#1 Buckshot Load - Need Help

[oujeffscar]

I saw this load posted by RMC:

There seems to be a great deal of interest about high performance
#5 Western Buckshot, also known as Eastern #1 Buckshot. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to take a look at what has already been posted:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...mance-buckshot

"...Dixie Slugs, 12 gauge 2 3/4" 1 Buck Special.

The powder charge is 32 grs (2.8 cc) of Alliant Blue Dot - LBC43mm wad - 16 #1 BPI hard buckshot (stacked two on two) - vel 1220'/" - 10,700 psi.- Cheddite straight walled hull.
There seems to still be quite a few fine 2 3/4"guns out there! This load's pattern was tested by Joey Saunders out of a Remington 1100 (.690" full choke).
This load put 8 #1's inside of a 10" circle at a measured 40 yards.
As I have said before...it does not matter how many buckshot (or shot) is in the load! What does matter is how many buckshot (or shot) it puts into a 10" kill circle at 40 yards.
This is another load recipe I wil post since it has been pressure tested. We have enough loads posted that have not been pressure tested. The recipe must be followed exact
Regards, James"
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Just a few points to clarify:

This is a Roll Crimp load put up in new primed Cheddite hulls using Precision Spherical Buffer, (PSB), and a standard overshot card wad. The wad must be slit twice down to the inside base - just follow the mold line on each side. I find that a fixed blade carpet cutter, (no blade wobble), with a rounded edge standard box cutter blade installed works well for this. Be sure to dust the wad inside and out with powdered mica.

Lastly, this is a very easy load to assemble. The 16 thirty caliber pellets
literally self stack in two pellet layers when poured into the shell.

I would like to make this load but use Pro reach instead of Blue Dot. I checked on Alliant's reloading data and found a 1 3/8 load using Winchester AA hulls, RP 12 wads and Win 209 primers, 33 Gr of Blue dot = 1200 fps & 10,400 psi, 25 Gr of Pro Reach = 1275 fps & 10,620 psi. By ratio it looks like 24 Gr of Pro Reach would work with the #1 Buckshot load. I don't know if this is ok or not. If this is possible, I would load up a few and send them in to have them tested. Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

[Hogtamer]

in my experience if you're using the hard buckshot buffer is unnecessary. Also, the RP 12 wad will load easier and roll crimp. Always weigh a sample from your batch of buckshot!!! They are not all created equal. Build a dummy load first to see how they stack and crimp, then use weight x # of pellets to get oz. equivalent. Don't have any experience w/ pro reach powder, Longshot and Hs-6 is what i use for hunting loads, CLAYS for the lighter recoil loads.

[RMc]

I saw this load posted by RMC:

I would like to make this load but use Pro reach instead of Blue Dot. I checked on Alliant's reloading data and found a 1 3/8 load using Winchester AA hulls, RP 12 wads and Win 209 primers, 33 Gr of Blue dot = 1200 fps & 10,400 psi, 25 Gr of Pro Reach = 1275 fps & 10,620 psi. By ratio it looks like 24 Gr of Pro Reach would work with the #1 Buckshot load. I don't know if this is ok or not. If this is possible, I would load up a few and send them in to have them tested. Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

Regarding the "Dixie Slugs, 12 gauge 2 3/4" 1 Buck Special" load you are interested in:

- Sixteen .30" (#1B) pellets weigh in at 640 grains or nearly 1.5 ounces.

- Consider the cost of pressure testing of what may be several series of 5 shot test strings to find a load within standard pressure parameters vs. the cost of using an existing pressure tested load.

[oujeffscar]

I guess I should have said that even though the powders I was comparing are for a 1 3/8 oz load, the 16 pellet load weighs in right @ 1.5 oz. Also I should have said the reasons I am wanting to build the load in my original post, 1. I have quite a bit of Pro Reach powder and 2. I am looking for an extended range coyote hunting load as well as a home defense/just in case load ( I don't want to get into a debate as whether or not there are better loads for home defense, I live in the country and I figure I might as well get 2 birds with one stone).

I was hoping that someone could tell me if the calculation I did to estimate powder for the 1.5 oz load is close. If the relationship with powders is linear, then I should be in the ballpark. And if that is the case, then the amount of 5 shot test strings should be greatly reduced.

[RMc]

I was hoping that someone could tell me if the calculation I did to estimate powder for the 1.5 oz load is close. If the relationship with powders is linear, then I should be in the ballpark. And if that is the case, then the amount of 5 shot test strings should be greatly reduced.

You may want to direct your question to Ben Ammonette at Alliant. He should be able to respond to whether the two powders share a linear burn/pressure relationship.

[oujeffscar]

Thanks RMc. I will.