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<  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading  ~  16 ga Steel Bird Load
Shorebird
PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 4:20 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Mar 2010
Posts: 31

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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skeettx
PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 4:35 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007
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Location: Amarillo, Texas

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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Shorebird
PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 5:48 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Mar 2010
Posts: 31

Belgian A5 Cylinder choke
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skeettx
PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 5:55 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 15 Apr 2007
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Location: Amarillo, Texas

And are you aware of the FREE Yahoo group?

https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/reloading16gauge/files

ALSO
The Lyman #5 Shotshell Manual has loads

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Shorebird
PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2019 6:37 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Mar 2010
Posts: 31

I was not aware but I'll check them out. Thanks Skeet
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mcrewz
PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2019 7:37 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 20 Jun 2011
Posts: 118
Location: Illinois

Here is some load data from precision. Ballistic products calls this wad csd16. https://www.precisionreloading.com/docs/uploads/TUWSBL1627%20Load%20Data%20-%20Website.pdf

Here is some data from Ballistic Products mm16/vp80 wad https://www.ballisticproducts.com/VP80%20data.pdf

Enjoy

Mike


Last edited by mcrewz on Tue May 14, 2019 7:50 am; edited 1 time in total
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mcrewz
PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2019 7:47 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 20 Jun 2011
Posts: 118
Location: Illinois

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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MaximumSmoke
PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2019 8:33 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida

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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4setters
PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2019 6:57 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 19 Nov 2013
Posts: 381
Location: NW Arkansas

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.

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1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
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Browning A-5 Sweet 16
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