SSG, AAA, BB

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DAN SECOSAN

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Dear Friends
I'm working for a romanian modern fishing book and because I don't like to write whitout understanding, I want to ask your help concerning the origin of names "SSG", "AAA" and "BB". I know well that those are to shoting the line (1,9, 0,8 and 0,4 g), that the names come from english hunting shots, but what's mean exctly S and G from SSG, A from AAA and B from BB?
Thank you.
 
W

Wolfman Woody

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Not sure about this one Dan.

You are correct that the sizes of English shot come from the shooting world.
Very approximately
no 6 shot = .1 gram
no 4 shot = .2 gram
no 1 shot = .3 gram
BB shot = .4 gram
AA shot = .8 gram

SSG, often called "Swan Shot" are usually twice the size of an AA. They were presumably used to shoot swans.

BB shot is perhaps the most widely used of all the shot hence in the USA you have BB guns. I have no idea what AA or BB stand for.

Smaller than no. 6 shot are no 8s, 9s 10, 11, 12, etc. and refered to as "dust shot" because they are so small they resemble dust. They are often used to finely balance the float and tackle.

Can anyone else add?.......
 
R

Ron Troversial Clay

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The terms used for shot size as Jeff says are all based on the lead shot used in shotgun cartridges.

Shot are produced by dropping molten lead into water. The lead becomes spherical as it drops. SSG was called swan shot. I am not sure where the terms originates.

This may be a job for Jeeves.

Modern tungsten shot are not as dense as lead so for the same mass the diameter of the shot is a bit larger.

I wish you could buy split shot in a dull non-shiny colour.
 
Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

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Lead shot names came from shooting. There are many sizes that we as anglers don?t know about. In one of my old fishing books, there is a complete list but I can?t find it.

But for simplicity:-

LG is named after Large Goose
SG is Swan and Goose
SSG is Swan, Stag and Goose

AAA derives from a set of 3; A, AA & AAA
BB derives from a set of 3; B, BB & BBB. I believe that BB was a regular size for wildfowling (duck shooting).

In the numeric sizes there were even half sizes for shooting. Anglers chose the sizes that doubled up conveniently.

In modern angling, Anchor have ?invented? 2SSG and 3SSG though a proper name could probably be found. I can remember buying SG, LG and AA when lead shot was around twenty years ago.

Hope this helps.
Mark
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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When I did a lot of shooting, mainly duck, guineafowl and partridge, I used to use no 5 shot most of the time. They were a bit smaller than BB.
 
W

Wolfman Woody

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Thanks Mark, I'll try and remember that in case someone else asks me.

Must give the wife and LG sometime! mmmmmm

Most new shot is Zinc - got that from Nigel May of Dinsmores. They make some nice black shot, Ron, not too shiney. And Egg shaped and one that's coated in several layers of green resin.
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

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I've found Anchor shot to be the best --its softer and less damaging to the line ...
 
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DAN SECOSAN

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Thank you, friends.
So, with SSG, everything is clear.
Only the origin of A from AAA and B from BB have remain indefinite.
Mark, find the book, please. (I give a kingdom for this book)
I consider interesting for my book all about Zn and Tungsten shots and about shots making.
Anchor shots, we don't have here, of course, but italian, french and german.
 
Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

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Dan,
The hard bit was remembering where I saw the table of sizes. But I found it. It doesn?t have an explanation of the naming, only the sizes. The sizes with A or B are not named after a type of bird or animal. The mystery sizes are SSSG and SSSSG. It is not clear from the list whether SG is Swan and Goose or Small Goose. As each size gets smaller, another S is added to the front. I wonder if the person who told me years ago about Swan, Stag and Goose was right after all. Deer are shot with rifles not shot.

This is the list from the ?Angling? magazine January 1939, with sizes in numbers of shot per ounce. In the UK because we now use lead-free the weights are actually different now!

LG = 6
MG = 7
SG = 8
SSG = 15
SSSG = 20
SSSSG = 25
AAAA = 30
AAA = 35
AA = 40
A = 50
BBB = 60
BB = 70
B = 80
1 = 100
2 = 120
3 = 140
4 = 170
4 ? = 200
5 = 220
5 ? = 240
6 = 270
6 ? = 300
7 = 340
8 (known as ?dust?) = 450

Hope this helps.
Mark
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

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A = Aardvark
AA = 2 Aardvarks

B = Babboon
BB = 2 Babboons
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

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just joking with the aardvarks and babboons
 
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DAN SECOSAN

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Thank you warmly, Mark.

It's OK, Ed. I write in my book: "Look, guys,a guy from England, named Scouse Ed, teach us about shoting lines with Baboons.
Call him to find out the secret. If he's not at home, is fishing, if he's not fishing, he's in Africa to shot his lines.
If are not come back,he's unfortunately trying to overshot his line. Don't cry, people. Try with what you have. With 2 beabears".
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

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heheheh

Dan
This is going to be a pretty comprehensive book--you seem to be covering everything in it....
 
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DAN SECOSAN

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The true is that is fascinating to me talking and joking with other people, from
other "world". This FORUM is amazing for me.
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

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Glad you like it Dan --your English is very good too ....
 
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