Got my new BPI reloading manuals - more confused now??????????

[Blair]

As you all have figured out from my questions, I am fairly new to shotgun reloading .

Been reading the posts here as fast as I can, trying to learn.

The manuals I did have were Lyman's Shotshell 5th edition, BPI's Advantage IV, Buckshot III.

Ordered BPI's new manuals Advantages 7th edition, Buckshot 4th and Slug reloading 4th.

After reading the new buckshot manual, I'm more confused than ever.

The articles in the front of the manual give these glowing descriptions of the different, great wads that can be used with buckshot.

Wow!

Then I get to the data section and most of those wads aren't even listed in the recipes. A few have 1-2 recipes listed for them.

Most of the load recipes seem to be 3/4 to 1 oz loads moving at normal 1200-1300 fps.

What gives?????????

What ain't I understanding?????????

One sentence they say the manual is just a guide.

Another sentence says do not substitute ever.

A very confused buckshot reloader.

And I haven't even looked at their slug manual..........

[jmort]

I got both the Buckshot and the Slug manuals from BPI. I treat them as "guides" and use the data as "guidelines."

[Blair]

Thanks.

I am beginning to understand.

Making sense now.

[longbow]

Shotshell reloading is a little confusing to say the least. I think one of the biggest problems (maybe the biggest) is that there are so many components and they all make a difference. Unlike metallic cartridge reloading where a change of brass or primer may make a relatively small difference in pressure and performance , with shotshell reloading those seemingly minor changes can make a huge difference in pressure and none in performance.

Also, if you compare recipes between manuals you will find rather significant differences. Generally the goal in shotshell reloading is to make up a recipe that fits the hull and provides consistent performance at around 1200 FPS.

For slug shooting we want to achieve high velocities at acceptable pressures but still have to have good fit for crimp height. There are so many combinations to test that it is difficult and expensive to tabulate it all.

My solution is to buy as many manuals as I can and collect as much info magazine articles, etc. Some substitutions are perfectly safe and some are not so you really need to know what you are doing before venturing away from published pressure tested recipes.

For a given recipe, I do not worry too much about wad substitution (I do check and cross reference) but hull and primer subs are entirely different.

Get yourself a couple of manuals like the Lyman Shotshell Reloading Handbook and Reloading for Shotgunners. That will give you a variety of component choices. Reloading for Shotgunners also lists light to heavy loads with pressure for most sets of components so you can look at pressure and decide if a primer change might be okay or not. I would not think of subbing a primer in an 10,000 PSI + load unless I knew it was safe. A little different for an 8000 PSI load. If pressure goes up there it is still within safe limits.

Hulls are a similar situation in that a recipe for a large volume straight walled hull will most likely not fit in a compression formed/tapered hull unless the wad is replaced but the smaller volume hull will generate significantly more pressure than the straight walled hull so could be dangerous even though you substituted a "safe" wad to get things to fit.

Best to follow published recipes and use "approved" substitutions. Not saying you can't deviate, just be careful and check that the deviation is in fact safe.

Longbow

[Blair]

Understood. Thanks.

[6pt-sika]

I have their Buckshot manual and their manual for the 10 gauge . But to be perfectly honest I have never used a load they listed . Sometimes I may adapt something a bit . They're more usefull to me for some of the printed matter that isn't the actual load data .