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Member Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 1545 Location: Michigan

[quote="putz463 We require 6 rounds so one can be dis-assembled to verify components. The fee is $40.00 per 5-shot string. [/quote]

That's too much money. Shocked

Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 224

I had some loads tested at Precision Reloading. They do a professional job, and turn around time is similar to Tom Armbrust's. There results are also the same as Tom's. I had the same load tested at both places, just to make sure of some things... I would recommend Tom Armbrust though, as he is cheaper, does a great job, and is easy to work with when things don't turn out as you expected. PR would work for winter though.

I would not recommend Ballistic Products. Here's why: I created a load based on a recipe given in the BPI 16 gauge manual, (similarly listed in Edition 4 and 5). (It is the same load I had tested by Tom and PR.) Now, I substituted Buckshot for Lead shot, used the recipe that was most forgiving...in other words used a recipe for 1 1/4 oz lead and used less powder than was called for. I made two loads... One for 10 pellets of OO Buck (approximately 1 1/4 oz weight) and one of 10 pellets O Buck (app. 1 1/8 oz weight). I did remove one gas seal for the 1 1/4 oz load to make room for the pellets. (The recipe calls for 2.) They shot good in my gun, and chronographed close to the speed listed in the BPI manual. I thought great, lets test them to be sure, as I wanted to give the loads to a friend. I'm so glad I tested. The 1 1/4 oz 10 OO buck load came back at around 17,000 psi Shocked

! The 1 1/8 oz 10 O buck load came back at around 14,100 psi! KEEP IN MIND I WAS USING LESS POWDER THAN WAS LISTED. I called BPI and told them what happened, and Dave at BPI said he would make the 10 pellet O buck 1 1/8 oz load at his shop and test it, as all the components are BPI. He called me back and said he got 9000 psi and 1290 fps. That's all I will say on the matter, except that I will never trust a load from a BPI source again. I have made their loads as listed and got velocities higher than they list. I knew they were hot, just not that hot.

Luckily, I was able to reduce my powder on the 1 1/8 oz 10 O buck load even further to get a very nice shooting, safe pressure load. The 1 1/4 oz 10 pellet OO buck load is cautiously being redone...going to try a different powder on that one.

One further note...lead does not equal lead in a shot shell. What I mean, and have confirmed with some testing, an equal weight of small lead shot will not give you the same pressure as an equal amount of large shot. In fact, the smaller the shot, the higher the pressure. Tom Armbrust told me he had seen this trend in his testing, and said the higher pressures usually come from really small shot like #8's and #9's. I thought the opposite would be true with the buckshot, so I made duplicate loads to be tested of the above listed buckshot loads using an equivalent weight of #5 1/2 nickel plated lead shot. The results: the 1 1/8 oz load came in at 14700 psi ...still high, but just a small increase. the 1 1/4 oz load came in at 19600 psi, which is a hugh increase. Now, that load was way to high pressure to begin with, and that may account for the larger increase. But, the bigger pellets showed less pressure than the small shot.

Sorry for the long post, I probably should have put some of this in it's own thread. Don't mean to hijack.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Bowbuilder.
I'm glad you posted that information. The load I would like tested Is an old load I found that was listed for 4756 befor IMR took over. Makes a person do a little thinking. The only difference is I'm using a roll crimp. Comparing the load between Hogdons and Lymans book and BPI, there is quite a difference in pressure.I think I'll wait untill spring and just put them on the sidelines. I'm trying to use loads with paper and fiber wads. I've found a few in BPI's manual. Hope they are okay.

Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 224

spr310,

I tried a few of the loads listed in the BPI 16 ga manual using just fiber and nitro card wads. I did not like the performance of these loads. I could never get the velocities listed in the book. I never had any pressure tested, as the performance was sub-par for my use. Hope that helps.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

I never had much luck with BPI's fiber/cards loads either.

I use the spreader inserts to open pattern. I am also going to try removing petals from wad as posted some time back on a different thread.

I am concerned however, as most of the loads I use are from BPI's manual.
The ones I am using perform well, but now concerned about pressure.

14,000 is quite a jump from 9-10,000!!!

Guess I will have to load my favorites and send them to Tom or PR.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

I just had a good experience yesterday. I just recieved about 200 federal hulls. Had not reloaded them befor. I picked a load out of Lymans reload ing manual 24.5 grains of longshot,W209 primer, 1 1/8oz of shot. Tated at 1237fps and 6500 psi. I decide to try a couple out at my pattern board. I now have a bruised cheek and a sore shoulder. I've used my loads with clays powder and all rated at 11,000psi and never had a recoil like that. I know that they are way or what the book says. I weigh every load on the digital scale so I know they were not off. Never had cheek slap from my citori befor.

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

spr: Why is cheek slap a "good experience"? Sounds like a nice pheasant load though!

Matt

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 224

spr310,

That load you made was probably running a lot higher than 6500 psi. Most of my loads I have played around with have been with Longshot, and it is a kicker. 24.5 grains on a 1 1/8 oz load, even with a wad with a lot of cushion is going to be up there in the pressure range, towards 11000 psi. For example, the 1 1/8 oz 10 O buckshot load I mentioned was 14100 psi using 25 grains of Longshot. Now, that was with a pagoda gas seal, very little room for cushion and buffered...but you get the idea...

Longshot gets the job done though!

OK folks, pressure has NO EFFECT on recoil.

Free recoil is affected by ejecta weight, velocity and gun weight. Nothing else.

Felt recoil is subjective any may also be affected by gun fit and action type (especially gas operated semi-autos).

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

Joined: 23 Jan 2008 Posts: 224