Mixed loads #12 and #9 shot

There are few things about this hobby that scream frugal but one thing I like doing is scrounging...I have several dozen ways I keep from spending way more than I have to with the gun stuff.

Somebody had discarded a bunch of 12ga #9 shot loads at the range, must not have liked their results I guess as they had only shot a few out of the box and tossed the rest of the box in the spent hulls bucket (which I scrounge in for specialty hulls as well). I decided I wouldn't try to shoot them (they were clearly factory but I had no need to try #9 shot, instead I would pull them down.

I have a good stash of #12 shot but have always wondered what a mixed load of something smaller than 7's or 7.5"s would do. By volume I mixed 1/2 of each #12 and #9 and loaded up some 38/357 speer capsules, using 38 spl cases and 5.5 of Unique. My pattern was a lot denser with this mix than with just #12 or just #9 shot. I think this will be my new staple payload for this application. I tested loads at 3 and 10 paces and was surprised at the density. I also reaffirmed that longer barrels give poor results, My LCR always patterns the best.

Anybody else tried mixed shot loads?

no, but sounds like I just might now.

That is something to look into. for the mix shoot.

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Originally Posted by wonderwolf

There are few things about this hobby that scream frugal but one thing I like doing is scrounging...I have several dozen ways I keep from spending way more than I have to with the gun stuff.

Somebody had discarded a bunch of 12ga #9 shot loads at the range, must not have liked their results I guess as they had only shot a few out of the box and tossed the rest of the box in the spent hulls bucket (which I scrounge in for specialty hulls as well). I decided I wouldn't try to shoot them (they were clearly factory but I had no need to try #9 shot, instead I would pull them down.

I have a good stash of #12 shot but have always wondered what a mixed load of something smaller than 7's or 7.5"s would do. By volume I mixed 1/2 of each #12 and #9 and loaded up some 38/357 speer capsules, using 38 spl cases and 5.5 of Unique. My pattern was a lot denser with this mix than with just #12 or just #9 shot. I think this will be my new staple payload for this application. I tested loads at 3 and 10 paces and was surprised at the density. I also reaffirmed that longer barrels give poor results, My LCR always patterns the best.

Anybody else tried mixed shot loads?

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Yes, but not with #9 & #12. I've used #9 since day 1. I got low on #9 and went looking for a box of factory loads with #9, but couldn't find any. I did find a box loaded with #8 and mixed the #8 and #9. I was always satisfied with the #9 shot and the mix seems to work just as well - the only time I really use any is during the fall when we are getting our hunting lease ready for the upcoming season.

Wonderwolf,

For many years I dove hunted with 12ga ounce and an eighth loads of 7.5, 8's, and 9's. Rabbit and squirrel got 6's, 7.5's, and 8's.

It was simply a matter of having several partial bags of shot and a conscious decision to mix it to maximise load effectiveness for shots typical for my hunting conditions. Nothing new, waterfowl loads have been offered in duplex loads for quite some time.

I'd be interested to hear about penetration. Do you have any plans to get get some data on penetration at various yardages. I know what you have now will kill, snakes forms and mice. But I'd like to know how much penetration you get on something like a 3/16" piece of leather. Does the 12 penetrate or just the 9 shot, or neither. Maybe a few wet magazines.

The barrel length observations are intriguing.

Thanks for the post. I look forward to reading about future tests and results.

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Originally Posted by RSB

I'd be interested to hear about penetration. Do you have any plans to get get some data on penetration at various yardages. I know what you have now will kill, snakes forms and mice. But I'd like to know how much penetration you get on something like a 3/16" piece of leather. Does the 12 penetrate or just the 9 shot, or neither. Maybe a few wet magazines.

The barrel length observations are intriguing.

Thanks for the post. I look forward to reading about future tests and results.

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I had not thought of using leather as a test media, I'll have to try that. I do plan on doing some wet pack testing of several different loads this weekend I'll include shot loads to my list!

If you load mixed shot loads it will be better not to mix them. Loading the smaller shot first and then topping off with the larger shot will produce better patterns.

I think Bagtic is right.
If the bigger shot is on the bottom, it will tend to blow thru the smaller shot and blow the pattern.
So smaller shot goes in first, then larger shot next.

I use a mixture of #8 and #9 on the trap and skeet ranges on a regular basis. Works out well for me. By the way, I started using this combination because I accidentally mixed a 1/2 bag of #8's into a bottle of #9's and was not about to waste the shot. james

For several years, i could buy reclaimed shot at ridiculous price. About half the shot was flattened and consisted of a mix of #s 7.5, 8 and 9. Upon sober reflection years later, I do not think I ever missed a skeet bird because of reclaimed shot (I missed plenty).