Unlock Championship Target Precision with Hodgdon High Gun® Smokeless Powder

Inconsistent shot patterns, heavy carbon soot buildup, and excessive felt recoil can completely ruin your scores on the trap line, skeet range, or sporting clays course. When competitive clay target shotgunners and high-volume handloaders rely on inferior or outdated propellants, unburned powder grains clog semi-automatic gas ports, cause sluggish action cycling, and create erratic chamber pressure fluctuations that result in missed clays and scattered patterns downrange. When every single clay target counts toward your score or championship standing, underperforming shotshell powders degrade firearm function, waste expensive components, and drain your confidence at the firing line.

Hodgdon High Gun® was engineered specifically to eliminate these shotshell reloading challenges forever. Purpose-built for high-volume 12-gauge target reloaders, High Gun® is an advanced, ultra-clean-burning flattened spherical (ball) powder designed explicitly for 12-gauge clay target loads. Delivering precise volumetric metering through press bushings, low recoil dynamics, and lethal downrange pattern density, Hodgdon High Gun® provides the unbeatable, clay-crushing precision demanded by trap, skeet, and sporting clays competitors nationwide.

Why Hodgdon High Gun® Superiority Matters for 12 Gauge Target Shotshells and High-Volume Reloading

1. Liquid-Smooth Bushing Metering for High-Volume Shotshell Presses

Metering consistency is non-negotiable when churning out thousands of clay target shells on progressive shotshell presses (such as MEC, Dillon, Hornady, or Ponsness/Warren systems). Coarse extruded flake powders can bridge, bind, or drop erratically inside volumetric bushings, leading to frustrating charge weight variations.

Hodgdon High Gun® features fine, flattened spherical (ball) grains that flow like liquid through charge bars and powder bushings. Every drop yields exact, repeatable charge weights kernel for kernel. This flawless metering consistency speeds up your press operations, eliminates velocity spreads from shell to shell, and guarantees uniform pressure expansion for predictable lead times on fast-crossing target clays.

2. Clean-Burning Spherical Technology Keeps Shotgun Gas Systems Spotless

Heavy carbon residue and unburned powder flakes cause semi-automatic target shotguns to drag, jam, and demand tedious hours of aggressive bore scrubbing after a multi-stage tournament.

Hodgdon High Gun® features a specialized chemical formulation engineered to burn remarkably clean at standard target operating pressures. It leaves virtually zero carbon soot, plastic wad residue, or unburned powder grains inside shotgun barrels, gas ports, or choke tubes. Your competition shotguns run cleaner for longer periods, cycling effortlessly through multi-hundred-round events while preserving maximum pattern density downrange.

3. Optimized Burn Rate for 12-Gauge 7/8 oz, 1 oz, and 1-1/8 oz Clay Payloads

Positioned in the popular fast burn-rate spectrum ideal for 12-gauge target ammunition, High Gun® matches the burn characteristics and loading data of classic 12-gauge target powders like Remington 4100 / Fig 8 style loads and similar fast target formulations.

It excels in high-velocity 7/8 oz, 1 oz, and 1-1/8 oz 12-gauge target payloads running at 1,145 fps to 1,250+ fps. Its progressive combustion curve accelerates shot columns smoothly without crushing or deforming soft lead pellets inside the shot cup. By preserving pellet roundness, High Gun® eliminates wild flyers and delivers exceptionally tight, uniform pattern fringe density right into the core of the clay.

4. Low Felt Recoil Impulse for Soft Shooting & Fast Target Re-Acquisition

Heavy, jarring recoil leads to shooter fatigue and slows down sight realignment during fast-paced double trap or sporting clay pairs. The efficient, progressive combustion profile of High Gun® accelerates payloads smoothly while minimizing felt recoil. The result is a comfortable, soft-shooting experience that lets you stay locked onto target lines for fast follow-up shots across all-day shooting events.

Top Shotshell Applications for Hodgdon High Gun® Reloading Powder

While Hodgdon High Gun® was custom-built as the premier 12-gauge target propellant, its optimized burn rate makes it a versatile favorite for various clay target reloading setups.

Premier Applications & Payload Matches:

• 12-Gauge 7/8 oz Lightweight Target Loads: Delivers high velocity with minimal recoil for comfortable, high-volume practice sessions and skeet shooting.

• 12-Gauge 1 oz Standard Clay Target Shells: The ultimate sweet-spot choice for trap, skeet, and sporting clays, yielding dense core patterns and soft recoil.

• 12-Gauge 1-1/8 oz Heavy Trap Loads: Outstanding performance for 16-yard and handicap trap shooting, providing high velocity, clean ignition, and crushing energy downrange.

• Progressive Press High-Volume Production: Engineered specifically for smooth, trouble-free operation in high-capacity automated reloading setups.

Technical Specifications & Product Features

Pro-Level Handloading Guidelines for High Gun®

• Shotshell Component Matching: Always follow published recipe guidelines exactly for hull, primer, wad, and shot weight combinations. Because High Gun® is a fast-burning spherical powder, swapping components without checking official load data can significantly alter chamber pressure levels.

• Bushing & Press Calibration: Ensure your press drop tubes and volumetric charge bushings are clean, dry, and static-free. High Gun’s spherical ball design drops with extreme accuracy, allowing you to set your press once and run thousands of rounds with minimal checking.

• Consult Official Verified Data: Never guess powder charge weights. Always cross-reference your load development with published data directly from the official Hodgdon Reloading Data Center. Start at the recommended starting charge weight and work up incrementally while inspecting fired hulls, brass, and primers for signs of high chamber pressure.

Supercharge Your Clay Target Performance Today

Stop letting dirty propellants, patchy shot patterns, and heavy felt recoil hold back your target scores on the clay field. Upgrade your reloading bench with Hodgdon High Gun® and experience the match-grade precision, liquid-smooth metering, and clean-burning performance that champion shotgunners demand.

Select your container size above and buy Hodgdon High Gun® today to elevate your target loads!