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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ 16ga Loads for Grouse |
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Posted:
Fri May 26, 2017 9:51 am
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Joined: 19 Mar 2017
Posts: 14
Location: Cape Cod
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Well, after many years of envy over by buddies 16ga Sterlingworth, I decided it was time to set a budget aside for a 16 and bought a 1944 JP Sauer & Sohn ejector double, quite a handsome gun and ticked just about all the boxes I was looking for in a 16. Just got the barrel back from having the chambers enlarged for 2 3/4" so now I am ready to experiment with some loads.
I enjoy reloading and have for my 20 and 12, the 20 being my primary grouse gun. Glad to hang up that heavy beast. I have a few loads that caught my eye in my books and the spreadsheet. Thanks to some forum members I have some Cheddite/Herter's and Federal purple hulls. Will be using 1oz of #6 shot.
So, my question is what are some of your go to grouse loads for your vintage doubles?
Open to other components other than those I mentioned. |
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Posted:
Sat May 27, 2017 7:38 am
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Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2011
Posts: 1699
Location: Minnesota
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DG As you probably know, ruffed grouse aren't hard to knock down so any lite 7/8 or 1 oz load will do. I tried loading those hulls with universal powder and the claybuster wad but got too many bloopers. Switched to the sg16 wad and its much better. Down to 19 grains now and it shoots very nice in my Elsie, but dirty. Do you have any powders on hand that might work? |
_________________ Great dog, Great friends,Great guns |
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Posted:
Sat May 27, 2017 8:30 am
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Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1460
Location: Eagle, Nebraska
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I used Longshot, I think around 25.5grains, but would have to look to be sure,
sg or z 16 wad, 1oz of #7 shot and often used a polywad spreader or spred-r x insert.
I also have simply bought Polywad spreader loads in 7.5's. |
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Posted:
Sat May 27, 2017 5:24 pm
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Joined: 19 Mar 2017
Posts: 14
Location: Cape Cod
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Thanks for the input. I have several powders on hand, Longshot, Blue Dot, Titewad and WSF. Reloading components at the shops around here are sparse at best and no chance of getting powder shipped here, Thank you Massachusetts. I was going to hit some of the shops next week to see what they have on hand. |
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Posted:
Tue May 30, 2017 1:07 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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I agree w/ Savage16. Pats are not hard to kill. I've cleanly killed my share w/ a 28 ga., 3/4 ounce load of hard 7.5 shot. I've tried #8 shot too, but the 7.5 pellets kill them cleaner in my experience. The same weight load in a 16 is even better. I recommend you to try some 3/4 ounce loads of the same 7.5 shot for early season birds. Transition to a 7/8 ounce load of hard #7 pigeon shot as the season progresses, cover thins out, and the birds get a bit spookier. A 1 ounce load of #6 shot for the end of the season works wonders when shots get even longer. Them's my choices based on plain old experience. Hope they work out just as well for you. |
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Posted:
Tue May 30, 2017 1:23 pm
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Joined: 19 Mar 2017
Posts: 14
Location: Cape Cod
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I agree, partridge/ruffed grouse are not hard to kill if you have a clean shot. That is rarely the case were we hunt in Maine, heavy cover, thick trees and green growth are the name of the game. Having a few extra pellets in the 1 ounce load and the heavier shot size helps quite a bit to get through it and make the shot. I'll take a look at some lighter loads, thanks for the suggestions. |
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Posted:
Wed May 31, 2017 12:28 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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Southeastern MA grouse hunting is almost always done in heavy cover before the leaves fall. Getting close is how it's done best in my experience. Otherwise, I'm trying to shoot at something I can't really see. Doesn't work well for me. After the leaves fall, then things open up and longer range shots become much more doable for me. That's when heavier loads of bigger pellets have their place.
A 3/4 ounce load of 7.5 shot has about 270 pellets in it. A one ounce load of #6 hard shot has about 220 pellets in it. If it's pattern density we want, then the numbers will tell us all we need to know.
Close in, a fast stepping 3/4 ounce load of 7.5 hard shot does the job if it's put on target. Enough pellets get through leaves and pine needles if they're started off fast enough. A 3/4 ounce 16 gauge load can also be comfortably pushed much faster than a 1 ounce load. Bird shot just won't penetrate through tree trunks and limbs no matter how fast we start them off or what size they are. If the grouse gets behind a tree before we shoot, then it's going to get away unless we are carrying a howitzer. Just how it is.
I'm not telling anyone what to loads to choose, but I am making suggestions based on my grouse hunting experiences. Hope my input helps folks to make the right load choices for similar situations. |
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Posted:
Wed May 31, 2017 1:09 pm
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Joined: 19 Mar 2017
Posts: 14
Location: Cape Cod
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Well you certainly have piqued my interest in these 3/4oz loads. I'll load some up and give them a test for sure. More curious about where you are finding grouse in SE Mass! |
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Posted:
Sat Jun 10, 2017 1:08 pm
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Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2005
Posts: 6535
Location: massachusetts
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Believe me. There are ruffed grouse to be had in SE MA, but the spots are spotty to say the least and getting spottier every year. I've come to understand that pats are cyclical in numbers but pretty much like whitetails in other respects. They do not move out of good cover much other than to shift feeding spots as the seasons and food sources change. They pretty much stay close to where they were born unless the area is being heavily developed and the food sources are removed. Like suburban based deer, grouse know how to avoid detection unless a very savvy grouse dog with an excellent nose is involved. So if the grouse are there and are not over-hunted to extinction, they'll be there year after year.
Because ruffed grouse do not migrate, I don't hunt my spots more than once or twice a year. I rest them and move around to others I know about. Too much hunting pressure even by one hunter would put us all out of the grouse hunting business in a hurry.
I'm not married anymore but if I was, I'd let you sleep with the wife before I'd give up where I find grouse in my area. I trust you understand why and don't take offense to my unwillingness to share. |
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Posted:
Sat Jun 10, 2017 3:41 pm
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Joined: 19 Mar 2017
Posts: 14
Location: Cape Cod
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Too funny, no offense at all, I wouldn't let my spots in Maine be known either. There use to be grouse around were I am, and may well be a few left. But, having watched so much development and loss of habitat I'd feel guilty shooting them down here. Finding some decent squirrel territory would be nice too. |
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