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Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1310 Location: Western WA

After reading the article in Shooting Times (link thereto somewhere on this site) about shot size, I am persuaded that my grouse loads should be No. 6 shot and not 7 1/2 as is currently.

I don't want to invest in 25 lbs. of No. 6 shot, but I have a few boxes of Fed No. 6 lying around. However, I shoot 2 1/2" so I'm looking for a workaround whereby I cut the 2 3/4" in Feds down to 2 1/2" and roll crimp them.

The alternative is to merely extract the shot and use it in my standard 2 1/2" load.

Has anyone here accomplished this? I realize this sounds somewhat makeshift and offbeat, but after all, we are 16 ga shooters, right, so why not?

TIA,
B.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2349 Location: West MI

I'm also an Upland hunter so appreciate off the beaten path...I've done something similar to try and make a bunch of old slow Rem 10ga steel more useful. The idea was to peel some shot off to increase speed but the testing proved not worth the effort so they were relegated to swatter shells.

I'd bet that opening those shells, trimming to length, swapping in an SG16 and Roll Crimping (RC usually lowers pressure) you'll more than likely not be in over pressure trouble maybe end up on the low side of it. Call Mr Armbrust and see if he's still testing, if so, send him 3 or send 5 to Precision Reloading and see where things end up.

http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19134

https://www.precisionreloading.com/view.php?pg=shot_proof

Good luck with it, keep us posted on the outcome...

You could buy a 10lbs bag of plated shot, but I totally get using what you’ve got on hand even if it takes some finagling!

Joined: 22 Feb 2019 Posts: 63 Location: United States

Keep it simple ! Just buy some 6;s and some New Primed Hulls cut them if they are to long. Those loaded shells are worth more than you think. You can make premium 2.5
' ammo that will surprise you with its performance.

Byrdogs I have used your cutters to trim 2k+ of hulls down , works great .

Thanks .

Nick

I think I would buy a couple of boxes of RST #6 loads and see if you think the bigger shot makes a difference before going to all of that trouble. I am not familiar with the article you referred to, but life has turned me into a skeptic. It could be that the next article will say 6.5 or 7 is the best shot size.

Phil

Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1973 Location: Maine

You can buy new primed 2.5 inch Cheddite hulls from the reloading houses for about the same price per hundred as 2.75 inch hulls. Buy them, get a roll crimper, and go that route.

I've looked at harvesting shot from full length shells and at turning 2.75 shells into 2.5, yadda yadda. At current prices, the game is not worth the candle.

You can buy a 25 lb bag of #6 shot for somewhere around $40 and it will last you a long, long time if used for hunting loads. You are not likely to run through that many rounds a year shooting at grouse.

A friend who's had much more time on grouse than I over recent years switched over and now swears by using #6 as opposed to #7.5. #6 cuts through the brush better, and single pellets carry more energy the larger they are.

don't do anything ... your 7.5's have killed mtns of grouse and are totally fine . lotta work for not much gain !!

Joined: 17 Oct 2019 Posts: 456 Location: New Jersey

Brewster, I hunt grouse without a dog and over the years have realized a great benefit to using 6’s. It’s all I shoot anymore, with the exception of nickel plated 7’s early in the season which actually measure out to about 6-1/2. My feeling is one #6 is more devastating to a bird than even two or three 7-1/2’s. I need birds to hit the ground dead not having a dog to find them. I’ve lost fewer birds with 6’s. They normally don’t go anywhere. I’ve actually killed Grouse with 7-1/2 pellets buried in the breast and legs. Just mho and experience. When I shoot 20 gauge which I’ve been doing exclusively since buying my Iside (I’m in love with it) I shoot 3” Fiocchi #6 at 1200 FPS. They’re not magnum loads, they just carry 25% more shot. I’m getting incredible results with this load.