Lighter Loads, Higher Scores

[oneounce]

After years of reloading faster loads using every thing from big charges of red dot thru unique, alcan 7 and longshot powders and running as high as 1550 fps velocity with 1 1/8 oz loads I have come to the conclusion that the bigger loads create more flinching, and greater fatigue and have contributed to lower scores and fewer wins. I now shoot a standard 700X, 1 1/8 oz load at about 1140 fps for Trap and 1 oz loads for clays and skeet. Standard handicap loads for trap are 1250 fps and run as high as 1350 for clays. Since shooting these lighter loads my overall scores have increased 10 % both in singles and doubles and much less fatigue over several hundred rounds usually shot in trap and skeet events. I also have increased the number of wins shooting "turkey shoot" events.
Of course the real win is the reduced cost to reload the rounds using less powder and shot.
anyone else with similar results ???

[C1PNR]

When I first started reloading for my trap shooting, I loaded everything at the 3 dram level. Then I bought some reclaimed shot and quickly learned to back off.

I'm not at the 1 oz load level yet, and I need to be able to cycle my Beretta 390, but the "standard" 2 3/4 x 1 1/8 oz seems to work just fine.

I did shoot one Sporting Clays match where the ammunition was provided, Fiocchi and (I think) Remington, and both were "light loads." The Fiocchi would not cycle the action while the Remington was very reliable, but in short supply?!?

My next step is to try some of the lighter loads and see if I can reliably cycle the Beretta. SOME day I'll be able to afford a nice O/U or SxS and not need to worry about cycling the action. Of course, I guess I could go back to my 30" Full Model 12.