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Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

I have looked for, but cannot find at this moment, an old recipe I once used for a heavy target load in my 16 ga. Model 12. It consisted of Rem GL (black) hull, WW 209 primer, SP 16 wad, 1 1/8 oz. #8 and I believe 19.0 grains of Green Dot.

Do any of you use Green Dot in this way and if so, do you find 19.0 grains to be workable?

Guest

That load is over pressure. If Alliant / Hercules ever did publish it, they won't anymore.

Green Dot is a very nice powder, however in the 16 gauge it is best left to light loads like 3/4 and 7/8 oz., not a 1 1/8oz target load. The other problem is the Remington hull, as it normally produces higher pressures than almost any other straight walled 16 ga. hull.

Unique, SR7625, 800-X, SR4756, Longshot, Herco, Blue Dot along with others of the slow burning variety would be best.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Alliant had a 1-1/8oz load using green dot in a federal hull not remington. I've got it, but don't know if I'd try it.

I'd not even recommend Unique for a 1-1/8 ounce load in the present Remington GL16 hull, nor would I consider using 1-1/8 ounces of shot for targets. A one ounce load of #7.5 shot will crush targets out as far as folks can hit them if the right choke is chosen. However recoil will take its toll fairly quickly if the gun weighs 7.5 pounds or less. Unique will work quite well here for you, but leave the Green Dot in the canister for now.

I've found 7/8 ounce loads reach out very nicely for trap targets. Green Dot comes into its own here. 16.5 grains is all you'll need. Recoil will be considerably milder. 16 grains of GD will push the load slightly slower, but recoil is even lower. Comfortable to shoot target ammo allows you to shoot enough to stay sharp without making you flinchy. Low recoil is the key.

A 1-1/8 ounce 16 ga load is considered a hunting load. I works very well with #5 shot for wild pheasant at the longer ranges. I'd start with powders slower than Unique. Green Dot is out of the question. Most folks want to get to get the velocity up around 1225 FPS or better without boosting pressures too high. 800X is a flexible powder with a wide range of applications and works nicely in the GL16 hull. However, be prepared to weigh every charge. It does not meter well.

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

PB looks like my best bet for 1 1/8 oz. loads, the more I study the load charts.

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

I use Herco for the 1 oz, the few times I've loaded 1 1/8 oz in a 16ga, Blue Dot.
In the short 65mm hull with 3/4 & 7/8 oz payloads, Unique.
R*2

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

Thanks Russell--I noticed the Blue Dot data too. Don't know why, but the 2 clubs where I get most of my powder always seem to have PB--but for whatever reason don't have Blue Dot.

You must be satisfied with that load; how's the recoil with Blue Dot and 1 1/8 oz. shot?

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

Wolf,
Heavy!, in a fairly light Marlin 90 o/u. Broke birds good at the trap range but.
Lots of comments from the fellow shooters about "goose loads" though.
Still have some left, will probably shoot them up in one of my A5's, just for grins, and to test ring settings.
I stick with Alliant powders almost exclusively, I like the colored dots for ez powder id, and frankly don't think there's much difference performance wise brand to brand if you're dealing with shotshell. I'm used to them and have a good sense of the different speeds of burn.
Red and Green Dot in the 12ga, Unique and Herco for the 16ga, Herco for 20 & 28ga. 410 or LilGun in the .410. Local supplier sells 8# jugs for ~ $90, so I stick with it, and helps keep some of the cornfusion done when it comes to the huge variety of powders out there.
I have loaded up some 3" 12ga with Herco too, 1 1/4oz #7 really did a number on birds from the 26yd line one night at the trap range, bit of overkill, but fun!
I'm sure some will say that it's unnecessary to be using slow for gauge powders for target stuff, but I like high velocity loads, or my timing is now wired for 'em, and I will confess to not necessarily following the "book recipes", slower powders mean lower peak pressures. So far so good, haven't blown myself up or my mostly vintage guns.
Cheers,
R*2

a 3-1/4 dram 1-1/4 ounce of #7 pigeon shot is one helluva Annie Oakley round when the dudes want to shoot from 30+ yards. It's a good "stick bird" load too. I think this is the old traditional live bird load used for columbaire events.

However, one box of these puppies is enough for me thanks. I don't like pain--I'm too tender, young, and handsome. Well okay, just tender ya bunch of hairsplitting curmudgeons. Rolling Eyes

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

"one box of these puppies is enough for me thanks"

16gg,
It was enough for me too, lol. I also tested 'em at the clays course in my SKB XL900MR, gas operated semi-auto. One of the stations is a fairly long trap house set up to wobble, I let the birds get out there before blasting away with a full choke, PUFF! when I connected. Gun cycled fine, and soaked up a bit of the recoil versus the O/U. Be a good long range duck or goose load with some bigger shot. From memory it was around 26gr of Herco, guesstimating 1250fps.
Cheers,
R*2