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<  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading  ~  #4 for pheasant
Pbking51
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 10:07 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

Well I just spent 2 hours trying to figure out what was going on with these #6s I was loading for a Monday morning stock and shoot.
I've already come to the conclusion my 1oz mec charge bar was dropping about .93oz instead of a solid ounce and then decided to count bbs...but something seemed off after I loaded 10, that rattle didn't sound right

I was getting 127 on average not the 222 lyman suggests...so I weighed them and sure enough .93oz, about 407 grains. Weighed 1 pellet which was about 3 grains. Then hit the caliper and viola--.13" leading me to the fact that this jug I had with a #6 bag stuffed on top was indeed #4.

My powder is about 21.2 of universal and a sg16 wad in chedite 2 3/4 hulls.

Should this powder work decently for the heavier and bigger shot?
Is universal too fast to deliver good results?

An oz is an oz right?

Anyone have experience with #4 in a 16?
I plan on using my 26" Imp Cyl/ Mod AYA
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Citori16
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:13 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 19 May 2006
Posts: 309
Location: Too far south in New England

I have had no problems running #4 lead, steel or bismuth in my 16’s. I have shot #4 lead through modified & occasionally full chokes in a modern gun, I would not hesitate to use in an older gun provided the PSI & speed shot charge weight were matched to the recommended (my Ithaca Flues would not like the hotter loads, for instance). I have used up to #2 Steel in my Citori up to a modified choke with decent results on ducks/geese, but I will use bismuth now if I have it since it carries farther. I tend to use larger than recommended shot in my hunting loads, they just seem to work better for me.

Universal is a great powder for 16. I have used it a lot, but my supply is dwindling.

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Pbking51
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:21 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

Universal is the only one I could get and at 40 around at one shop. I was getting greendot for 32 a pound up until mid last year.

I just wish I didn't hear the rattle...I guess buffer is all that would help?
Am I correct that 20ga cards can be added under the shot? Or should I use q8ga?
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Citori16
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:52 am  Reply with quote
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Location: Too far south in New England

Buffer will raise your pressure & drop your velocity. Unless you have a recipe for it, I would not add without sending in for testing.

You could put cards in the shotcup, or felt/cork wads under the shot to raise the shot column if you have extra space, but be sure you can get a good crimp. I have read on here that some guys use a cheerio or small bean on top of the shot to get a good crimp. I use popcorn myself but that tends to make a spreader load, which is not usually what you want in a #4 load. An overshot card might work as well.

A small amount of rattle will not hurt anything in my experience. If it sounds like it should accompany a Caribbean beat with a half-naked chic dancing to it, then you have made a maraca and I would add something.

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Pbking51
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 7:41 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

I just tried a 20ga felt wad less than 1/8 and it won't fit in the sg16 wad...I'll just make due. My crimps look great, it just sounds like 2 bbs Rollin around. I even added 10 more bbs by hand to bring it to a true 1oz and it sounds exactly the same. The wad is not compressed at all.
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RGuill96971
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:19 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 Mar 2019
Posts: 519
Location: Texas

32 gauge felt will fit.
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Citori16
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:34 am  Reply with quote
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Location: Too far south in New England

Making due sounds fine. It will be slightly faster, and less pressure.

I personally prefer the full recipe load of lead, as much of a PITA as it is to load shot manually. That’s one of the reasons I use a universal charge bar. One or two popcorn kernels in the bottom could also work to take up that extra space without opening up the pattern.

It’s your choice, just stay within safe limits and you’ll be fine.

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Builder
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 10:30 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 21 Mar 2013
Posts: 111
Location: Northern New Jersey

Place a cheerio on top of the shot before you start the crimp. It will crush to fit to get a good crimp and weighs almost nothing so it does not affect speed or pressure. It is biodegradable and does not affect the pattern.

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Brewster11
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 2:02 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 08 Feb 2009
Posts: 1301
Location: Western WA

I’ve had trouble with no. 6 and no. 4 feeding smoothly through the 600 jr. They jam in the tube. A rap on the tube frees the flow but I ended up weighing the shot individually.

And I put the Cheerio first in the bottom of the shot cup. Suspect it might split the pattern if on top. Im probably just being overly fretful.

B.
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Pbking51
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 4:26 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

Well over 20 yards imp cylinder is a bit lacking and mod looks good to about 35-40. Damn I can't wait to get my mod/full sxs back.
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Dave in Maine
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 2:46 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 12 Sep 2010
Posts: 1972
Location: Maine

An ounce is an ounce.

If I was loading for hunting, I would weigh the shot for each shell. Doesn't take that long. (But, I'm not, because I use RSTs for hunting.)

#4 shot stops pheasants if you do your job.

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Pbking51
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 3:12 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Jul 2021
Posts: 81

I've got 25 loaded for the hunt, used a cherio in the bottom of shot cupand added 10 more bb's to bring me to an actual oz vs. The .93 oz I was getting from the charge bar.

No more rattle, but unfortunately the guy who raises the birds is under the weather and didn't give us the all clear to go pick them up, so maybe next week.
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jrothWA
PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:16 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Nov 2006
Posts: 367

a powder / shot dipper, for loading the larger shot.

I'll dip into a small shot-holder container, then vibrate the dipper to settle the shot and pour into the hull? wad combination.

Contact MEC for confirming that the charge bar is averaged for using 6, &-12 & 8 shot.
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