The Classic “Boomstick”

“You see this? This... is my BOOMSTICK! The twelve-gauge, double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top-of-the-line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. … That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart.” - - Ash, Army of Darkness

The Remington side-by-side double-barreled shotgun served our Deadite-slaying hero well. Why? It’s unparalleled in functionality, simplicity, and practicality.

However, you still need to pick the right ammo. Trap loads can put down fowl, cervine, swine, and just about any game you may typically hunt.

Too often, however, hunters find themselves accidentally stumbling into the nest or territory of a big, bad, defensive animal. If they attack and you can’t back away safely, you should be able to rely on your trap shot to help put down any threats that don’t allow you to disengage.

Pro Armory will outfit you with any hunting, skeet shooting, target plinking, or doomsday scenario.

12 Gauge Trap Load Ballistics

Shotgun ammo comes in birdshot, buckshot, slug, bean bags, rock salt, and even creative homebrewed loads. Within that, trap loads are one of the most common loadouts of shotgun ammunition. This ammo type is well-designed for target shooting and is quite similar to normal shotgun loads used for everyday hunting.

When choosing the right trap load for your needs, here are some key factors to consider:

Pellet Size

Experienced trap shooters will constantly debate around the campfire about which size is the best for trap shooting: 7 ½ or 8 shot. The 7 ½-type shot is a larger shot pellet while the 8 is smaller. Usually, a wider surface area gives more in-flight resistance. One would think, “Well if I use a lighter, spray-and-pray type of load, I would have better velocity — right?” Yes, but no.

• Lighter pellets do give a smaller surface area per pellet. However, shot cone/area, air resistance, climate, weather conditions, and wind can all affect lighter, smaller pellets.
• Looking at larger pellets, we have bigger, heavier projectiles and more surface area — but these come with their own set of problems. For instance, larger pellets can cause undesirable damage to your target (depending on your game and your aim). What’s more, accuracy may diminish because of arc trajectory, due to heavier ammunition. Weather and environment will also be a factor.

Advocates of 8-type trap shells enjoy a wider area to clean the field or sky and lighter, more plentiful shot-per-shell. Proponents of 7 ½-type vehemently claim that larger pellets will always do the job. However, they also sacrifice their numerical superiority because each shot contains fewer pellets.

While there’s no right answer to this debate, there is a right answer for you. Always do your research and test-fire your rounds before taking new ammo into the field.

Velocity

The average velocity of 12 gauge trap loads can vary on average from 1000 FPS to 1250 FPS. This is a wide range, but it may be necessary for whatever you’re hunting. Some hunters need slower but more powerful rounds for game that isn’t very fast (such as ducks and deer). You may need to test out different powder loads in your trap shot to get the best effects from your hunting experience.

In any case, velocity is a key aspect for trap shooters to consider. Powder loads are already set and typically defined by the type of shooting you’ll be doing. For example, someone shooting skeet or clay may want a different powder load for hunting ducks. Sometimes, targets get tossed from the bunker much faster than a flock of ducks taking off, and you’ll want higher velocity loads to make those shots.

Shell Length Compatibility

Most 12-gauge loads designed for professional trap shooting and competitions will fit a 2-¾” or 3” chamber. Likewise, the best shotguns for trap shooting typically have 2 ¾” or 3” receivers, but not always. Regardless, you’ll need to make sure the trap load you choose fits your firearm.

The 2 ¾” shell can fit in 3” receivers, but the opposite doesn’t work. If you load a 2 ¾” shotshell in a 3” receiver, the shotshell will expand just fine. The extra quarter inch of the receiver won’t hinder the uncrimping of the explosive eruption from the shell. However, if we try to load 3” shells in a 2 ¾” receiver, the shell won’t uncrimp and fire correctly. We have a longer shell inside a shorter receiver, which can be catastrophic.

Putting longer rounds in a shorter receiver can cause explosive failure and even death. Be sure to use the right ammunition with your shotgun.

No matter what you choose, Pro Armory will have what you need. You can experiment easily with different shot loads, thanks to their low prices. One thing to add: using shorter rounds in your longer receiver may affect your patterning.