The Low Velocity Principle

J

jpari

Member
With Pheasant season just around the corner I thought that some of you who reload might be interested in hearing this recipe. In the American Rifleman in June of 1987 an article was published written by Ron Forsyth called "The Low Velocity Principle". Since I read it way back in 87 I have been using the following load as my go to Pheasant load with great success:

2 3/4" Wichester AA hull
Winchester 209 Primer
WAA12F114 (or Claybuster equivalent) Wad
20 grs. of Alliant Green Dot Powder
1 3/8 oz. of #5 shot

This load generates 9800 psi and screams along at 1075 fps. Yes, I said 1075 fps and absolutely crushes Pheasants. It is a dream to shoot and is so comfortable to shoot I have never reached for high velocity loads for Pheasant again. The bad news is that this load is only to be used with lead shot.
This low velocity principle is based upon pushing larger size shot and shot weights through air resistance more slowly thus loosing less inertia less quickly to arrive at our target at 40 yds without giving up much energy over higher velocity loads. This might be hard for some of you to believe, but, it works. If you are really interested contact the American Rifleman editor for a copy of the article and read it. They have this as well as all of their articles archived.
 
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I used to read a lot of good stuff from Ron Forsyth when he frequented a couple internet boards. He is correct. Larger (lead) shot at lower velocities does work well. No surprise to me that that you've had good luck with the load and I just might try it myself. I jotted down some notes from his findings and they're in my loading binder. Thanks!
 
Low velocity

Lower velocities generally produce tighter patterns which will keep more shot in the core of the pattern. The 3 1/4 " pigeon " load was great for pheasants an ducks over the decoys. I believe it was listed at about 1220 feet per sec. I had good success with 24 grains PB behind 1 1/4 shot. The velocity was around 1100 feet/sec. Those of course with lead shot.
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You will probably need the Down Range wad. The Winchester wad will not work in the new AA's and you will not be able to fully crimp the shells. I learned this the hard way a couple of years ago. I called Winchester and a very understanding tech guy told me that "WW no longer makes a proper wad for this load."
 
Low velocity loads

Sorry I caught up in the lower velocity, tighter pattern in the 60,s. I should have stated the PB 1 1/4 loads were loaded in paper hulls in the 1960 years. I have not loaded paper since the mid 1960's when plastic wads and shells started to be produced for the general public. I do not load for hunting as it is less expensive to purchase the hunting loads I need. I do load for trap and try to keep my velocities near the standard 3 dram load, 1200'. I feel Green Dot works well to produce tighter patterns.
 
oscar said:
You will probably need the Down Range wad. The Winchester wad will not work in the new AA's and you will not be able to fully crimp the shells. I learned this the hard way a couple of years ago. I called Winchester and a very understanding tech guy told me that "WW no longer makes a proper wad for this load."
Click to expand...

Correct, Winchester no longer makes the wad for the load that I listed. If you wish to try it use the "Claybuster Shotshell Wad 12 Gauge CB1114-12". This will work.
 
That is similar to the load I have been using for a few years, but I only put in 1 1/4 oz. Gives a little more velocity and still not much recoil.

I've still got a bunch of the old red wads. Have to find an equivalent when I run out of them.

Jerry
 
I run some of my loads with 1 1/8 shot going about 1125FPS and find that the load works very well in my vintage guns.
DT
 
Low velocity is hand coupled to recoil, and psi. . Most of us shoot better with low recoil. The British did extensive research into patterns, depth of penetration, effective distances, all came back to a point, that 1000-1200 velocity was the right load with LEAD, even with newer powders. If you have a 3- 11/8's-6's (old school), of about 82-83 grains of powder, ( be aware the size of the granules is paramount! it may be 60-and up in smokeless powder, previously most powder was formed at a consistency of FF or FFF black powder, not so anymore! you should use the equivalent of the loading manual to achieve a dram eq. result) this will result in miniscule recoil, psi at around 7000#-9000# depending on choke, wads, etc., and a real nice hunting load. You can jump up to old 'high velocity" loads. using around 89 grains, of powder, increasing lead to 1 1/4 ounce. Still plenty of punch at around 1080-1200 psi. These work in muzzleloaders un up. The crazy velocity, comes from the necessity to use steel shot for waterfowl as an economical alternative to lead, or non-toxic alternatives. Also gets us weird manufactured shot. By the way I have used "nice shot" with the 3-1-2's or BB's at around 1060 fps, 9000#s of psi , out of a black powder muzzleloader, and shot geese dead as can be at around 45 yards. If I step up to a black powder cartridge gun, a 10ga. with 1 1/2 ounces of BB's, 4 drams of powder, 109-110 grains, it increases my range to around 60 yards, if I am on target. Using a Parker E-grade 10, full and extremely full! I personally believe no sane man wants the headache, and nose bleed, be married to 3 1/2" roman candles with 1350-1500 fps, shooting a flight, If you making I or 2 shots so be it. Don't need that much for upland game, Thank heaven! Again caution dram is out of date term, meaningful for black powder, dram eq. was a marketing tool to help bridge the hunters to smokeless powder. Grains of weighted powder is necessary to be safe. Dram is a measure of space measurement , as in 3 drams will normally be equal to an amount of shot it will propel, equal measure, so field loading could be done with one measure. In black powder 27.34 grains per dram equivalent. In cartridges, less powder will achieve the same result. Somebody described drams as equal to film millimeters, like 35mm, 8mm neither is reality or necessary today. In an sport with traditions as old as ours, sometimes old is new again!
 
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The guns I hunt with using smokeless are either nitro proofed vintage guns or modern gund.
In my Westley Richards however I do shoot ruffed grouse with a smokeless load of PB, but the pressures are only around 5,000 PSI.
The majority of my loads are either 75 of or 90 grains of FFG and 1oz or 1 1/8oz of lead, although I have one load I use that is 1 1/4oz of shot.
Interestingly enough, an Uncle mikes powder measure set at 90 grains will weigh danged near the same on my Redding scale.

DT
 
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