Light16 ga loads
 

Hi Pete, thought I would just answer you back here. I shoot a lot of 16 ga, and Pete asked me what loads I like to use. he was looking for a nice 7/8 oz load for targets in a damascus barreled gun. Here is what I load:

Cheddite 2 1/2" 7/8 oz
Universal 19 gr
SG16 wad
Win/ched 209 primer
7300 psi/ 1125 fps

Cheddite 2 1/2" 7/8 oz
7625 20.1 gr
SG16 wad
Win/ched 209 primer
6800psi 1150 fps

Rem Game Load(RGL) 2 3/4" 7/8 oz
20/28 15.5 gr
DR16 wad
5760 psi 1105 fps
This a great little load--Daryl Corona's favorite-can also drop down to 3/4 oz.
I have no problem shooting this in a short chambered gun.

Here are 2 nice 3/4 oz loads I use also, just to use up some of the powder I have:

CHedditte 2 1/2' 3/4 OZ
iNTERNATIONAL 16 GR
DR 16 wad
win/ched 209
6200 psi 1150 fps

Cheddite 2 1/2" 3/4 oz
Green dot 15.5 gr
SG 16 wad win/ched primer
7400 psi 1177 fps

Others may chime in with their favorite load.

Harold, are these 6 folds crimp or roll crimp. Always looking for good short hull data.

Eric, these are 6 fold crimps on my Mec 600jr. Roll crimps look great(nostalgic), but would seem to take more time/steps and I don't have a roll crimper.

Thanks Harold. I refurbished an older 16ga MEC 600Jr. Scott fabricated a short kit for it to load 2/5" shells. I had the chance to load the first shells on it today and I am very pleased with the results. I used your first recipe below, 7/8 ounce with 19gr Universal. It crimped perfectly. I looked into loading a spreader load after reading on the Ballistic Products page about how to use the x-stream insert in a 16ga. I tore off the wad petals and inserted the x-stream insert using the 19gr Universal 7/8 SG16 loading. It also crimped just fine. Thank you for the info. Very soon Sara LeFever will be loading her own low pressure 2.5" 16ga shells!

what is a SG 16 wad? thanks

It is the Sporting 16 Wad offered by Ballistic Products. The order # for this wad, if you should decide to get a bag, is....#072SG16