difference. I don't think 100fps would make that much difference.

Is it the pressure curve from a different powder burn rate?

Odawgp

buy decreasing the amount of powder, thus decreasing the FPS

recoil is calculated using FPS, weight of ejecta including wad. weight of the gun and weight of the powder in lbs.

XXCross

In addition to the different burn rates for powder, there are other factors that contribute to less "felt recoil". Some of them are, a long VS short forcing cone,(longer = less recoil), Increased bore diameter and choice of shot cup (wad).

iwannausername

Right - I'm familiar with the physics involved. All shot in the same gun, so that eliminates forcing cone, etc.

I know that moving X mount of lead at Y fps will cause Z amount of energy...

However, the difference the advertised 100fps makes! About the only thing I can think of would be the burn rate and therefore pressure curve - a faster burning powder would reach the 1300 fps quickly (say, within 10 inches of barrel) and so a slower burning powder with a smoother pressure curve wouldn't get the shot going so quickly, instead coming to full velocity over say 18" of barrel. And yes, the 10" and 18" of barrel numbers are pulled out of my posterior, but it is the only way I can explain it...

perry shooter

Nononsence I hope will see this post Fast VS slow powders in shotguns that create the same MUZZLE velocity will have only a small amount of difference in how long it takes to reach this velocity. I suspect if you use a Chronograph and use the same gun you will see a 10% reduction in recoil with a 10% reduction in velocity. YMMV but I think ammo makers sometime FUDGE velocity figures

336marlin

Years ago Winchester released a "Super Lite" powder for their 12ga. so that the reloaders could try and achieve the low recoiling effect of their factory loadings; though this was probably not the same powder as they were putting in theirs at the factory. Ammunition representatives were always present at the larger shoots and they probably decided to do something for the shooters complaining about recoil. It was supposed to do as you described and distribute the recoil over a period of time so it would not be so perceived, however a millisecond it might be. This phenomenon was even more noticed when using the autoloaders. Physics is physics and the dynamics of propelling a certain "mass" to a certain "velocity" requires the same amount of "energy" anyway you look at it. With you being use to shooting field loads the skeet loads should have been noticeably lighter anyway. Usually a shooter concentrating on the targets doesn't realize the jar they're taking at that time too. The headache usually doesn't set in till the fourth round with the 12 & 20. Happy shooting; "two at low eight".

truthful

One thing the would-be physicists always forget in their oversimplified calculations is the rate of acceleration. The burning rate of the powder has a lot to do with acceleration. Two loads with the same shot weight and same muzzle velocity can have different recoils if one accelerates rapidly than levels off half way down the barrel and the other uses the entire barrel length to reach the same velocity.

Another thing to be considered, and usually isn't, is the jet effect of the powder gas exiting the muzzle. The mass of that gas and it's pressure at the moment of exit are very important.

haroldchrismeyer

One person I know that shoots a lot of skeet and trap told me that to save money, the factory ammo uses very little of very fast powder. He said when you reload, you can use more of a slower powder, since you don't worry about a few cents per round like the factory does.

Mobuck

Just make sure you get it out of the muzzle. Nothing like sticking a wad in the barrel and following up with a 2nd shot to ruin your score (and barrel).