12 Gauge Dram Equivalent Chart
| Shot Weight (oz) | 5/8 | 3/4 | 7/8 | 1-5/8 |
| Dram Equivalent | Load Vel. (fps) | LV | LV | LV |
| 2 | 1120 | 1085 | 1050 | 840 |
| 2-1/4 | 1175 | 1140 | 1105 | 895 |
| 2-1/2 | 1230 | 1195 | 1160 | 950 |
Aug 14 2022
What is DRAM in a 12 gauge?
On the lid of the box, DRAM is the smokeless powder equivalent to black powder. The standard in a 12-gauge shotgun is 2¾ dram with a 3-dram equivalent. Anything more will kick harder.
Is there a conversion formula for determining DRAM equivalency?
Is there a conversion formula for finding this out? Here’s how you figure dram equivalency: In 12 gauge, a standard 3 dram load with 1-1/8 oz of shot travels 1200 fps. Each 1/4 dram equivalent that you add increases velocity 55 fps.
What does drams equivalent mean in shotguns?
Again, this is a measurement that harkens back to the invention of ammunition. Today’s shotgun shells use smokeless powder, but “drams equivalent” indicates the shotshell velocity produced with the equivalent amount of black powder once used in the earliest ammunitions.
What is the difference between 3 DRAMs and 4 drams?
One has a dram equivalent of three; the other, four. The shell with the higher dram equivalent will have a load velocity of 1,420 feet per second, whereas the shell with the lower dram equivalent will have a load velocity of only 1,200 fps.
What is shotgun dram equivalent?
The term “dram equivalent” is a holdover from the days when shotshells were loaded with blackpowder. Blackpowder is (or at least was) measured in “drams.” This is a weight measure, where 16 drams equal one ounce. At that measurement, 256 drams of blackpowder weigh one pound. (Trivia bonus!
What is dram 12-gauge?
Dram (or DRAM Equivalents) is an antiquated measure based on the amount of black powder (in drams) it takes to propel a certain mass of shot at a specific velocity. In this day and age we rarely, if ever use black power in our shotshell loadings.
What does 3 dram mean?
A box of shotgun shells labeled “3 Dram Equivalent” means it possesses the force of 3 drams of black powder.
What does 3 dram EQ mean on shotgun shells?
One has a dram equivalent of three; the other, four. The shell with the higher dram equivalent will have a load velocity of 1,420 feet per second, whereas the shell with the lower dram equivalent will have a load velocity of only 1,200 fps.
How many pellets are in an 8 ounce shot?
For example, a 1-ounce load of 12 gauge No. 8 shot has about 410 pellets. (A 20 gauge with a 1-ounce payload of No. 8s has the same number.)
What is dram weight?
Dram came from French through Latin and ultimately from the Greek word drachmē, meaning “handful.” As a unit of weight, a dram is 1/16 of an ounce (and an ounce is 1/16 of a pound). As a liquid measure, a dram is 1/8 of an ounce.
How many times can you fire a shotgun?
Most break-action shotguns can only fire one or two shots, as they only have one or two barrels. Pump-action shotguns are the classic workhorses of the shotgun family. These store extra shells in a tubular magazine under the barrel.
What 12-gauge ammo is best for home defense?
The Fiocchi Nickel-Plated Buckshot, 12 gauge shotgun ammo, is ideal for home defense and hunting purposes. Its nickel-plated bullets tend to choke tighter and deliver a consistent shot pattern when shot. Its nickel-plated buckshot shells own very heavy-duty design shotgun requirements.
What shotgun load is best for home defense?
The military and many police agencies favor “00” or “double-aught” buckshot, as it has been proven very effective when used against man-sized threats. This, along with the fact that 00 buckshot loads are generally the most widely available for sale in America, means that it is a very common defensive load.
What does Max Dr EQ mean on shotgun shells?
Some boxes of modern ammunition may contain a velocity indicator: “Dr. Eq.” This stands for Dram Equivalent. The first shotshells were loaded with black powder. Black powder volume was originally measured in “drams.”
What does 7.5 shot mean for shotgun shells?
#7 Steel Shot Ammo: #7 Steel Shot Explained #7 shot is primarily used for target shooting, clays and medium-sized birds like grouse, partridge, quail, and snipe. Old-timers will usually refer to #7 and #7.5 as “dove shot,” because it excels at hitting birds and small animals that are roughly the size of a large dove.
How many drams of powder are in an ounce?
16 dramsOne pound is 16 ounces, each ounce has 16 drams.
What do you mean by DRAM?
dynamic random access memoryWhat does DRAM mean? DRAM stands for “dynamic random access memory,” and it’s a specific type of RAM (random access memory). All computers have RAM, and DRAM is one kind of RAM we see in modern desktops and laptops.
What is DRAM vs RAM?
RAM is fast but it is volatile, which means it will not retain data if there is no power. It is therefore important to save data to the storage device before the system is turned off. There are two main types of RAM: Dynamic RAM (DRAM) and Static RAM (SRAM)….ROM and RAM.DRAMSRAMCapacityhighlow11 more rows•Jul 12, 2022
Is DRAM a RAM?
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a type of semiconductor memory that is typically used for the data or program code needed by a computer processor to function. DRAM is a common type of random access memory (RAM) that is used in personal computers (PCs), workstations and servers.
What is DRAM drink?
A Dram in the United States of America But, for most whisky drinkers, it’s not a useful definition. It refers to one-eight of a fluid ounce, less than a teaspoon. Hardly enough whisky to get the sides of your glass wet.
How many drams are in a 12 gauge shotgun?
The standard in a 12-gauge shotgun is 2¾ dram with a 3-dram equivalent. Anything more will kick harder. While shopping for shotgun shells it’s important you buy the right load. In addition to safety concerns, many retailers do not allow you to return a box of shells.
What gauge is a shotgun?
The most popular shotgun gauges are 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410. Some vintage shotguns and a few modern semi-auto shotguns specialized for goose hunting come in 10 gauge for significant stopping power. Whereas the U.S. commonly uses the word “gauge,” Great Britain and other countries often use “bore.”.
What is the diameter of a shotgun barrel?
When it comes to shotgun bores, the smaller the gauge the bigger the diameter of the barrel. 12 gauge is .729 inch, 16 gauge is .662 inch, 20 gauge is .615 inch and 28 gauge is .550 inch.
Why are shotguns measured in gauges?
Shotguns are measured in gauges because of the type of ammunition they use. While other firearms discharge precision projectiles, shotguns fire a shell that is packed with round, lead BB-like pellets. The pellets spread in a funnel pattern once they leave the muzzle of the shotgun, hence the term “scatter gun.”.
Can you shoot a 20 gauge shell in a 12 gauge shotgun?
In terms of gauge, do not shoot a smaller gauge shotgun shell in your gun than is required by the manufacturer. For instance, don’t drop a 20-gauge shell into a 12-gauge shotgun. Unless you have a set of sub-gauge tubes that fit into your barrel, ammunition sizes are not interchangeable in shotgun barrels.
Can a 3 inch shotgun hold a 3 inch shell?
A shotgun with a 3-inch chamber can accept 2¾ inch shells as well as 3-inch shells, but a 2¾-inch chamber cannot accept 3-inch shells. To find the chamber size on your shotgun, see the fine print stamped on the barrel or read the owner’s manual.
Why is a 12 gauge shell better than a smaller shell?
A 12 gauge shell also has advantage over the smaller gauges because it has a shorter shot column. Basically, the fatter 12 gauge shell can fit the same weight of shot into a shorter column, which results in less shot deformation as it travels down the barrel. This means that 12 gauge loads will generally pattern better with the same amount of shot when compared to a smaller gauge shotgun.
What is the difference between a 10 gauge and a 12 gauge shotgun?
In short, the smaller the gauge of a shotgun, the larger the bore diameter. This is why a 10 gauge shotgun has a larger diameter than a 12 gauge shotgun, which has a larger diameter than a 20 gauge shotgun, etc. A different way of saying the same thing would be to describe shotgun gauges in terms of the number of lead balls …
Why are 20 gauge shells yellow?
So, 20 gauge shells are yellow in order to make them easy to identify and to minimize the chances of loading a 20 gauge shell in a 12 gauge shotgun . 28 Gauge: Ranking below the 12 and 20 gauges in terms of popularity, the 28 gauge shotgun is somewhat common in upland game hunting and skeet shooting circles.
What is the bore size of a 410 shotgun?
There is one exception to this rule: the .410 bore. Sometimes inaccurately described as “.410 gauge” or “36 gauge”, it’s the only shotgun in common use that is named after its actual bore size (.410 of an inch diameter) as opposed to a gauge number. If it were named like all the other popular shotgun bores, it would be approximately 67 gauge.
What gauge shotgun is good for goose hunting?
With all that being said, below are the recommended uses for each of the most popular shotgun gauges. 10 Gauge: The 10 gauge shotgun is primarily used by waterfowl hunters, especially for goose hunting.
How to get a dense shotgun?
That being said, in general, one way to get a dense shot pattern is to increase the shot weight, like going from 1 ounce to 1 1/8 ounces of shot for example. However, the shot weight can only be increased to a certain degree for a particular gauge and shell length.
What are the characteristics of a shotgun shell?
In addition to gauge, shotgun shells also come in varying lengths with different loads of powder, shot weight, shot size, and shot composition.
How many drams equal one ounce?
Black powder is (or at least was) measured in “drams.”. This is a weight measure, where 16 drams equal one ounce. At that measurement, 256 drams of black powder weighed one pound. (Trivia bonus!
How much does 256 drams of black powder weigh?
At that measurement, 256 drams of black powder weighed one pound. (Trivia bonus! A pound of black powder is actually known as an “avoirdupois pound.”) All of that’s fine and good if you’re shooting a black powder shotgun—and that’s not likely.
What is the maximum velocity of a 3 dram?
A few years ago the maximum legal shell for trap shooting was defined as 12 ga, 1 1/8 oz, 3 dram equivalent (drm eq). SAAMI defined a 12 ga 1 1/8 oz 3 drm eq load as having a velocity of 1,200 f/s plus or minus 5% ie 60 f/s due to manufacturing tolerances. So a legal load could have a velocity range of 1,140 f/s to 1,260 f/s. Sooo the ammo makers started making a “3 drm eq” load that had a velocity of 1,255 f/s and calling them Handicap drm eq, when in reality it was a 3 1/4 drm eq load that gave the long yardage shooters less of a handicap when shooting against the shorter yardage shooters.
Do HDCP loads have more F/S?
So HDCP labeled loads are typically going to have more f/s to them. Somewhat similar to the Remington Nitros’.
Is dram equivalent relevant?
Since many boxes of shells still don’ t list velocity, dram equivalent is still relevant. Generally speaking, the higher the DrEq, the higher the pressure, and considering older firearms, I find DrEq very relevant.
What Is Dram Equal to?
-
As a unit of weight measurement, one dram is equal to 27.344 grains or 0.0625 ounces. There are 16 drams to an ounce.
Origins: Modern Powders vs. Black Powder
-
Modern propellant is far more potent than black powder. If you loaded 3.5 drams of modern propellant in a standard shotshell, you would probably wind up blowing your shotgun to smithereens. This is why ammo manufacturers don’t tell you how many drams of modern propellant they loaded in a shotshell. As far as they are concerned, it is an obsolete measureme…
How Can Modern Shooters It?
-
Because a shell’s dram equivalent reflects both its muzzle velocity and its report, it is useful for target shooting ranges that want to restrict how powerful their guests’ ammunition can be. (Perhaps they want to limit noise or prevent shot pellets from traveling too far.) Simply banning shells with muzzle velocities faster than X or shot columns heavier or lighter than Y wouldn’t tak…