Black powder sho shell reloading on a Lee load all

[Rio]

My daughter wants to do some black powder shot she'll shooting. I use a load all for reloading shotshells now. I picked up some pyrodex RS and am trying to get a 60 grain charge out of the hopper for a 7/8 oz load of shot. It's a 20 guage. I picked up fiber wads for these. Does anyone know what cc powder insert needs to be in the load all to get a 60 grain by volume charge?

[sharps4590]

Rio, only way I know would be to try a few of the inserts and go from there. It will be sort of a pain to keep changing the inserts but you'd know for certain. Do you think the RS will flow through the Lee powder hopper? I've always used my Belding & Mull measure to throw the charge then dump it, never tried to run it through the Lee. Also all I ever use is real BP. I'll be curious to know what you learn.

[Rio]

Thanks for the reply!
Change out the bushings is what I ended up doing. I found that the 1.98 bushing got me close, within a few grains. New problem is that that light of load leaves extra space in the shell that causes problems with crimping. I started tearing a 1/2 inch wad in two and adding that. It helped and I was getting decent crimps after a few they started looking better. I aspire to find a black powder measure. My uniflow says not to use with black powder. The powder flowed fine in the Lee and I am using pyrodex RS at the moment but intend to go back to black powder when I run out.

[country gent]

I would throw charges separate of the lee loader. then a simple dipper or other measure can be used. Pyrodex is a black powder substitute so it maybe okay in the rcbs measure also. Other wise The Belding and Mull, Is okay for BP use there are versions of the lyman 55, Hornadys measure and Harrels measures for BP also. Montana vintage arms has a good measure for BP also. Powder charge, wad stack, shot charge all need to equal the height for good crimps to happen. Its all in the volumne of the loading. You might consider an over shot card and roll crimp for you BP loads to difrenciate them from smokless loads even. What you got going sounds good and should work well.

[Rio]

I am looking at roll crimpers now.

[sharps4590]

I'll be darned. Good to know the Pyro R/S flowed through the Lee, I wouldn't have expected that. Thanks for reporting back!

Look up on line trying to ignite BP with static electricity. I think you'll find it enlightening. I ran black through my Uniflow for years and still do sometimes but, you make your own decision. BP is shipped all over the world in plastic bottles.

I only shoot 16 ga. and all but one is in 2 1/2 in. chambered drillings or combination guns. Consequently for those that are Nitro proofed I cut back 2 3/4 hulls to 2 1/2 which obviously negates star crimping. I've had the Ballistics Products roll crimper for several years and it puts a good roll crimp on the shells if used according to instructions. The biggest thing I found when using it was to definitely use some kind of lubricant. As I really like "old school" it's kinda neat to have roll crimped cases and have folks ask "where did you get those".

[Rio]

I checked the charges a half dozen times over loading about 10 shells. They were within a grain or two by weight. Close enough for shot shells. Once I get the spacing figured out I think I will have this.