12ga. 5/8 load
 

This probably falls under a "wildcat" load, but given what it is I felt safe trying it. It worked so well when I tried it today I thought I would share it(I'll say it just to be safe...use at your own risk):

5/8oz.(actual weight - .662oz of #9s) using the 5/8 charge bar for a Mec Jr.
BP/Gualandi Rex - 24 wad(didn't need any filler wad/card)
2 1/2 Cheddite hull
Cheddite Primer
14 grains of Red Dot


I was shooting the 12ga. #1 frame damascus gh in the picture that is choked IM/IM. I worked my way around the clays course and kept hitting targets. There was only 1 target I couldn't hit and I didn't hit with 1oz. of shot out of a 16 gauge either.

I normally don't use #9s, but with a 5/8 load I though more pellets might be good. I made some longer shots I wouldn't have thought possible. I am going to load up a few hundred of these. I might try some in #8.5 shot.

If someone will tell me or point me to thread with instructions, I would gladly send these out for a pressure test and post the results.

This was pleasure to shoot and as you can imagine not much recoil at all.

So why? The cost of lead shot? I don't understand the need to go below 3/4 oz.

I had bought those wads with 3/4 oz loads in mind with 15 grains of Red Dot. Over this past weekend I had shot my 410 Citori extremely well and thought about when you're on the target it doesn't really matter what you use.

I have seen a few ultra light 12 gauge loads(even 1/2 ounce) and thought why not try it. All I can say is they worked well and I'll be loading up some more...

Jay there is a lot of information on light loads on Gamaliel shotgun world reloading forum. I have tried a lot of them with good results. I started my grand children off with 1/2 oz. 20 ga. and went up to3/4 then 7/8 and never said anything to them about recoil and it is not a factor in their shooting.

Just wondering what purpose it serves in a 12-ga except for having very light recoil? Is the velocity high enough for woodcock hunting or similar size pest shooting?

I see you're in RI, close to the Hausmann's (June) and Rock Mtn (August) SxS shoots in PA. Please show us how it does against conventional 12-ga loads on their sporting courses. :)

This was just me messing around. Recoil was pretty much non existent on a #1 frame gun. I would have laughed or scratched my head at this load a few years ago myself. I loaded 100 more of them before I went to bed last night. I am guessing velocity is in the 1125-1150 range.

I haven't been to the shoots in PA yet, though I do go to the Addieville shoot in April and I plan on attending the NH New Years Day shoot.

I thought I would just share this with the group. It seemed to work better than it should...

Light Loads
 

For what it's worth, I would like to contribute my experience with light 12 gauge lead loads.

I've been loading 1/2 ounce lead loads for about 4 years and I'm very happy with the results.

My recipe:
13.9 - 14.0 grains of Alliant Extra Lite powder,
Remington 209 primers,
Remington hulls: 2 3/4" Nitro Gold's, STS's and Gun Clubs,
Claybuster CB0175-12 pink wads and
one of Craig Smith's/Circle Fly 0.140 inch thick 20 gauge card wad that's in the bottom of the CB wad.

I sent some test loads to Tom Armbrust and in March of 2015 he tested them.

Speed averages 1343 fps and the pressure varies from 4200 to 5200 psi.

Using Winchester AA hulls and Winchester primers, those came out at 1367 avg. and 5100 psi.

I've loaded and shot probably around 4000 - 5000 of those in the past 4 years. Works good for me.

I suspect the pattern of those loads is pretty good. I've never patterned them but I'm sure it would be better than 1/2 ounce loads out of a .410.

That's all I shoot at Skeet and that's what I use at our local Sporting Clays course: Williamson (NY) Conservation and Sporting Club. At their SC course, there are no long Bo Whoop targets. These loads will break any presented if I do my part. I use my old trusty early A grade 12 gauge Fox (that I've owned for 50 years) choked Full in the left barrel for the long shots and IC in the right for the close ones. Just like you would use hunting.

Nice mild loads, clean burning, work OK in real cold temperatures and sound fine. And if your lead cost $40.00 per 25# bag, that's $0.10/10 cents an ounce. So I save a nickel a shot minus the penny apiece I pay for Craig Smith's wads picked up at Hausmann's in June.

Not much of any benefit as compared to 3/4 ounce loads as Craig pointed out earlier. More so compared against factory 1 and 1 1/8 ounce loads tho.

What's not to like if you like light loads and certainly not for everybody.

Probably not a hunting load except maybe for woodcock or grouse.

I'd just like to add that in Iron Mike's get together in September of 2016 IIRC, I offered a very nice lady, Elaine, a box of my 3/4 ounce loads and a box of my 1/2 ounce loads because to shoot for score she had to use a side by side instead of her 1100 jam-o-matic. She had to use her partner's Parker and she was concerned about recoil. After she shot the round, I got a nice hug from Elaine.

I expect to be using them for this afternoons shoot at Wm'son and very likely I'll be joined by Jim DeMunck. He shoots 9/16 ounce loads and doesn't miss many birds. Among other guns, he shoots a Remington Model 10 Trap pump gun Full choked and doesn't miss many birds.

Sorry, this is kinda long and if you're gone this far, thanks.

Quite right. I've used a 3/4 oz load with 14 grs of Red Dot/Promo in my 12 bores for years with superb results. Easy on the shoulder and your gun. Not so easy on targets!

Bill my experience has been the same as yours, thank you for having them tested. A young lady i shoot with is an RN and shooting factory 1 1/8 loads gets a bruise on her cheek and co-workers ask if she is abused. Gave her some 3/4 and she turned to her father and said'' daddy you are going to make me some of these''. She went straight.

Wish I would have seen Bills post a week ago before we got our reloading order. I would have ordered some extra lite. Bill, you probably already know that Rem, Win, Cheddite, and a couple of other mild primers will all interchange without changing pressures enough to worry about at the pressures we're reloading at. Those Remington primers [ and I'm a big Remington fan and collector ] are awful expensive. I too have shot 3/4oz loads for years but you guys have got me thinking.