12 gauge light loads
 

I’m starting to load for 12 gauge shells . What powder do you recommend for light loads . Most of the loads I’m looking at are 9000 psi or higher . Also it looks like Longshot is a good powder for 16 gauge . Thanks for any suggestions. Tracy

Tracy,

If you want to go light, I've been using Alliant Extra Light (14.0 grains) to load 12 gauge with 1/2 ounce of lead shot.

I use 3/4 ounce Clay Buster pink wads, CB0175-12, (for a tapered hull, ie Remington STS, etc.) with a 20 gauge nitro card (0.620"dia by 0.135" thick) in the bottom of the wad. I get that nitro card from Craig Smith of Circle Fly wads.

I had Tom Armbrust test them about 9 years ago. Pressure around 5500 psi with speed around 1350 feet/second.

If you're looking for 3/4 ounce, there are published loads for that. Claybuster has recipes for 3/4 ounce on the back of the label that comes with their 3/4 ounce wads.

Send me a PM if you would like more details. I should add that there is no recoil with those 1/2 ounce loads. :)

Bill

I don't go to Jolly's extreme, but I've shot tens of thousands of 12-gauge STS handloaded with Remington 209P primer, 16.4 Grains of Clays, Remington TGT12S wad and 7/8-ounce of shot. The loading manuals state 1200 fps and 6300 psi.

right off Alliant's web site back in 3/2000.
There are 3 wad combinations with the other components being the same:
Federal Paper Target hull, 7/8 oz. shot, Fed. 209 primer, 17.5 gr. RedDot, 1,200 FPS...
1. Win. WAA12F1 wad @ 4,800 PS| **(l use the Claybuster 1100-12 wad)
2. Rem. PT12 wad @ 5,000 PSI
3. Fed. 12SO wad @ 5,700 PSI

As I understand it, and someone correct me if I am mistaken, the federal gold paper hulls and the federal gold plastic hulls Use the same components.

Yes, both the Federal plastic and paper are straight wall hulls. They would use the Federal wad or the Claybuster clone designed for straight wall hulls. The Win and Rem wads you have listed are designed for tapered or compression formed hulls.

If you looking for a really pleasant and extremely efficient load try the 3/4 oz load in either a Win or Rem compression formed hull (not the newer Win HS hull) using the CB 1075-12 wad and a powder such as Extra Lite, Tite Wad or Clays if you could find it. Don't obsess over it only being 3/4 oz. It will do the same job as the 7/8 oz load only way less recoil, decent pressure and economical use of your expensive lead. Bill's load of 1/2 oz. is also a great option but requires the use of the card to fill the wad.

AA Lite makes great 3/4 and 7/8 oz loads using the Claybuster wads, around 1150 fps and low pressure, good loads for those old hammer guns. I dont know if that powder is still in production. I stumbled into 4 1 lb bottles at a local gunshop going out of business a few yrs ago.

I have my Spolar set up to load my practice shells. 2 3/4” 12g, 7/8 oz DRXXL-7/8 wads over 16g Clays. You can substitute Clay Dot. 1160 FPS. Very nice load.

Hulls are AA, Gun Club, STS and Nitro 27. I occasionally use Fiocchi too but I have a gazillion of the other hulls.

This is what I have listed as my "Light Skeet" load but it just works awesome for any clays except Bunker Trap

Nitro or similar hull
Cheddite 209
Claybuster 1075-12
3/4oz #8 or 9 magnum shot
14.5g Extra Lite

I do NOT have pressure or velocity as it's yet to be sent off to Precision for testing, but I was given this by someone on this forum who had used it in his damascus barrels for years and I have used it in them as well. I will post back when I get it done.

I plan on using Winchester AA hulls and Winchester 209 primers . Thanks for y’all’s replies.

Andy, I have been using that load fo skeet with 15 gr. for a while and like it a lot. From the talk on some websites the Cheddite could add to the pressure. I am going to drop the charge half a grain just cause i am a cheapskate. The cost of Extra-lite has gone crazy. A young lady i shoot skeet with is a R.N and her co-workers questioned her about the bruise on her cheek she had from factory shells and she tried mine and turned to her dad and said'' daddy you are going to make me some of these''. We all try to at least equal her score.