What is dr equiv ?

[ishgood]

Ive have a box of target load that says Dr Eq HDCP?

Wondering what DR EQUIV is, what is HDCP, and do I care if Im shooting trap, tuning up for hunting.

Thanks.

[BobT]

I think that's a good question but I'm biased because I've wondered that myself. I have believed it has something to do with the powder charge and how it relates to black powder? but I really don't have a clue.

Bob

[PerchJerker]

I think .......

DR EQ stands for Dram Equivalent. Dram is a measurement for gun powder. Don't ask me how much a Dram is, but the number of Drams tells you how much powder is in the shell. More drams starts to get you into high power and magnum loads.

HDCP stands for Handicap, I think it is basically saying it is a "regulation" skeet or trap or sporting clay shell. Meaning not a high power or magnum load, but a standard handicap load to be used in competition.

So what I think what DR EQ HDCP means is the shell as the right amount of powder to be a regulation shell for skeet, trap, or sporting clays. Other common names are target loads or low base shells.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong ........

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do I care if I'm tuning up for hunting

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The reason you might care is that target loads won't shoot the same as hunting loads (hunting loads will fly faster meaning you can get by with less lead on the bird, probably have heavier shot in them, will kick more when you pull the trigger). Many gun ranges allow only target loads to be shot, and they're much cheaper, so it might be a moot point. I do all of my clay shooting with target loads, then switch to hunting loads when I'm in the field.

[ishgood]

I thought maybe it was the sound the gun makes....

DRAM!!! DRAM!!! DRAM!!!!

But no, you were correct. Found this.

dram - One sixteenth of an ounce (or 1/256 of a pound, or 27.34375 grains).

dram equivalent - A method for describing the power of a shotgun shell by equating its load of modern smokeless power with an equivalent load of black powder, in drams.

So, 3 Dram would mean contains enough smokeless powder to make as big of a DRAM! as .1875 ounces of black powder. I feel a Pat Mcmanus day coming on.

Not sure what HDCP (handicap?) means.

Also have seen Dr eq Mag, and dr eq Max.

[ishgood]

That makes sense. Thanks for the info.

[45acpshooter]

I think everything's right so far except the HCDP part. In trapshooting, regular Singles are shot from 16 yards. Handicaps are shot at longer distances, back to 27 yards. Shells for Handicaps are loaded to higher pressures and velocities and are thus "hotter" than regular shells. They are a little louder and have a little more recoil but are OK for any trapshooting you may want to do.

[ishgood]

So its not the shell that's handicapped, its the shooter. He is handicapped by being farther back?

[BobT]

Wow! Not bad for a wild guess. I really have never known what Dram Eq. meant but figured it had to do with being equivalent to something. Considering it was related to ammunition, deductive reasoning just seemed to suggest powder charge. The rest was just a pure guess.

How 'bout that. I guessed right.

Bob

[BobT]

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hunting loads will fly faster

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This raising a question. If one spends the summer shooting trap and skeet using lower powered target loads, isn't there a good chance it'll screw his timing up when he hunts with game loads? I would imagine he might find himself shooting too far ahead of his target, wouldn't he?

For example, I couldn't (well I really still can't) shoot for crap on the fly with a shotgun so I spent one summer shooting trap in the hopes I would improve my hit percentage a little for pheasant and grouse hunting. By season's end I was doing fairly well. That fall I decided to try my hand at duck hunting for the first time. Well, with trap shooting all the targets are more or less moving up and away but the ducks were mostly coming down and in. You guessed it! I did a great job of shooting over the top of just about every bird I shot at. I honestly went through a couple boxes of shells before I hit my first bird after my partner helped out by watching where my wad was flying. I told you I was pretty bad at wing shooting. One thing's for sure. It's a good form of shoot and release.

I guess for a guy like me I'm better off using my game loads when practicing, eh?

Bob

[PerchJerker]

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I guess for a guy like me I'm better off using my game loads when practicing, eh?

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Not necessarily. There's a lot of differences. Hunting loads fly faster than target loads due ot more powder. Hunting loads have heavier lead shot which carries the momentum better than lighter lead shot, but if you hunt with steel shot it starts off very fast but loses momentum quickly. And there's another difference .... game birds don't fly the same speed or direction as clay targets.

The key with practice shooting is to develop good technique and timing and shooting instincts, and then be able to adapt that as necessary in the field. I know that the years I shoot in sporting clay leagues I shoot much better in the field, even though I never shoot hunting loads in league.

[SJU70]

I think PerchJerker hit it on the head with sporting clays. Find a range that has a course and walk it some; it has multiple shots, usually with different sized birds. Trap as you said has the same shots over and over. Sporting clays forces you to adjust to different flight patterns and to make different shots, theoretically should allow you to shoot better at real birds.