16ga.com ~ View topic - need a good, functioning 2.5" load for my A-5

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

R J Talley,

While Longshot is considered a slow burning powder, slow burning is a misnomer. That is an easy way to define powder characteristics but a Longshot load doesn't take any longer to get out of the end of a barrel as a Red Dot Load.

Personally I wouldn't bother wasting Longshot on 7/8 and 1 oz. loads, as there are other powders much better suited for the purpose.

I got out to the range on Sat. First, I reset the friction rings to "light" loads and second, I used Vietnam era machinegun oil to lube the mag tube exterior. It was dry. Just a few drops, spread evenly over the length of the tube. I reassembled the gun and fired three rounds with no issues. I swapped the rings back to heavy and got a failure to eject right away. I swapped the rings back to light and it worked perfectly. I have the old recoil spring, the one with the flat coils. I decided that 100 years is too much to ask of any spring so I ordered a new one. As it is now, the gun functions but slaps the crap out of me. I have heard that is a sign the spring has lost its oompf. We will see.

The load is based on Fiocchi factory 2.5" hulls with a 6 point crimp. The shot is 1 oz of #8 and a Rem wad. The powder is 20 grains of Universal and I'm using a win 209 primer.

Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 523 Location: Texas

Hope you got an action spring also. I have shot a similar load and it cycles mine just fine. No hard recoil here. Not sure what the oil was that you used, but should be 30 weight motor oil. Put some on and gently wipe off.