Shotshell flight characteristics

**alethialogos57** · January 4th, 2014, 11:02 PM

Being a bit of an egghead, I'm wanted to learn about the flight characteristics (trajectory, spread, distance, etc) of shotshells. I know there are numerous sources of ballistic information on rifle and handgun rounds but I can't seem to find anything on shotshells. I would have though the sources would be out there somewhere.

**tl_3237** · January 4th, 2014, 11:26 PM

http://shotshellballistic.blogspot.com/ but it cost $$$.

**Flash** · January 4th, 2014, 11:31 PM

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/p...hotshell-5.php

http://www.alliantpowder.com/getting...shotshell.aspx

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Google can be your best friend, sometimes. "shotshell loading manuals" :
https://www.google.com/search?q=+sho...ient=firefox-a

The Lyman is the most highly recommended book. There are others. Some of the older books (The ABC's of Reloading, for instance) also have some info that might be valuable.

Flash

**alethialogos57** · January 5th, 2014, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by tl_3237

http://shotshellballistic.blogspot.com/ but it cost $$$.

Thanks for the link! This is what I've been looking for. Now to find information on how these calculations are made in the first place.

**alethialogos57** · January 5th, 2014, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by Flash

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/p...hotshell-5.php

http://www.alliantpowder.com/getting...shotshell.aspx

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

Google can be your best friend, sometimes. "shotshell loading manuals" :
https://www.google.com/search?q=+sho...ient=firefox-a

The Lyman is the most highly recommended book. There are others. Some of the older books (The ABC's of Reloading, for instance) also have some info that might be valuable.

Flash

Thanks! I have the Lyman book and do reload our shotshells. I'm looking for how to calculate things like recoil, distance, drop, spread, etc. The KPY program that tl_3237 suggested does what I've been looking to learn how to do manually.

**dk99358** · January 5th, 2014, 11:51 AM

From the Lyman rifle manual:

Free recoil calculation:

(W1 * Vp + 4700 * W2 ) quantity squared / 64.348 * Wg

W1 =bullet (or shot in your case) weight in pounds
Vp= muzzle velocity of the projectile
W2= weight of the powder in pounds
Wg= weight of gun in pounds

4700 is an average effective velocity for the center mass of the powder gases.

Can't help on the other things you want to calculate.

Dale