12 Gauge Buckshot Reloading in The Covid

[TexPatriot]

Due to the boredom caused by Covid, I decided to get into casting my own bullets and to take up shotgun reloading with buckshot and slugs as my focus.

To my surprise, the reloading data shot buck shot is all over the place. In pistol reloading, I can look up a recipe for 115g FMJ 9mm bullets with CFE Pistol powder. I will have a range of powder charges available to me (I rarely go near the max charge).

With buckshot, it seems like I must use the max charge of powderand I must use the exact wad as well. In normal times, that might be fine but in The Covid components are hard to find.

This is what I have:
Hulls: 500 primed new 2 3/4 Federal Plastic hulls and 100 primed Rio hulls. I am trying to get some more hull options at the range, but that is what I have now.

Wads: WAA12 & WAA12R. Try as I might, this seems what I will have available for the foreseeable future.

Shot: I have some 00 buckshot in hand. Once the weather in Dallas transitions into Fall, I am going to mold my own 0, 00, and #4 shot.

Short term goal: I want to safely load up something using what I have on hand. I have 1 pound of Longshot.

Every time I try to find a safe load in published dats, I seem to be missing one thing (typically, the wrong wad) from the recipe.

Question: can someone point me to a safe load for the hullS and wads I have. Alternatively, is there a powder I can buy (I have a guy ) that will get me off to a start? I’ll buy a pound of powder if it gets me started.

At this point, my focus is not on performance as much as it is practicing my safe construction of shells.

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.

Newbie

[dsh1106]

PM me your email and I'll send you some buckshot data.

Scott

[Hogtamer]

OK but you'll have to buy the Federal 12S3 clone wads from claybuster but they're cheap. http://www.claybusterwads.com/index.php/federal-style
Assuming your buckshot weighs about 54 gr per pellet you can load 10 pellets (5 stacks of 2) and I would at least put a bit of buffer (BPI original) in the bottom of wad cup. Fill to top of wad if you've got it. Use this over 28.5 grs Longshot in the Federal hulls. Right at 1 1/4 oz with buffer. I believe this will fold crimp with wad pressure but may have to use thin card over shot and roll crimp.

[garrisonjoe]

You have just learned one of the HARD parts of loading shotshells. Because the components make up the volume needed to support closing off the hull so the roll or fold crimp comes out nice, loading shotshells to a given load usually works easiest when you

1) set your performance expectations (with buckshot, it's number of pellets and muzzle velocity)
2) find a recipe that would meet that performance package
3) hunt until you find either the exact components (or if you are experienced enough or have an experienced loader friend, to know what alternative components might safely substitute for the components in the recipe)
4) then fiddle with loading equipment settings (there are several) until it actually makes a decent looking and performing round.

For making less than 50 or so buckshot rounds, it's usually easier to buy loaded shells. Of course at this time, buying factory loads can even be hard. Given that fact, then about 2 weeks after that becomes a recognized fact, buying shotshell components becomes very hard. Which is where we are now, and probably will be until at least January.

If you are looking at Alliant loading data, quite often all they provide is max load (and close to 11,000 PSI chamber pressure). It is usually safe to come down 10% (and sometimes more) from the maximum powder weight and still get a good load and good crimps. You are lightening the load, and unless you go way below the recommended load, you still have enough total volume of components to give a good finished load. But not always. You don't HAVE to make shotshells at maximum load recipe. (Hint - Keep looking for a reduced performance load)

Hogtamer's recipe above gives good detail and comes very close to the components you have on hand. You should give him a bunch of thanks! It's often hard to find buckshot data that gets that close to your component inventory.

Good luck, garrisonjoe

[bakerjw]

I was in the same boat myself. Get the BPI buckshot load guide. The Lyman guide is helpful too.

I have a couple of threads on here with my first attempts.
I bought Fiocchi hulls with primers. They are straight wall and there are many loads for them available in the BPI book.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...uckshot-shells
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...-00-buck-loads


Oh, I also cast my own lead shot. Bought a Lee pot and a pair of molds.
Components are a bear to find. Determine what components you have and are available and look for loads that use them.