First buckshot loads

[bikerbeans]

Gotta a ways to go!

I have a coyote hunting friend who asked me to load him 12ga buckshot loads. I ordered a mold and components based upon Hogtamers loads.

While looking for slug components in my loading room I found a box of "0" buckshot, made by Hornady. OK let's play. Loaded up some 9 and 12 pellet unbuffered loads in 2 3/4" new fiocchI hulls. Unique for the 9 pellets and blue dot for 12 pellets. Roll crimped, did I mention i can't fold crimp for squat with a loadall II?

Shot all 20 rounds this morning from an old Mercury 12ga sxs full/full choke. Note the chokes have opened up over the years to a right barrel close to modified and the left barrel a little tighter.

30 yards on a 10" round target.

9 pellet load average 4 hits

12 pellet load average 5 hits.

Note I would fire both barrels and divide by 2 to get the average hit number. My guess is the left barrel accounted for 60 to 70 percent of the hits.

This is my baseline. Now to see what I can do with cast heat treated buckshot and a proper wad with buffer.

BB

[Hogtamer]

Since you brought up arithmetic with all that dividing did you torch off both barrels at once and multiply the recoil?? Wazzup with the crimp? I reckon your using the 6 pt starter on the back? You gotta kinda sorta EEZE down on it a bit at the time and of course the crimp height has gotta be right. When you get one right make a mark on the plastic for a reference. An overshot card like the bpi plastic ones help with that odd ball comfiguration instead of the flat surface of small shot.
220548220549

[bikerbeans]

One barrel at a time.

I gave up on fold crimps a long time ago. Drill press and a roll crimper for me.

I have some of the clear plastic OS cards, will be interesting to see how they roll crimp.

BB

[dk17hmr]

Were you patterning your barrels on a larger target or just shooting at a 10" target?

I have been playing with a 10 pellet load in various shotguns with various barrel lengths and chokes. My over under with a full choke is keeping all or almost all pellets in a 10" pattern at 30 but the center of the pattern isn't in exactly the same spot.

[bikerbeans]

I was holding dead center on a 10" steel gong target. I would spray it with white primer, shoot 2 rounds and count the splats. Spray more paint and repeat. We had a bonfire couple of weeks ago and all my large cardboard went up in smoke.

I wasn't expecting much in the hit department with the soft lead buckshot and no buffer. I did notice the wads I used had the petals mangled. I will use a shotgun with screw in chokes next time.

BB

[bikerbeans]

Things I now know about buckshot.

(18) hard cast 0.31" shot with buffer weighs almost 2 oz

Those 18 buffered pellets, a bunch of blue dot and a bpi multimetal wad all fit nicely in a 3 1/2" fio hull.

It is easy to roll crimp using a bpi clear plastic OSC.

A H & R Pardner 12ga 3 1/2" chamber weighs abit over 6 pounds.

A Monte Carlo stock isn't a good idea for a beaded shotgun barrel; you will shoot high.

No need to take 10 rounds to the range, 3 is more than enough.

Don't forget (like me) to fill the stock bolt channel with lead shot.

Accuracy is degraded if you shoot with your eyes closed.

Shoulder recovery time is about 3 days.

BB

[MyFlatline]

LOL

AS a buck shot shooter for many years, I have found that each guns tells you the size shot it likes. On my 12 ga. sxs, the Modified barrel loves 000 while the full choke prefers #1's. Best of luck with the venture..

[Hogtamer]

Load 12 in a 2 3/4" federal hull. Shoot out of that Berreta with a full choke. Then you can walk away, save the ambulance fee and lead costs!

[bikerbeans]

HT,

I agree, but I am working up a load for a good friend and he wants 3 1/2" loads for his yote hunting.

BB

[Hogtamer]

You know I'm pulling ya leg BB but uh, let him shoot 'em! :D

[gpidaho]

I learned a little buckshot loading lesson this week myself. Ten Lee .311 RBs in a 2 3/4 shell, Win WAA12R (Red wad) over 38gr. Blue Dot will bite when the stock isn't held tightly and in the proper position. I tried a left hand hold as I'd about wore my right shoulder out for the day and got a little bit too centered on the hold. Took me to one knee and I was convinced I'd bruised a lung for a couple of days. Stupid HURTS. LOL Gp

[Rcmaveric]

I loaded up a few buckshots to play with aswell with the LEE .311 RB. 9 of them equal a rounded up ounce, 11 equal about 1 1/8th oz and 12 make 1 1/4 oz. Got a few test rounds loaded up waiting for the weekend. Mostly 9 pellets in a WAA12 wad and a 12 Pellet load. No buffers since i am too cheap to buy the real stuff and inexperienced enough to not play with those Unkowns.

[bikerbeans]

You know I'm pulling ya leg BB but uh, let him shoot 'em! :D

HT,

I Garontee he will shoot them, with me taking video!

BB

[missionary5155]

Good morning
For cheap buffer give Cream of Wheat a try.... Not sure if you can leave it sit a year and not have a solid mass but for a while does not seem to cause bad issues. Leaves a nice toasted wheat scent floating about.
Mike in Peru

[bikerbeans]

Learned a little more yesterday about buckshot.

A $1100 Benelli semi-auto is a lot more friendly to shoot than a single shot h&r pardner.

Heat treated 0.31" pellets bounce a long way off an asphalt driveway (I didn't do it!)

A ported extended choke tube will make the gas seal of a wad look like Taz had been munching on it.

Just because a round will chamber and fire doesn't mean it will cycle. I brought the benelli home for further load work up.

Not all BPI clear plastic OS cards vaporize when the trigger is pulled. Found pieces as big half of the card.

Getting closer to "the load", 9 to 10 of 18 pellets on a pie plate at 40 yards. Played with a half dozen choke tubes and looks like full is the best.

More fun in the morning.

BB