disturbing lack on info on 10 ga stuff

[elginrunner]

The title says it all... I can't find much info on reloading for a 10 ga. My better half got me a browning bps, and since I'm of a mind that I need to have the capabilities to load for it... I started to try and gather info. I haven't loaded for shotguns in since the 80's, and I've forgotten every thing. I ordered "the mighty 10 ga" book from ballistic products... and the lyman shotgun book coming as well...

Another problem is we in Mo have access to noble sports vectan powders...being a european powder company, I guess they cant have a mighty 10 ga there, because there is no load data for it at all...

Does anyone one know of a online resource for any such knowledge??

[SuperBlazingSabots]

Greetings Elginrunner, you are dam lucky to have such a beautiful wife, does she have a unmarried sister like her ?








Now get her to get the pot full of coffee ready so you can go through it.
I sure would appreciate it if you would post the Ballistic Product book loads for our friends right here, money is very hard to come-by these days !

Best regards,
Ajay K. Madan
Super Blazing Sabots

[Hogtamer]

Here's more modern info. just type in the gauge and follow the steps.
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/

[megasupermagnum]

The Lyman book has a decent amount of 3 1/2" data. There is not a lot of slug data out there in 10 gauge, no matter where you look. There are not a lot of 10 gauge slugs out there. About the only thing I've had trouble finding data for was lighter loads for 10 gauge. 1 5/8 oz all the way to 2 1/4 ounce are pretty easy to find. Alliant has 1 1/4 ounce loads listed. The other thing, is that no wads take up enough space in a 3 1/2" hull for the lighter loads. Most of the data you find will be for the Remington SP10 wad, which is a great wad. For 1 1/4 ounce to 1 5/8 ounce you will need a significant amount of spacers. Some put things like 16 gauge fiber wads inside the shot cup. I actually like putting fillers in under the plastic wad, often 10 gauge fiber wads. Don't quote me, but I think I was using an X10X gas seal, 1/2" 10 gauge fiber, and then the SP10 wad on top of that with 1 5/8 oz of shot.

For sure you will want either Remington or Federal hulls. Winchester's are rare, but if you find them, they work. Cheddite hulls are not as good, and are not much cheaper. You will likely want SP10 wads for lead shot, along with fillers. I can verify what fillers I use when I check later. A lot of data uses the Ballistic Products BP10 wad, which is a good wad, but very expensive. I prefer the SAM1 wad myself from Bucks Run Sports. Bluedot powder will get you loads from 1 1/2 ounce, all the way to 3 ounce loads.

[too many things]

well most dont load for it , so data is hard to find, Many use it for geese and they have to use the non lead so they buy --SLUG wow BPI would be my guess

[elginrunner]

SBS thanks for posting that data!

Im pretty rural in the ozarks, and the hogs have moved in... i was thinking of making the 10 ga my new tractor gun....with buckshot or slugs... i can probably get a custom mold made....

[Scrounge]

SBS thanks for posting that data!

Im pretty rural in the ozarks, and the hogs have moved in... i was thinking of making the 10 ga my new tractor gun....with buckshot or slugs... i can probably get a custom mold made....

Back in the early 80's, I was loading two .69cal punkin balls in a 3-1/2 10ga. magnum cartridge for the H&R Topper that a friend and I had cut down to "carbine" length. It was a 32" goose gun, we cut it to 24", and put rifle sights on it. It was accurate enough at 100 yards, in that weapon. Might be a good answer for your hogs. IIRC, the pair of punkin balls weighed exactly what the stock shot load for that cartridge was. I do not have any of my load data from those days, anymore, unfortunately, nor any of the weapons I had then except a Stevens Favorite 22.

Bill

[elginrunner]

I just found this on ebay. Anyone with experience with these type slugs??

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10GA-wad-cu...4AAOSwPM9ZfCm1

[megasupermagnum]

I just found this on ebay. Anyone with experience with these type slugs??

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10GA-wad-cu...4AAOSwPM9ZfCm1

I don't own one, but those Russian slug molds are well liked. That one seems price a bit high though. If you are looking for something like that, you can look for a "full bore 12 gauge Lyman sabot slug" which is a .730" version of the normal in-wad Lyman sabot slug. The .730" slug should fit rather well inside a SP10 wad cup. Even better would be if you could find a full bore 10 gauge version, at about .775". Another great option is a .780" diameter round ball.

[6pt-sika]

I bought three of the Fleabay slug molds . One for the 16 , then one for the 10 and finally one for the 28 . Have an NOE 4 cavity for the 12 and a Lyman single for the 20 gauge . I almost hate to say it but I’d like to see one of these cut to fit my 8 gauge .

[GregLaROCHE]

Here’s information on Vectan powders.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/images/LD12Vectan.pdf

[GregLaROCHE]

Just realized the Vectan tables don’t go beyond 12 ga. I use Vectan powders for rifles. Sorry I couldn’t help you.

[GregLaROCHE]

I contacted a seller of Vectan powder and 10 ga. supplies here in Europe and he confirmed there are no rechargement tables for Vectan in 10 ga. 10 ga. Does exist in Europe, but probably not a big enough market for Vectan to do the research on it.
There are always the (almost)equivalent burn rate tables for powders. I use them often to convert US powders to ones I can find over here.

[elginrunner]

GregLaRoche - Yes I sent nobel sports a email asking for any information, and they have not devoloped any 10 ga data. I assumed it was because it was not a permitted calibre, or considered to be "non-sportsman"... and thanks for taking the effort to inquire!

I would be interested in hearing @6pt-sika in any information on the results from the 10 slug mold he has...

So with the big air pellet looking slug, they are just placed into the shot cup of the wad. With placing the appropriate height base wads to get the slug to come to the rim of the shot cup??

The round ball has peaked my intrest as well, I have been watching videos of round ball through a smooth bore, with varying success. So If I were to experiment this route, I would need to measure the wall thickness of my shot cup (x2) along with the ball diameter, and size or slightly over size of the choke measurement of the bore??

[6pt-sika]

I would be interested in hearing @6pt-sika in any information on the results from the 10 slug mold he has...

I shot that slug in several Parker damascus and steel twist guns all with 2 7/8” chambers . They were pushed with 30 grains of SR7625 and yes I’m well aware that’s no longer made . But I have a stash of 15+ pounds of the stuff . Anyway I load the slugs in a cut REM hull generally with a CCI or WIN 209 then an SP-10 wad with I think one 1/8” 16 card wad slug over that and a folded crimp . My parameters are simple from the bench at 25 yards i shoot three from the right barrel on one target and three from the left barrel on a second target . And as I’ve said before one barrel usually is a good bit closer to POA . I’ve got enough different factory original 10 gauge Parker’s that I’ve been able to try them in just about everything from cylinder to extra full . And I’ve found with these guns there’s no steadfast rule about which constriction does better etc . I’ve killed deer out of these guns with this slug as well as a couple others I’ve adapted although not of the pellet design . I have no idea what velocity I’m getting as I've not bothered to run them over the Chrony . I did fail to mention I fill the hollow base cavity with hot melt glue or melted candle wax . To the best of my knowledge I can’t say I remmember any deer I shot in recent years with a 10 gauge slug going more than three steps after the shot with most dropping in their tracks . But then again I can say the same thing for my 10 gauge buckshot loads in sizes 0 , 00 , 000 , 0000 and 00000 .

Also bear in mind I don't use a shotgun for deer in what I would call the normal sense . I take a rifle and a shotgun and typically sit perched in a tree 30-35 feet off the ground . If a deer comes within thirty yards and gives me a good unshielded shot I'll use the shotgun kinda the same as if I were using a bow and if the deer is outside what I consider my comfort zone for the shotgun I use a rifle . Also none of these are being pushed but rather moving at their leisure .

[MT Chambers]

I'm sorry my friend but the stupid people running the gov./environment and their even stupider steel shot rules kinda took the 10 out of the running. Steel shot slows fast regardless of the qa. , wounds equal amounts of birds, but kicks more.

[elginrunner]

I used to work in a gunshop in arkansas, we had a sp10 on the shelf for two years. (Back in the 90’s) I hunted almost two seasons with that awesome gun. I killed probably three times the birds with half the ammo expended... i have always wanted one of my own. Now the one i have coming is a bps. I hope to do just as well with it this winter....i just had a thought....i wear glasses now... i hope i wont have problems fogging up

[6pt-sika]

I used to work in a gunshop in arkansas, we had a sp10 on the shelf for two years. (Back in the 90’s) I hunted almost two seasons with that awesome gun. I killed probably three times the birds with half the ammo expended... i have always wanted one of my own. Now the one i have coming is a bps. I hope to do just as well with it this winter....i just had a thought....i wear glasses now... i hope i wont have problems fogging up

I bought an SP-10 NIB in 1990 it was one of those marked for the first year in the serial number "LE89". The one I had was a 26" gun I bought it exclusively for turkey , that thing made some awesome patterns at 40 yards back then . Now i'm not so much on plunking turkey . I had two of the Ithaca MAG-10's about ten years ago a Field Grade and a DeLuxe Grade they worked well enough but the 32" barrels and no screw in's were a hindrence . Same time I had the pair of Ithaca's I also acquired a lightly used BPS 10 blued with walnut stock that thing thumped pretty good with factory 3 1/2" buck and slug loads .

In relatively recent years I've found I could do about as well on geese with my 2 7/8" handloaded bismuth loads as I ever did with a 3 1/2" 10 gauge packed with steel . Plus those double guns just feel better in my hands but I've been shooting doubles for almost fifty years .

[beagle]

I guess the 10 gauge is a "labor of love" situation. I often hankered for one just t try and use occasionally. Not your skysweeping magnum models but a simple 10 gauge double that used 2 7/8" field loads of shot normally used for hunting plus some #2 loads for yotes.
Alas, finding a clean double with modern steel barrels is a proposition beyond the depths of my pockets and components are painstaking to retrieve from various venders.
Still, for old times sake, I would like to do it. I envy those of you who have bridged the gap./beagle

[6pt-sika]

I guess the 10 gauge is a "labor of love" situation. I often hankered for one just t try and use occasionally. Not your skysweeping magnum models but a simple 10 gauge double that used 2 7/8" field loads of shot normally used for hunting plus some #2 loads for yotes.
Alas, finding a clean double with modern steel barrels is a proposition beyond the depths of my pockets and components are painstaking to retrieve from various venders.
Still, for old times sake, I would like to do it. I envy those of you who have bridged the gap./beagle

You have your own parameters for sure .

However ......................... , this thing about being fluid steel only is over rated . All but two of the double 10's I own or have owned are/were damascus or twist . I had a very nice WW Greener fluid steel 10 I picked up on Gunbroker of all places for a very decent price , kept it about two years and sold it on Gunsinternational for triple what I paid . At present my only fluid steel gun is an Ithaca NID Grade 2 Super 10 but I got that one thirty years ago for $200 . I'd like to have an Ithaca NID Grade 2 10 MAG to go with it but I doubt that will ever happen .

As to components it's no more difficult than buying for the other gauges . All you need are a couple hundred new Remington hulls several bags of SP-10 wads and some 16 gauge 1/8' card wads for spacers in the shot cup .

I regularly load an 1 1/8 ounce load with 18.6 grains of Red Dot thats excellent for skeet trap sporting dove quail . And I've got an 1 1/4 ounce load that great for other stuff pushed with SR7625 and yes again I know that powders no longer made but I have a good supply . The 7625 charge has done well by me for buckshot and slugs in the 10 as well as Bismuth .

You want something thats difficult to get components for buy an 8 gauge . Then you'll see difficult , I've had 500 new WIN 8 gauge hulls on order now for six months or more that were supposed to be here sometime in June .