load data for buckshot ideal

[RP]

There are alot of guys here that have came up with or found load data for buckshot. I have gotten several manuals for shotgun reloading and the information concerning buckshot and slugs is poor and I dont want to keep buying more books with the same data. So this is my thought a list on this thread of load data members have found or worked up posted here and maybe a thread for slugs. If the data is out of a book note the book if its a homemade load note that so we can verify the data or use at our own risk. I have looked for about a hour for data to reload some buckshoot OO using bluedot which what i have and can not find any help. So if you have something you would like to post please do so and lets try to keep the thread on track.

[Storydude]

New fiocchi hulls
24G Unique
Claybuster 1Oz federal clones(Pink) with petals
Roll or 6.pt crimp(overshot with roll is 2 layers of shoebox cardboard)
990-1100FPS spread
5 out of 9 pellets inside an 18" circle at 20 yards
Cyl bore, 18" 11-48 semi auto
Light trap load recoil with roll to standard game load with crimp

Remington Gold hulls
24G unique
Claybuster 1Oz remington clone(Orange)z wad with petals
Roll or 6Pt crimp.
1000-1150FPS
6 out of 9 pellets inside an 18" circle @20 yds.
Heavy field load recoil with crimp(Very tight crimping hulls) Standard game with roll(but they are UUUUGLY crimps.)


Both are homemade loads. Mild recoil, FPS above.

EDIT: Wow..Would help if I put the shot weight...

Both use 9 #0 buck cast from WW.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Hodgedon was only site I found any info. Luckily I had some HS-6 on hand.

[billw]

I use any 12 ga plastic or paper shell, 22.0 gr unique (very light load) with either 9 or 12 "00" buck shot cast at 0.330" from a Lee SC mould. I use WW metal and heat treat to 450F and quench harden the shot. 0.330" is ideal for paper shells and no shot wad, only using card and filler. Plastics are loaded the same way. Using a shotwad in plastic or paper shells tends to make the shell look lumpy but chambers and shoots OK. I suppose "00" buck shot of 0.310" or 0.320" would be best using shot wads. I used a 6 or 8 fold crimp with an OS wad. Adjust the wad column for the shell inner volume. 9 pellets works well with 16.5 to 18.5 gr of Bullseye or Red Dot. I have a Lyman roll crimper tool but no drill press yet. I roll crimped with an electric drill motor and the crimp was OK but not good enough to suit me.

Blue dot is useless for any load less than 1.5 ounces and sometimes will not shoot well if the crimp is weak. I used Blue dot 40 years ago and finally gave the powder away.

[USSR]

I use cast .319" #0 pellets (Lee double mould) in Remington hulls and figure 8 wads with the petals on. 9 pellets weigh just a little less than one ounce, and 28gr of Unique works well.

Don

[RP]

to be for sure there are alot more guys that have some data to share if we get a fair amount maybe we can make a siticky out of it and help alot out in the future

[klcarroll]

.........9 pellets works well with 16.5 to 18.5 gr of Bullseye or Red Dot.

16.5 - 18.5 grains of BULLSEYE??? ......Underneath one ounce of buckshot???

Are you sure about that? Alliant's reloading guide shows NO shotshell loads using Bullseye.

Kent

[Treeman]

KLC, Hercules and Alliant both published Bullseye loads for one ounce 12 gauge loads. Remember that BE is just b a r e l y faster than Red Dot (but RD is bulkier).

[klcarroll]

KLC, Hercules and Alliant both published Bullseye loads for one ounce 12 gauge loads. Remember that BE is just b a r e l y faster than Red Dot (but RD is bulkier).

OK; .....I stand corrected!

I was concerned, .........as the use of Bullseye does not appear in any of my current reference books. (Nor in my 1969 1st edition Lyman Shotshell Handbook.)

......And Alliant's current on-line Reloader's Guide shows NO shotshell applications for Bullseye.

I learned a long time ago not to put too much stock into Relative Burn Rate Charts: ...Anyone who loads Unique knows that there is a point on the pressure curve where things change RAPIDLY.

Kent


Kent

[billw]

That is why I stated 16.5 gr Bullseye in 12 ga loads as a starting point for one oz. loads. Certainly there is a point where BE, RD, GD and Unique gets into the "straight up curve" in dangerous pressure. 49 years ago I loaded strictly by the book with paper shells, card, filler and OS wads. Later, I would "adjust" everything and simplified my system. New shotshell loaders are bewildered by all the combinations and I have helped some get thru this problem with some basic load data of powder charges and shot weights regardless of paper or plastic shell and shot wad column. A friend recently loaded some Lee key slugs for me using a book load of magnum powder and at the max load. He quit shooting them as the recoil was fierce, gave me the loads as I kinda like a few of them but I load lighter loads of slug and buck shot. After all, the deer or whatever you shoot won't know the difference in light, medium or heavy loads.

[RP]

Well thanks for the imput on this thread guys but lets try and stay on track Load Power Hulls Wads and so on ALSO list if its a home made load or book data if book name the source. This is ment to help others make their own choices and get ideals for buckshot and slugs DATA is hard to come buy on these two so lets do what we can to help.

[billw]

Ricky P,
You are so correct. So far, all my loads have been home made up loads by substituting hulls, wads, powders and shot, buck or slug loads instead of book loads. None represent any manual book loods. I have no chronograph or pressure data. For the sake of safety, all new guys loading shotgun shells must follow book load data as substitutions can raise pressure levels to unsafe and dangerous levels.

[RP]

thanks for the people that has added to this thread but come on guys not asking much just some sharing to help the masses out .

[billw]

Ricky P,
I need to add that the NRA published a safe load for 1 1/2 oz. of shot with 23.0 gr Unique powder in any shotshell and with any shot wad. I can't find the reference in my notebooks. It gave the MV at 1090 or 1045 fps and PSI that was withing industry maximums. It was a duplication of an English loading. I suppose since the article was printed, there may be some shotshell and wad combination that would exceed the standards of max PSI. I used paper shells and later plastics with that load but reduced to 22.0 gr Unique and 1 1/2 oz. was deadly on any game I shot and all I had at that time was #5 shot and I killed doves as far as 70 yds with a modified choke. Squirrels in leafy trees were instantly killed with that load.

I assume buck shot and slug loads at 1 1/2 oz. would also be safe but NRA only used bird shot for its tests.

[billw]

I was gone a few years, rarely showed up here, getting back on now.

Re Bullseye loads, yes, load data is published but latest publications don't list it. I don't guess on powders anymore but will substitute hulls, paper and plastic, shot wads and card/filler/OS wads. Paper shells, once fired, load well and crimp is best on Lee Loader, plastics on my Lee Load All. I have loaded 12 ga on a few different loaders, Texan was in 1960, now on Lee without wearing out, lost a few parts and replaced them. I load 410 on a Lee Loader, works best on plastics, not at all on paper. Yeah, I'm a penny pincher and pick up anything fired, aluminum, steel and others, never know when we'll need them. Steel and aluminum will reload.