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Hello, Does anyone have any load data for 12 gauge #2 Buckshot? I cant find any anywhere and not sure how to load it. Im loading with either Winchester AA, Peters Blue Magic or Federal Champion paper hulls with either Unique, Herco or Blue Dot powder and I also have Pyrodex Select for the smokey reloads.LOL. I only have standard plastic shot wads in numerous brands and sizes and some Alcan Nitro cards in .135 and .200 thick. Thanks in advance, Mike
Mike,
Have you looked in the Lyman shotshell loading manual? I have one at home and I can look tonight if you need me to.
Greetings I would recommend starting with Blue Dot. I have loaded Round Ball since 1989 using Unique and it can get real TOUCHY with the upper pressures and velocities.
Longbow has been at RB a long time also and RECOMENDS Blue Dot. Dixie Slugs also uses Blue Dot for loading. So if you are looking to shoot fast go with Blue Dot.
I load #2 buckshot using data at www.hodgdon.com, but I also have a couple of kegs of HS6 and W540.
I have the #2 Lyman shotshell book but nothing listed for what I have and noone lists any data for #2 buck. I see all others but that one. I like the Blue dot and Herco for my magnum loads but its too much difference in pressures to wing it and use other load data for 00 or 1 buck and even 0 buck pressures are different from the 00's. I guess its time to get the new Lyman shotgun manual because all i like for my shotgun loads is Alliant powder.
I have the newest 5th edition Lyman shotgun manual, just looked through it. It does not have data for #2 buck for 12 gauge. Lots of #1 and #4, but no #2.
I dont' have a lot of experience in this, but did a fair amount of textbook research a couple years ago. What I found is that with buckshot, its the payload weight that matters. That is, if you find a 00 Buck recipe you want to use, find the number of equivalent weight of #2 pellets and go with it. I've also heard of some taking birdshot recipes and doing the same thing, but I wouldn't go that far, as I've not yet satisfied myself that is safe.
Also, when you start talking adding buffer to the buckshot, all bets are off because of the drastic pressure changes that buffer causes. Don't get me wrong, buffer can be a good thing, but you CANNOT simply add buffer to a recipe and have it be safe.
I would suggest goinng to shotgunworld.com and doing some searching/asking there. Also, Ballistic Products Incorporated and Precision Reloading make some good buckshot literature that would push you down the road to answers.
Josh
Mike,
I think I have one of the 1st edition shotgun manual at home. I forgot to look last night. You can call federal and see what they may I have. I had to do that with a couple of loads that I could not find data using their components, they came through for me.