Testing Reloads

[Jeff S.]

Originally Posted by Frank Srebro

Hey Jeff I hope your threw away that #38 bushing. ��

Yup! I’ll probably settle on 26 or 27 depending on test results.

[Jeff S.]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

! Steggy, as long as you are within parameters of a known load you will be fine.

Yes, a guy posted this formula, and his test results, on a 16 ga. forum. Should be okay, but will be fun to go through the testing process.

[Stan Hillis]

I usually email Tom Armbrust instead of calling. He doesn't do email himself but there is a lady who answers them for him.

[Jeff S.]

Originally Posted by Stan Hillis

I usually email Tom Armbrust instead of calling. He doesn't do email himself but there is a lady who answers them for him.

Good to know. Thanks Stan.

[Jeff S.]

Thanks to all of you that helped me contact Tom Armbrust. I shipped 9 shells to him on Monday, April 23rd and received his results in the mail today (Tuesday, May 2nd). I consider that outstanding customer service. Kudos to Tom for his fast service.

Now, for the rest of the story. I now understand the importance of “testing”. If I learn something (factual), I’ll share it. My results were not what I had hoped. On 16ga.com I found a posting that said, “For 3/4 and 7/8 oz. loads, Green Dot is hard to beat. It has the perfect burning rate and pressure range for these light loads and the recoil is very mild.”

Okay, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Also, that post was dated 4/20/2005. Based on this and a few other documents, I purchased a keg of Green Dot.

Since then, I have found posts on 16ga.com indicating that the manufacturing process for Green Dot has changed and it appears to be “hotter” than it was. That’s a little vague. I then found where a guy had posted his actual test results. He said that using a Cheddite hull, CH209 primer, 16 gr of GD, DR16 wad and 7/8 of shot. He posted test results of velocity: 1196 and pressure: 7837.

I used SG16 wads. Then I tried to load them with charges of Green Dot: 15.2 gr., 15.8 gr., and 16.2 gr. WOW! My test results were a lot different!!! Way too hot. The lowest of my test samples (15.2 gr) had velocity of 1200 and pressure in the 10,000 - 11,000. To put this in perspective, a 16 ga. shell with 7/8 of lead from RST has pressure in the 5400 - 6000.

Well, it back to the drawing board. I’ve heard people say that they like “Universal” and “Hodgdon 2028” for 16 ga. shells. I’ll try to find one of these next. Do any of you have a preference? I hope that someone else finds this information beneficial. Sincerely, Jeff

[Mike of the Mountain]

Steggy, might want to drop your powder charge to maybe the 13.5 to 14g range and have it tested?

[Stan Hoover]

Thanks for sharing your results Jeff,

I had set out to reload low pressure shells for my 1880 16 gauge. I researched suggested reloading info and decided I would try Longshot since it was supposed to give pretty low pressures. I followed the book and took them for a spin.
I did not have them tested, but they had noticeably more recoil than the Federal factory loads, I was disappointed.
I had came into some RST 2 1/2" 16 gauge loads again and haven't tried a different powder yet.
Fortunately there's a boat load of information shared by the different fellows on here for the 16, so it's back to giving it another go.
Stan

[Aaron Beck]

Green dot may still be fine for 3/4 oz loads with the sg16 and cheddite everything else.
As mike said, maybe backing off the powder would help too.
as far as i can tell, the dr16 wad is a cupcake. it crushes easily and may or may not give as tight a seal as the sg16 which doesnt crush much thus the higher pressure. Thanks for testing, and sharing the results.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Stan, John Davis posted some nice load data for the 16 using Longshot. Low recoil, low pressures and it’s a hunting load. I used them this past season with very good results.

[Stan Hoover]

Mike,

I will look for that,

Longshot has been one of the more available powders and I have a good stock of it.

Thanks