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Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 444 Location: WI

I have a 2-3/4" 1oz recipe from the Lyman book that calls for:

Fiocchi hull
23gr Longshot
Win 209
BPI SG-16

This looks like a decent velocity lower pressure load (1250 fps @ 7100 psi).

This is similar to a load from Hodgdon in a Federal hull with 26.5gr Longshot listed at 1350 fps @ 7700psi.

I've run into a couple of concerns though:

First, I've found that the Federal hull ID is smaller than the Fiocchi, so it definitely gives a better seal on the wad, but as the listed powder weights are also not the same, there's no way of knowing how the first load will act in a Federal hull.

Second, I ran a couple test loadings to see how it would go, and the 1oz load won't let the crimp close. In fact, it won't even close fully on a 2-3/4" hull. If I set it so the crimp is around 0.030" deep, the hull buckles. I just couldn't get the press dialed in to work with this load, so I switched gears.

I'd like to find a Longshot load for a 2-9/16" hull, either Fiocchi or Federal (I have a LOT of Federal once-fired hulls and a few pounds of Longshot), so in the interest of science I popped in the MEC short kit, and found the first recipe makes for a very nice looking load with 7/8oz in a Federal hull trimmed to 2-9/16". I haven't tried a test load with the Fiocchi hulls yet.

I wasn't really planning on firing these 2-9/16" rounds, as I don't trust any unpublished/tested load even when comparatively speaking it approximates other published loads, but the site has been kinda slow lately so I thought I'd throw this out there and maybe stimulate some discussion.

And all I can do is discuss, as I'm traveling this week and don't have access to any of my reloading stuff, books, or tools...

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1844 Location: Central ND

Something is very wrong.

I just loaded a Federal with a weighed 26.0 grains of Longshot, SG16 wad with a weighed 1 oz. (437.5 grains) of #8 Lawrence shot and as usual, the Federal hull crimped concave at about .070" crimp depth. I suppose that I could adjust the machine, but my point is that those components fit in the Federal hull easily, too easily. The hull didn't buckle.

That is pretty typical of Longshot, W572 etc, with a SG16 or Z2M16 wad, with 1 oz. of shot in almost any current 2 3/4" 16 gauge hull, except the Remington.

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 444 Location: WI

Hmm... Now I'm wondering if I grabbed a couple of the trimmed hulls by mistake. Unfortunately I'm working 1500 miles from home for the week so I can't check.

Would a 1oz load fit a 2-9/16 hull with the other components being the same?

If not, and a 7/8oz load does, then I'd say I probably tried to stuff a 2-3/4 load into a 2-9/16 hull, which would make sense.

It's a MEC Sizemaster with an adjustable charge bar, and the charging is surprisingly accurate especially with the shot - except for flakey powder (like Longshot) which I noticed is a little static-charge sticky with the plastic parts, but it's still usually reasonably consistent.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

Beyond confirming exactly what hull length was used when you get back to the bench; what wad seating pressures (if any) are you both applying?

Assuming the intended hull length is confirmed correct and since the 7/8oz fit when the 1oz didn't...could the SG16s solve the 1oz stack height/crimp issue?

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 1844 Location: Central ND

No, a 1 oz. load generally will not fit well in a 2 9/16" hull. That would be a tight fit.

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

I’ve had very good results with 1 oz in 2 1/2” hulls (Cheddite and Fed) using 800-X and the SG16S wad. However, the MEC crimper requires some careful tuning, and there is some wad compression.

But the velocities are good, and Tom’s pressure numbers came back well within limits. All in all it’s a good fit and its my standard 16ga field load as long as my 800-X holds out.

B.

Joined: 16 Jul 2015 Posts: 2126 Location: Hudson,Wy

With a 2 1/2" hull and 18 gr. of Longshot, 1 oz. fits real well, except in 2 1/2" Federals. A 2 9/16" Federal would take that load better, but I already trimmed the hulls. Ironically, that load crimps great in a 2 1/2" RGL, but RGL's hold a crimp much better. The load with 18 gr. Longshot is published at about 1,200 fps in a 2 1/2" hull. Interesting how much more powder is called for in a 2 3/4" hull.

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 444 Location: WI

They were in fact hulls that were trimmed, so mystery solved - I screwed up.

I have a feeling that 23 grains of longshot in the Federal hull with a 7/8 oz load is going to be too much, even though it's "close". I'm just going to open them up and start over.

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 444 Location: WI