Patterning of Buckshot loads in 12 ga

[GBertolet]

I picked up a 00 buckshot mold, and after casting about 20 lbs of 00, I am starting to experiment. So far it seems that the lighter charges of medium burning powders pattern better, such as Unique, 540, etc, in the 1150 to 1200 fps range. I have tried 8, 10 and 12 pellet loadings so far, using various shotcups. Most patterns are 10-12 inches at 25 yards, from a modified choke tube. I always seem to have one or two fliers in the pattern, that open the size up. Maybe they are sticking to the bottom of the shotcup. I tried with and without buffering, and the buffered loads patterned significantly better. What is a realistic expectation of pattern size with buckshot loads, and does anyone have any tips on loading buckshot, to save me from having to reinvent the wheel?

[Ed1]

I load up 15 at a time and check the patterns with different chokes. Once I find the better choke, I play with the powder grains in the shell. Once you find that, play with the buffer. I only have 3 chock tubes so I shoot 5 out of each tube. Hope that helps.

[Hogtamer]

You are right on 2 counts: medium velocity usually better for pattern and a little buffer under the first stack of pellets will help cushion that first stack...also, pellet size and weight differ from mold to mold. True lead OO weigh about 55 grns each with .330 diameter. check your size and weight and load accordingly. What hull and wad are you using? Go ahead and shoot a couple at 40 yds with a full choke if you have it and tell me how many you get in a 12" circle. That's a better guage to me. Of course it doesn't matter at "hallway" distances but 00 are lethal deer loads to 50 yds with the right load. Welcome to the world of BIG LEAD!

[GBertolet]

I have the Sharpshooter mold, that casts 00 at .330, and using an enriched alloy, they weigh 51.5 gr. I started out using Active hulls, with the Rem figure eight green wad. Four stacks of two 00 fit quite nicely. I have some old Herters 1 1/4 oz unslit shotcups that I can fit 12, 00 buck in 6 X 2, but they don't pattern as well as the 8 pellet load. An hour ago, I tried 23 gr of International Clays with 8 pellets, for a chronographed velocity of 1315 fps. 10 inch patterns at 25 yards.

[Hogtamer]

Jam up GBert! That will kill anything in my part of the world and not to bad on the shoulder. It's not the number of pellets but how many on target and you've already achieved very good results. I load some Active hulls myself and they're hard to beat.

[GBertolet]

I tried the I/C choke tube, and my patterns trippled in size. I tried the full choke tube, and it was not much different than the modified one was. I found some Federal hulls that seem to have a little thinner plastic, so I can go 3 pellets abrest, so I will try the same loading with 3 X 3 pellets buried in buffer, in the Federal hull, and see if it changes anything.

[GBertolet]

The 8 pellet load still out performs the 9 pellet loading by a considerable margin. Most 8 pellet patterns can be covered with a 9 inch paper plate at 25 yards using the full choke tube. I guess that's why many manufactures push the 8 pellet loadings.

[45 2.1]

I load 4 Buck in old AA hulls. I found using Remington wads that are slit halfway down with PB powder produced very good patterning loads. Unslit wads from steel loads and fully slit wad cups did not work nearly as well. All this from an Ithaca riot gun tested at 35 yards.... open hand sized patterns.

[savage308]

45.2.1 could you give more info on your loads?

[45 2.1]

At that time, the #4 buck was from a bag of commercial buckshot given to me by a neighbor. The old style AA hulls were used. I don't remember the number of the Remington wad, but it is about the only one that is only slit halfway down. I have some leftover, but need to find them and get some more. IIRC the charge of PB was about 23.5 gr. to 24 gr., but that was determined by pattern at the time. It's been a very long time since I loaded some, but I'm out now .... so I need to do it again with cast #4 buckshot this time.

[savage308]

I have the lee #4 buckshot mold and want to try some loads with them but so far i'm having some trouble getting the mold to fill all cavites and make good buckshot but I will try again when it warms up some. I have used 24gr of greendot, ww12r wad, rem gun club 2 3/4 hull , win209 and it did ok.

[GBertolet]

Savage308, My Sharpshooter mold is a combo 00 buck on one side and #4 buck on the other. Although I am mainly interested in the 00 buck, I tried casting some #4, and had some difficulty in getting all the cavities to completely fill also. Most cavities fill, but it's always a couple that don't. Could be it's more difficult to get all the air out by the small volume of lead introduced. Just a theory.

[Faret]

The smaller the pellets the faster and hotter you will have to cast. The lee mold is a bitch. I am going to make mine a 24 cavity to help with the heat transfer or loss.

[ackleyman]

Contrary to what you might think, a gas seal with a fiber wad on top will allow you to stack more 00 in a row, lot better patterns. Also, with some experimentation, you can cut the entire petal off a regular plastic wad to get the buck to stack better.

Using the above arrangement, you can get many #4 buck in a row, and #1's stack fantastic.

[FullTang]

I load 4 Buck in old AA hulls. I found using Remington wads that are slit halfway down with PB powder produced very good patterning loads. Unslit wads from steel loads and fully slit wad cups did not work nearly as well. All this from an Ithaca riot gun tested at 35 yards.... open hand sized patterns.

I believe that's the Remington SP12 wad, and it is a very good one for buckshot!