16ga.com ~ View topic

Member Joined: 23 Aug 2004 Posts: 98 Location: Ballwin, MO

I use H-Clays for a 7/8 oz or 1 oz load for targets in the 12 ga, and H-Universal in the 16/20/28 ga. It seems that Universal is a bit slow for the lighter 7/8 oz 16 ga loads, and Clays is too fast. I am looking for a clean-burning powder for 7/8 oz and 1 oz, 1200-1250 fps loads in the 16 ga. Currently I am using mostly Fiocchi hulls, with a few Winchester Cheddite, and some Nobel Sport hulls. I have a few thousand of the DR-16 wad, 5K of the R-16, and some Gualandi 1 0z wads. Any suggestions on a more suitable powder would be appreciated. Almost forgot - has to also be consistent down to about 20 degrees F. Below that, I stay inside! Looking forward to your suggestions.

Guest

Hogdon International Clays, IMR PB and Alliant Green Dot should be on your list. International Clays and PB will be clean. Forget about the temperature, if you build a good load it will automatically be good in any temperature. I would start with Winchester 209 primers.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 425 Location: Maine

I use green dot for 7/8 oz. in Cheddite and Federals, and 1 oz. in Federals. Very consistant; no cold weather issues.

Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 184 Location: Dover-Foxcroft, ME

Ditto the GD for 3/4 and 7/8 oz. I don't find the "improved" GD dirty in 16 ga applications. Its less expensive than INT and PB around these parts.

Sam

What about faster 7/8 loads in the RGL cases?

Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 596 Location: 17603

"What about faster 7/8 loads in the RGL cases?"

Hal,
I use Unique or Herco,
Cheers,
R*2

I agree. Unique comes into its own for 1300+ FPS 7/8 ounce 16 ga target loads. Unique should act much like Green dot does in 1200+ FPS 12 ga trap handicap loads. Unique's burning speed will give lower pressures and a flatter burning curve for higher velocities. It should produce patterns with nicely filled out centers for bird crushing breaks at longer ranges in these faster loads.

I'm basing my opinion on the results I've gotten when loading Unique in my extra high velocity 12 ga 1-1/8 ounce target loads for shooting Annie Oakley rounds and other longer range trap games. It is just the ticket when Green Dot limits are reached. It does the same thing as GD at even higher velocities.

Another powder that might work well here is PB. It is similar to GD and Unique and a bit more flexible than either. However, it is also more expensive and harder to find in larger canisters. That is a consideration if a lot of loads are needed for practice and competion.

Joined: 07 Oct 2008 Posts: 74 Location: MO Ozarks

RGL hull
W209 primer
16.9 gr. Unique
DRA16 wad
7/8 oz shot

This load has NOT been tested yet. I'll be sending it out next week, I hope. I'm not recommending it to anyone. Once I find out what velocity I'm getting with this load, I will work from there. I want to get something around 1300 to 1350 fps with less than 10K psi (9,500 would be perfect!). I expect I will probably have to use somewhere around 18 gr. Unique to get what I want.

Good luck