BR-5 for shotshells?

[mdi]

I asked this on other forums/sub forums with little help. I am just starting to reload shotshells and a question came up. I have some BR-5 I use in handgun loads, sorta a "replacement" for Unique. The lot I have seems to be a bit "slower" then the lot of Unique I have, but very close. I have seen many loads in my shotshell reloading manual for Unique and Universal, and mostly out of curiosity wondered about BR-5 (I have no intention of veering away from manual data at least until I get a handle on shotshell reloading. I've been reloading centerfire since '69). Any thoughts?

[tobywan45]

You might contact Jeff Bartlett at Bartlett Reloader and request reloading information.

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[Guncrank]

I asked this on other forums/sub forums with little help. I am just starting to reload shotshells and a question came up. I have some BR-5 I use in handgun loads, sorta a "replacement" for Unique. The lot I have seems to be a bit "slower" then the lot of Unique I have, but very close. I have seen many loads in my shotshell reloading manual for Unique and Universal, and mostly out of curiosity wondered about BR-5 (I have no intention of veering away from manual data at least until I get a handle on shotshell reloading. I've been reloading centerfire since '69). Any thoughts?

Mdi,

May also want to reach out to Lovex directly...
It may be that the powder Jeff Bartlett is offering as BR-5 is the same powder that Lovex has listed as their D036.
According to Lovex D036 is in the same burn range as AA#5, Unique, Universal Clays and Winchester WSF.

Link below is for Lovex's load guide...

[URL="https://explosia.cz/app/uploads/2019/03/EXPLOSIA_reloading2019-02-14.pdf[/URL]

GC

[DonMountain]

Shotgun loads are really low pressure rounds not like typical rifle/pistol loads where you can substitute powders/primers/bullets and still get reasonable loads. And they are very limited to shell type, primers, powders, wads and shot loads. I would recommend that if you are particularly just starting out in shotshell reloading, that you stick strictly with the "book" data and don't substitute anything. Because shotshell reloading is far more complex than rifle/pistol reloading. And less safe. Unless you stick to pressure tested loads. Don't substitute anything except for maybe wads that are copies of and listed as duplicates of other listed wads. Its far easier and safer to just find the load you want to shoot and look it up in the book and then go buy all of the correct components and get the results you expected. Powders in particular have narrow ranges of pressures they work efficiently in. So go buy the listed powder in your load data and be safe.

[dverna]

Shotgun loads are really low pressure rounds not like typical rifle/pistol loads where you can substitute powders/primers/bullets and still get reasonable loads. And they are very limited to shell type, primers, powders, wads and shot loads. I would recommend that if you are particularly just starting out in shotshell reloading, that you stick strictly with the "book" data and don't substitute anything. Because shotshell reloading is far more complex than rifle/pistol reloading. And less safe. Unless you stick to pressure tested loads. Don't substitute anything except for maybe wads that are copies of and listed as duplicates of other listed wads. Its far easier and safer to just find the load you want to shoot and look it up in the book and then go buy all of the correct components and get the results you expected. Powders in particular have narrow ranges of pressures they work efficiently in. So go buy the listed powder in your load data and be safe.

Really good advice. I have reloaded over 150k shotgun shells and will not play with recipes. No way to safely work up a load with shotguns.

[mdi]

Thanks. I'm not going to mix any components, just load straight out of my Lyman Shotshell manual. I have gathered some components and I just went down the line; shell, primer, powder, wad, and shot charge. I have some surplus powders that I often use for my handgun and rifle reloading (35+ years loading cartridges). I just got some BR-5 and since it's very close to Unique, and Unique is listed in quite a few loads in my manual, I was just curious if anyone has tried it in shotshells. Maybe I'll try it after mebbe 5,000-6,000 rounds of my "stock"/book shotshell reloads (nah!)...

[LeftyDon]

The only safe way to test a new powder in a shotgun shell is to make up 10 shells using hand weighted powder weight plus all the other components you plan on using and see if they fit in the crimped hull. If you get past that hurtle, then you need to send them off to a lab for testing. If the results comes back as safe to use then you're in business. If near the limits of safe pressure you need to lower the powder load or shot load (if not both). If you plan on using them in competition then you also need to not exceed the max. speed permitted for trap, skeet or other type of sporting game.

[John Boy]

Midi. The question is asked all the time when a reloader who “just” happen to have a jug of powder hanging around with no loading for a different use ... and here they are on a forum. My advice as always with no detailed reloading manuals ... Call the Vendor before you jump on a forum