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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ 16 ga Steel Bird Load |
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Posted:
Mon May 13, 2019 4:20 pm
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Joined: 28 Mar 2010
Posts: 31
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I'm looking for a 16 ga. steel shot load that I can hunt dove, rail birds, woodcock etc. I'm interested in a load around 1350 fps. I have plenty of cheddite and federal hulls that id like to use and just need a powder, primer and wad that loads well in those hulls. I'm looking to load #6 & #7 shot. Anyone have a tried and true recipe?
Thanks |
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Posted:
Mon May 13, 2019 4:35 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9455
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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GOTTA ask
What gun will they be used in???
Mike |
Last edited by skeettx on Mon May 13, 2019 5:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Posted:
Mon May 13, 2019 5:48 pm
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Joined: 28 Mar 2010
Posts: 31
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Belgian A5 Cylinder choke |
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Posted:
Mon May 13, 2019 5:55 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9455
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Posted:
Mon May 13, 2019 6:37 pm
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Joined: 28 Mar 2010
Posts: 31
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I was not aware but I'll check them out. Thanks Skeet |
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Posted:
Tue May 14, 2019 7:37 am
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Joined: 20 Jun 2011
Posts: 118
Location: Illinois
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Posted:
Tue May 14, 2019 7:47 am
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Joined: 20 Jun 2011
Posts: 118
Location: Illinois
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I have found that most of the 7/8 loads need more filler than what is called for. Usually about 2 Cheerios worth of filler. I find Cheerios on top work nice because they crush and I am able to get good pressure on the crimp with out buckling the hull and with out have to play with microscopic adjustments on the cam/die(mec 600 jr).
Mike |
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Posted:
Tue May 14, 2019 8:33 am
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Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida
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Don't you just hate those steel birds. The shot evidently bounces right off. I get one of those every now and then. I know I hit them, but they never break. I expect there will be a lot of them out at Minnesota Horse & Hunt this coming weekend, as they are particularly nasty about that sometimes, so somebody please let me know the load that'll do the trick -- 16 gauge, of course. |
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Posted:
Tue May 14, 2019 6:57 pm
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Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas
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Shorebird,
The first recipe for steel bird loads I ever found was in Lyman's 5th, and I'm still using it for quail and woodcock, and some late season doves, on federal land. The basic recipe is Win plastic w/plastic basewad (or I've used many different kinds of Cheddite-type alternatives such as Fiocchi, PMC, etc.); 22 grains of STEEL; 209A; originally a BP Multimetal, but I now use the VP80 or whatever they are now calling it; 7/8 oz of 6s or 7s steel (lately, I've been mixing the two) for 1325 fps/9200 pressure (I have not tested this load, but I've shot hundreds of them for the past 15 or so years.
If one substitutes a federal hull, go to 22.5 grains of STEEL and all others the same for 1285/8400.
These are not heavy duck or pheasant loads!
Initially, I had some difficulty getting used to these loads, but now I like them and seem to do as well or better with them as with 1oz of lead 8s. On some WPAs in Nebraska a couple of years back I went 10 for 12 on quail with these loads, but only shot about 50% with lead on private land. Go figure. I shoot them mostly out of a Citori with IC choke (Invector skeet chokes are not rated for steel), but have also shot a good number of them out of my new A5 with a skeet choke (DS skeet chokes are rated for steel). My brother shoots them out of a 70 year old M37 and has not had any issues with them. When my A5 was new I had a couple or 3 shells fail to load, but this seems to be over after break-in.
There are other heavier loads on the Yahoo site, and some folks don't like STEEL, but it works for me. |
_________________ 16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke |
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