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Small Shot Charges To Grains Equivalents

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Walkabout

40 Cal
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What are the grains by volume equivalent to 3/8, 1/2, and 5/8 oz of shot? I can't seem to find it anywhere and my shot dipper starts at 1 oz. Thanks
 
Math is your friend.

It can easily be done with a calculator.

Determine the number of grains in one ounce and you're all set.
 
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I typically get my best performance with two volumetric powder measures that are 10 grains apart. So for small game like squirrels and pheasants, 60 grain measure of powder and a 70 grain measure of shot.
Other folks get their best results with equal measures or some even with a 20 grain, by volume, difference.
 
I think this is what you are looking for. An approximate weight for a given volume with your powder measure.

grains oz of shot
50 3/4
60 7/8
70 1
80 1 1/8
90 1 1/4
100 1 3/8
110 1 1/2
120 1 5/8
Was just about to post that
A ‘square’ load is popular same volume of shot to the volume of powder. 70 grains powder/ one ounce of shot.
However I have found increased shot over lighter powder works well. I shoot 65-70 grains with an ounce and a half.
So a seventy grain Powder measuring then one and a half of shot
 
What are the grains by volume equivalent to 3/8, 1/2, and 5/8 oz of shot? I can't seem to find it anywhere and my shot dipper starts at 1 oz. Thanks
I revised my post as follows -
I reckon the unusual smaller amounts of shot indicate a smaller gauge gun. Hoping this is the data you requested.
Since 70 grains of powder bulks at the approximate equivalent to an ounce of shot in a powder measure:
70 divided by an Eighth is equal to 8.75
I would use an adjustable powder measure to get close to these amounts:
for the 3/8 oz Equivalent - 8.75 Multiplied by 3 gives 26.25 (just under 1 dram)
for the 1/2 oz Equivalent - 8.75 Multiplied by 4 gives 35 grains
for the 5/8 oz Equivalent - 8.75 Multiplied by 5 gives 43.75 grains
(bulk mass volume or whatever it should be called)
 
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437.5 grains to the ounce. Just based on mass. Volume be damned. Neither grains nor ounces are based on volume.
This is true, but when we load in the field or at the range, we use volume measures to throw our charge. Now we can use scales to weigh out the charge and pour the charge into plastic cups or wrap the charge in a paper tube, but this is done elsewhere than in the hunting field.
 
437.5 grains to the ounce. Just based on mass. Volume be damned. Neither grains nor ounces are based on volume.
Exactly. What gets folks wrapped around the axle is using something that is a calibrated volume to throw a specific weight charge with a specific substance, then putting a different substance in the same volume not "calibrated" to that volume. BP to substitute powder (the manufacturers have done that work for us there by adjusting the volume with fillers to give like "explosive" charges), BP to lead shot and so on.

Like comparing a fluid oz of water and then using the same fluid oz mark (volume) with molten lead....they are not going to weigh the same even though the volume is the same.
 
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437.5 grains to the ounce. Just based on mass. Volume be damned. Neither grains nor ounces are based on volume.
An ounce of volume as in 1/8 of a cup. An ounce of water volume weighs one ounce of weight. It’s the same idea as metric system. One cc of water weighs one gram.
Grains is the weight of a grain of barley.
Volume is pretty constant for the weight of a particular material.
A cup of black powder weighs 8 ounces. A volume of powder is about equal to a volume of water in weight.
So 70 grains of powder is about 1/6 of an ounce by volume. That volume in lead will weigh an ounce a cup of shot would be a little over three pounds
 
I'm guessing this is for a smoothbore muzzleloader. If your match shooting you might want to weigh your charges...

Otherwise,
3/8 oz=25grs black powder measure
1/2 oz=35grs black powder measure
5/8 oz= 45grs black powder measure.

These aren't precise, but using a volume measurer you can't get 1/2 grain increments. Remember, black powder is no where near as sensitive as smokeless.

I know firsthand how confusing volume to weight measurements can be.
At a trap match I watched a shooter use an 8 bore. He used 140grs ffg and 2oz (by volume) of shot, using the same measurer
I was ready to argue that he would only get 8 shots from a pound of powder, because he was using 2 scoops of shot, by volume, and 2 scoops of powder, by volume
After i settled down and thought about it, it became clear he got 50 shots (approximately) from a pound.
 
I typically get my best performance with two volumetric powder measures that are 10 grains apart. So for small game like squirrels and pheasants, 60 grain measure of powder and a 70 grain measure of shot.
Other folks get their best results with equal measures or some even with a 20 grain, by volume, difference.
I found that’s a good load for my .62 Fusil as well.
 
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