At a recent foray to PGC for some trap, I was gifted with a mixed bag of old 12 gauge loads. And bag is the correct word, these are in a Ziplock.
Story goes, a man received these and others from his dad, who's headed for a senior community and sent his son all his hunting related stuff, including an A-5 and a pre 64 Model 70.
Son shoots rifle but is only likewarm at best about shotguns. He was using a Miroku Daly and these until advised the rules forbade shot larger than 7 1/2, and 3 dram loads.
Most of the bag consists of 50s style Remington Express Long Range loads,the old 1 1/4 oz shoulder buster. These were similar to my pheasant whackers of the time, differing only by being 7 1/2s instead of 6s. At the time, I believed them to be suitable for all that walked, swum or flew.
With them and my oldest 870, I took pheasants, squirrels,rabbits,doves, mallards,woodies,vermin, woodchucks, even a Canada or two. In 4s they were my duck load, and the 2s were good for Canadas in those last of the good years Eastern Shore expeditions.
And while these have been stored properly, I seriously doubt I'll ever shoot them off.
These are not museum pieces. But, every single aspect of these loads has been altered since then to improve performance.
Instead of brass,there's now steel case heads with less chance of catastrophic failure. While those were rare, so is getting struck by lightning, and I don't fish during thunderstorms.
The paper case,so subject to swelling when wet, is now supplanted by polywhatever. Waterproof, impact resistant,and cheap, it's also more reloadable.
Instead of felt and cork wads, there's the cup wads, again of polystuff. Younger shooters have NO idea how much better these pattern than the old ammo.
Instead of soft lead shot,there's now harder and rounder pellets.Higher antimony content translates into patterns we could not approach much less equal in those days.
And folks used to the clean burning powders of this era would think we were shooting coarse black musket stuff from the residue left in bbls of the days.
And while these shells have a folded crimp, these are topped off with a sticker on top that blows into confetti when fired. Sometimes they constituted a fire hazard during dry summers.
Compare a 52 Ford or Chevy to the newest ones. That's the difference between our ammo and that of yesteryear...
Story goes, a man received these and others from his dad, who's headed for a senior community and sent his son all his hunting related stuff, including an A-5 and a pre 64 Model 70.
Son shoots rifle but is only likewarm at best about shotguns. He was using a Miroku Daly and these until advised the rules forbade shot larger than 7 1/2, and 3 dram loads.
Most of the bag consists of 50s style Remington Express Long Range loads,the old 1 1/4 oz shoulder buster. These were similar to my pheasant whackers of the time, differing only by being 7 1/2s instead of 6s. At the time, I believed them to be suitable for all that walked, swum or flew.
With them and my oldest 870, I took pheasants, squirrels,rabbits,doves, mallards,woodies,vermin, woodchucks, even a Canada or two. In 4s they were my duck load, and the 2s were good for Canadas in those last of the good years Eastern Shore expeditions.
And while these have been stored properly, I seriously doubt I'll ever shoot them off.
These are not museum pieces. But, every single aspect of these loads has been altered since then to improve performance.
Instead of brass,there's now steel case heads with less chance of catastrophic failure. While those were rare, so is getting struck by lightning, and I don't fish during thunderstorms.
The paper case,so subject to swelling when wet, is now supplanted by polywhatever. Waterproof, impact resistant,and cheap, it's also more reloadable.
Instead of felt and cork wads, there's the cup wads, again of polystuff. Younger shooters have NO idea how much better these pattern than the old ammo.
Instead of soft lead shot,there's now harder and rounder pellets.Higher antimony content translates into patterns we could not approach much less equal in those days.
And folks used to the clean burning powders of this era would think we were shooting coarse black musket stuff from the residue left in bbls of the days.
And while these shells have a folded crimp, these are topped off with a sticker on top that blows into confetti when fired. Sometimes they constituted a fire hazard during dry summers.
Compare a 52 Ford or Chevy to the newest ones. That's the difference between our ammo and that of yesteryear...
