shooting distance

[billd]

was wondering if #2 OR 4 shot would fly further than 6 or 7.5  using same gun full choke

[Graybeard]

Sure probably by a tiny amount but both #6 and #7-1/2 will fly much further than their effective killing distance. If you are really asking about killing range that depends on both pattern density and shot size/weight. It's more complicated than just computing how far the shot will go. Even #9 shot will go several hundred yards.

[Rock Home Isle]

was wondering if #2 OR 4 shot would fly further than 6 or 7.5  using same gun full choke

If you have a set of projectiles that begin their motion traveling at the same velocity in your case it would be 6, 7.5, 4, & 2 shot; as the mass of the projectile is increased the projectile with the highest mass will retain its velocity for a longer amount of time before it is over come by air-resistance and its velocity falls to zero.

But also keep in mind that as you increase the mass of these projectiles you also increase the surface area, and there will be a perceptable increase of the effects of air-resistance upon the projectile. I would feel very comfortable in stating that at an angle of 45 degrees, 2 shot or 4 shot would travel farther than either the 6 or 7.5 shot, as long as the density of the composite material is the same.

[spruce]

I've seen a table showing maximum distances various shot sizes will travel, but I'm not sure now where I saw it.  Could have been in the back of an old Dixie Gun Works catalog, but I'm not sure (don't have a copy on hand).
If I remember correctly #8 shot would only fly about 225 yards, with larger sizes traveling longer distances (dramatically further as the size increased).
This has nothing to do with EFFECTIVE distance, just MAXIMUM distance.

A rather unscientific experiment that may give you some perspective is to throw a common BB as far as you can and then throw a golf ball as far as you can.  Starting velocity (arm speed) will be about the same, but you'll see a tremendous difference in the distance they travel!

[Maritime Storm]

Spruce, Lyman's Black Powder Handbook has a shot speed/energy over distance chart in the shotgun section.

[billd]

thanks for the replys.  was out trap shooting and the guys next to me had a hand thrower with a golf club handle attached .  this really put the clays out there.  started thinking  if i shot #4s would it be easier to break them at longer ranges vs 7.5 or 8 shot