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geerob
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:01 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Dec 2021
Posts: 3
Location: Pennsylvania

Hello, I’m new to the site and I’ve been reading through posts here and all over the internet… but I need some help. I'm running into a some conflicting info from sources I'd hoped would be reliable. 

Over the years my stash of preferred ammo has dwindled and it's harder and harder to find, so at possibly the worse time to do it, I decided to look into reloading. I bought a couple books, Lyman fifth addition and Ballistic Products 16 gauge manual. I took advice from the Lyman book to start by trying to replicate loads I had used and liked in the field. Fiocchi Golden Pheasant and High Velocity had me aiming for 1 1/8 oz loads.

I'm using new primed Fiocchi hulls and I currently only have two powders, Unique and Blue Dot. Here is the recipe I was using from the Alliant site:

Fiocchi hull
Fio 616 primer
31 grains of Blue Dot
SP 16 wad
1 1/8 oz shot

While inspecting my crimps (that finally look ok) by a bright light I noticed some flakes of powder around the wad in the hull. I checked the other shells and they all have it.

It’s not a lot of powder but I began looking around here and found some threads about powder migration issues with Fiocchi hulls and the SP 16 wad. One suggestion was maybe using a thin piece of plastic bag under the wad? There seemed to be some disagreement about that solution and I don't know enough to be able to tell if that is a reasonable thing for a newbie to start messing with. 

The SP 16 does seem a little loose in the Fiocchi hull but all three loads on the Alliant site that I could try with what I have on hand call for a SP 16 wad. 

Alliant says it has to be static making the powder stick to the sides of the hull and not wad fit. They also said that I should also set the wad pressure to 30-40 lbs. A guy at MEC said to set it to little-to-no pressure at all.

I have some SG 16 wads and they seem to fit the Fiocchi hulls better. Perhaps I should give up on the 1 1/8 oz for now and try to find some 1 oz. loads for hunting pheasant and grouse the remainder of the season.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


Last edited by geerob on Fri Jan 07, 2022 6:42 pm; edited 3 times in total
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nj gsp
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:42 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Aug 2007
Posts: 437
Location: WI

I bought a bunch of primed unfired hulls this summer, and bought these also:

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Super-Crown-Crimper-Large-Bore-8-Point/productinfo/0740007/



https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Power-Hull-Skiver-10ga-20ga/productinfo/0740011/



Regarding powder migration, recently there was thread discussing this, and to summarize it, you just need to flare the base of the wad a little, any curved tool will work like the end of a box wrench or something.
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nj gsp
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 2:52 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Aug 2007
Posts: 437
Location: WI

Here's the thread discussing flaring the wad to stop powder migration:

http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24176
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geerob
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:03 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Dec 2021
Posts: 3
Location: Pennsylvania

I'll check out the crimper and the thread. Thanks, appreciate it.
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putz463
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:33 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 2343
Location: West MI

Welcome to 16ga and shot-shell reloading. You've picked an interesting and challenging time in history to get into this hobby...good for you, a great pass time.

Off the bat advice, baby steps and keep the questions coming....but already looks as though you're comfortable with this mindset. New hull crimps; yep, a challenge, I use a washer in the pre crimp station (on the platen, under the hull) to give the 1st pre crimp an extra deep crease. If still an issue some heat from a hair dryer usually helps set the plastic. Once that first crimp is established these permutations usually aren't necessary. The powder (nitro) card wad usually goes on top of the powder and usually need one of a smaller gauge (24 or 20) to fit in the wad but cup flaring is pretty easy and one less stack height stealing component to worry about.

Again, welcome aboard....

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Sorry, I'm a Duck Hunter so shouldn't be held strictly responsible for my actions between Oct 1st and ice up.
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geerob
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2022 7:09 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Dec 2021
Posts: 3
Location: Pennsylvania

Thanks for the welcome. I will definitely continue to ask questions, this seems like a good place with knowledgeable people. I haven't tried heating with a hairdryer yet so I'll give that a shot. I'm going to try flaring some of these wads as you have both suggested. Thanks again.
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