16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Davis, CA

Hello, I'm new here. I have a very basic question. I have searched the forum for the answer but perhaps it is too basic. My dad just gave me his AyA 16 gauge. I would like to reload for it. I can buy the lead and powder locally but where do I buy hulls and wads? Also, I guess primers are not gauge specific, correct? Which means I could also buy those locally. (There is no 16 gauge specific reloading supply anywhere locally that I know of.)

Thank you.

Member Joined: 17 Jan 2005 Posts: 138 Location: Parma, OH

Correct, the industry here in the states have settled on the 209 size primer for all shot shells, regardless of gauge. The various brands of primers are not interchangeable, however. Find a recipe and stick to it, no substitutions (at least until you learn a little more....)

Anyhoo, I get my hulls from Graf & Sons (http://www.grafs.com/). They also have wads there as well. You might want to PM Russ Gray (aka RWG) and ask to join the 16 gauge reloaders group. Many recipes concerning 16 Ga hulls are available with your $20 membership (you can't buy a tank of gas for that kind of money anymore!).

Good Luck!

Mike Doerner

Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 39 Location: maryland

Also for anything weird (read that as fun or interesting) with shotguns check www.precisionreloading.com and www.ballisticspecialties.com. 16 is easy compared to 24 ga, 32 ga and short 10s. Both companies are great sources for felt cork or fiber wads, roll crimping stuff and normal wads too. Not cheap but they have most of what you might want along with some good specialized manuals.

Guest

Given my choices, I rather reload hulls that were originally loaded at the factory. Other posters may have different experiences but I get better crimps from hulls that were made at the factory rather than using brand new hulls from either BP or Precision. Getting a good crimp is the final but very important step of building a quality handload. Nothing worse than reaching into your shell pocket a feeling some loose shot that had come out of a shell whose crimp had slightly opened up. Check out the posting in the Reloading section that another poster had asked a similar question and I believe we did an adequate job of answering how to reload for a newbie....

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

.........................and last but certainly not least, join the 16ga. reloading site. Contact RWG on this site. Mdoerner will likely have the address.

Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Davis, CA

Thanks everyone. Much appreciated. I have reloaded 12 guage a fair amount but that was a while ago.