Dram equivalent definition

[DickelDawg]

I seem to remember from WAY back when that the term "dram equivalent" as pertaining to shotshell specifications had something to do with a comparison to previous blackpowder loads. Can anyone enlighten me to a more precise definition?

[Graybeard]

That is correct. Back in the BP days you measured charges by the dram and that dram weight gave a specific velocity with the stated shot charge. When the switch was made to smokeless it was so new folks had no way to know how performance stacked up except to compare it to the old BP charges thus manufacturers for a great many years marked shotshells with the dram equivalent of BP. It really has not totally faded away even today tho nowadays most put the velocity on there as well.

[DickelDawg]

Thanks for the reply! That's pretty much what I remember but..........well I don't remember so well nowadays. Anyway....thanks again!