Buckshot and RB Load Help, Fiocchi Hulls

[gfisher]

Hello all, my first post, I hope you can assist me.

Awhile back I purchased a large batch of shotgun reloading gear at an estate sale. I have been reloading my own Bird shot 12ga rounds for years, using a Mec single stage. In this lot was a bunch of Win AA hulls, my main reason for the purchase.

However, also included was a large amount of other wads, a bunch of Fiocchi clear
hulls, (new) Two Lee molds, one a 1oz slug, the other a .690 Round ball,
and the wads pictured below. The paperwork included showed everything
had been purchased from Ballistic Products, so I started there and have
ordered a number of their manuals for loading buckshot and slugs, but have not gotten them yet.
I found this forum and spent the last week or so reading old posts but still have not found much to help me. I would like to load the Round balls, (already cast a big pile) and some buckshot rounds in the Fiocchi hulls, but I am not finding much usable load data for the wads on hand. These include (in the pic below, from left to right); The Fiocchi Hulls, (new, primed) BP 12ga Flex-Seal Wad, BP Original Brush Wad, BP Light Brush Wad, Win WAA12 Wad (I can use these in the
AA Hulls for bird shot loads), BP RSS Sabot, my cast 12 ga Lee Slug, My cast
.690 RB and the 1/4" Felt donut wads (I'll bet there are over 1000 of these, but I didn't see them listed anywhere) and a few of the old Win WAA12R Wads. There is about 150 lbs of buckshot in various sizes including #F, #4buck, #1buck, OBuck, OOBuck, and OOO (.370 dia).

I have some Data for the Lee slug using the Win AA hulls, and got lots
of good info here on various ideas for that, Also there was a flyer with the RSS Sabots so I have that covered using the Fiocchi Hulls, a Flex-Seal wad and the RSS Sabot.

Any help with the rest for some buckshot and RB loads ? There are not many of the WAA12R wads, maybe 50 or so, but hundreds of the rest. I also have some card and clear OS wads, and can Roll or Fold crimp.

Any ideas on powder(s) and charge ? Just stacking things, I found a Original Brush wad> 1/8"card wad>1/4" Donut wad> .690 RB fits nicely in the Fiocchi Hull, but no idea what to put under it.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

-George

[jmsj]

gfisher,
Welcome to the site. I think you will find lots of good info here and a bunch of great guys.
Check out Vdomemorie's post regarding using Fiocchi hulls. He seems to use these a lot. Vdomemorie, longbow, missionary5155, turbo1889 and many others have posted extensive amounts of information regarding round ball and Lee 1 oz. slug loads.
I haven't been loading slugs very long and I am sure not an expert. I use the Fiocchi clear hulls, Fiocchi 616 primers, Federal 12S3 wads and HS-6 powder for my Lee 1 oz. loads. I found that 34.0 grains works best for me. As I added more powder, accuracy started to go away. Federal 12S3 wads seem to provide better groups for me in all my slug loads using round balls(although I have not tried .690" RB) or the Lee 1 oz slug.
Good luck, jmsj

[gfisher]

Thanks for the reply, I got a response from BP and they provided the info I needed for the wads listed in the OP.

-George

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Yep BP is a good place for smoothbore shooting. Shooting RB you can generally figure the RB will develope less pressure than a shot load so using the same basic componets you can figure that the shot load data will keep you in safe areas.
If you want magnum velocity use the mag powders. You will discover a .690 Rb whether it is 40-1 or 50-50 or WW will penetrate well beyond expectations. At 1400 fps there is no North American critter going to get smacked by that mass and not take notice. Up that to 1550 and I would take on any critter. But realize all that recoil is coming back at you. I found cross sticks to be far better to shoot with than a bench. Standing leaning against a roof support is not bad either.
Mike in Peru

[longbow]

I have the BPI Shotgun Slug Loading Manual and several volumes of the Lyman Shotshell Reloading manuals and I know there are some published loads for 0.690" RB. I am not sure for what hulls though so will check when I get some time.

I also have BPI's load info sheet for 0.690" RB but I do not think it includes Win AA hulls.

I have been using largely Fiocchi hulls for slug shooting for the last several years but I do have recipes for other hulls.

Strangely when I started checking on recommended hulls for slug and buckshot I was directed to Fiocchi by BPI but since I bought them, I have found that there are more available recipes listed for the Win AA hulls which are relatively small volume hulls! Go figure!

You can start by using equivalent weight shot recipes from loading manuals or from powder company websites. All you have to do is adjust the column height to get decent crimp. These will not be high performance slug loads but will be safe and quite shootable.

I would use the published recipe including wad (cut the petals off) then use a hard card wad and donut wad under the ball.

0.690" balls will fit into some shotcups but I have had poor success with any I have tried. As long as they are a snug push fit through the barrel they should do okay though. Also, to note is that the ball/wad combination has to fit through the tightest constriction in the bore so if the gun has a choke the RB/wad has to fit through the coke with no more than maybe 0.003" interference.

If you cut petals off the wads then there should be no issues as long as you don't have a full tight choke.

I would try those donut wads under the 0.690" balls for sure.

I will look out my info and see what I have for the AA hulls. Do you have any preferred powder or other components?

I can either transcribe a few loads or possibly scan some info and e-mail that to you.

I will try to find the info tonight or tomorrow and let you know what I have then we can figure out how to get it to you.

Longbow

[gfisher]

I have the BPI Shotgun Slug Loading Manual and several volumes of the Lyman Shotshell Reloading manuals and I know there are some published loads for 0.690" RB. I am not sure for what hulls though so will check when I get some time.

I also have BPI's load info sheet for 0.690" RB but I do not think it includes Win AA hulls.

I have been using largely Fiocchi hulls for slug shooting for the last several years but I do have recipes for other hulls.

Strangely when I started checking on recommended hulls for slug and buckshot I was directed to Fiocchi by BPI but since I bought them, I have found that there are more available recipes listed for the Win AA hulls which are relatively small volume hulls! Go figure!

You can start by using equivalent weight shot recipes from loading manuals or from powder company websites. All you have to do is adjust the column height to get decent crimp. These will not be high performance slug loads but will be safe and quite shootable.

I would use the published recipe including wad (cut the petals off) then use a hard card wad and donut wad under the ball.

0.690" balls will fit into some shotcups but I have had poor success with any I have tried. As long as they are a snug push fit through the barrel they should do okay though. Also, to note is that the ball/wad combination has to fit through the tightest constriction in the bore so if the gun has a choke the RB/wad has to fit through the coke with no more than maybe 0.003" interference.

If you cut petals off the wads then there should be no issues as long as you don't have a full tight choke.

I would try those donut wads under the 0.690" balls for sure.

I will look out my info and see what I have for the AA hulls. Do you have any preferred powder or other components?

I can either transcribe a few loads or possibly scan some info and e-mail that to you.

I will try to find the info tonight or tomorrow and let you know what I have then we can figure out how to get it to you.

Longbow

Thanks Longbow, I have the Slug Maunal from PB, along with the .690 RB sheet, the Lyman Shotshell Book, and now that PB sent me the load data they had on hand for the Brush Wad, and Light Brush Wad, I think I have it covered. Using the Data they provided, and the powder I had on hand that matched, my first Test loads consist of; 2 3/4" Fiocchi Hull, 23.5grains of 700-X, Brush wad, Donut Felt wad, 382 grain LRB, OS card and a 6-Point fold. Should give me about 1280 FPs @ a mild 6700 PSI. Will try some other loads they have listed once I get some other powders to test.

-George

[longbow]

Sorry, I got distracted by vehicle problems and Halloween, I meant to look the info up yesterday.

Looks like you are okay for now.

If you need anything let me know and I will help if I can.

Longbow