Best manual

[rollmyown]

Unlike my manuals for metalic cartridge loading I'll probably settle for 1 shotgun manual. I have a new MEC 600 jr, a bunch of mixed hulls (1/2 old AA's) an different weight AA wads (plus about 1000 versatile wads)

I have some Red Dot, but probably want to save this for reduced/light rifle loads, and will probably buy some ADI shotgun powder.

My loads will mostly be lighter 1oz and 1 1/8 oz loads (we can only use double barrels here in OZ) as heavier loads tend to knock me about somewhat.

Given I have fairly mixed components, which is best?

[Fishman]

I just bought the newest Lyman shotgun reloading manual (#5?) and it is pretty good. It has loads for all common gauges in lead shot (10,12,16,20,28,410) as well as loads for bismuth, steel, buckshot, and slugs for the more common of those gauges. It also has some pretty good information in the front of the manual, with several chapters dedicated to the basics of shotshell reloading. It sounds like you are a new shotgun shell reloader, or at least have a new MEC, so the chapter on setting up your MEC would be really helpful for you. I read over it and it is spot-on from what I can see.

I don't think it has any loads for ADI powder, and I've never heard of it either.

Watch out for old AA wads. All of mine went brittle on me.

Ballistic products has a pretty good manual, but it is mostly proprietary wads that only they sell.

Precision Reloading has some good information on shotshell reloading, particularly non-toxic reloads using widely available components.

[longbow]

So far based on all the info I have collected over the years if I had to choose one shotshell reloading manual it would be "Reloading for Shotgunners". It is or at least was available from BPI.

It has a variety of loads for a huge combination of components and lists pressures for almost all. This is something most others including Lyman do not have.

There may be others as good or better but I haven't seen them yet.

Longbow

[Newtire]

I would subscribe to the Wolfe publishing link of reloading info for a year and download all the recipes I could!

I like reading all the loading manuals though as you pick up some interesting stuff from each one. Reloading for shotgunners is a good one yes!

[Four Fingers of Death]

AS30 is pretty good for shotguns, it is what most of the clay target guys use. Get hold of an ADI manual, they have shotshell loads and a guide to their powders.

The Adi shotgun powder range is marketed in the states as Clays, Clays, UNivesral, etc.

Get the ADI manual first, it is only $5. Or look on the net. It also has rifle and pistol info as well as cowboy loads, including cowboy shotgun loads. Lots of good info about their powders and how they compare to others as well. The lyman manual is good and especially if you start using other shotshells. They have colour diagrams of cut away shells and information on each. Cut one of your shells open and compare the one you have, very handy.

[rollmyown]

I've already have the ADI book. At $5.00 I have to agree it's unbeatable value.

It seems that no matter the manual I choose it will not give a recipie that I can be sure is safe for all of my components. For exhample how do I combine AS 30 (or any other ADI shotgun powder) with the 1000 or so "versatile" wads I have safely with no specific data?

I'm worried that if I don't stick exacly to published data (with shotgun reloading) something bad could happen.

How do I get around this?

[longbow]

Well, about the only way is get as many references as you can.

I found the same issue but more related to shotgun slug loading. I could never seem to get the all components needed for published recipes. Reloading stuff is difficult to find where I live.

I do make some substitutions but I also check several references before doing so to ensure that I am not using a high pressure load that could result in overpressure.

Another approach is to get hold of the Lee universal load recipes which are available on the internet and use generic plastic hulls and wads so any that fit their generic description can be used. This may not lead to high performance loads but they are safe and functional.

And yes, straying much off published loads can lead to trouble. A simple change of primer can raise pressure by 3000+ PSI. Hull changes much the same especially if a load recipe calls for a large volume straight sided hull like Federal Gold Medal and a Winchester AA is used, Bad stuff!

It is best to stick very close to published loads and stay safe.

Longbow

[Four Fingers of Death]

I've already have the ADI book. At $5.00 I have to agree it's unbeatable value.

It seems that no matter the manual I choose it will not give a recipie that I can be sure is safe for all of my components. For exhample how do I combine AS 30 (or any other ADI shotgun powder) with the 1000 or so "versatile" wads I have safely with no specific data?

I'm worried that if I don't stick exacly to published data (with shotgun reloading) something bad could happen.

How do I get around this?

Do the makers of the 'versatile' wads have a web site? The shop you bought the wads off may have a shotgun guru.

HeathyDee is a member of this forum, he lives near me and is an extremely experienced shotshell reloader. Send him a pm. We used to work together, he will probably be able to put you straight. The local clay target club will also be a good resource.

[tonyjones]

Check out the Hodgdon website. If Hodgdon is importing ADI powders under their names (Clays, International Clays, Universal Clays) you will find lots of data for hulls, primers and wads common in the US including Versalite.

Tony

[rollmyown]

Thanks, I think I've got lots of information to go on with now. :-)