2.5 inch Low Pressure 12ga Load

[Scott Stevens Smith]

Gentlemen,

I recently purchased a 12 ga Parker PH with 2 5/8" chambers and twist barrels. I had the gun checked out and it was deemed safe to shoot with low pressure loads. I went on to the alliant powder website and got the following load. 2 3/4" Remington STS hulls, 1 oz shot, rem 209P primer, WAA12L shot cup and 18 grns of Green Dot. The operating pressure of this load is supposed to be approximately 6300 PSI.

What I did to achieve the shorter shell length was cut down the OAL of the hull to 2.5" and then loaded it on my MEC 600 as normal but added an overshot card under the crimp to keep the shot from falling out. Below is a pricture.



Any opinions on the load and what do you think about the technique of adding the overshot card under the crimp? Will it increase pressure?

[Labowner]

Scott, just load 2 3/4 low pressure loads like the recipe you stated. Your 2 5/8 gun is made for 2 3/4 paper shells. Tests of shooting 2 3/4 loads in the shorter chambers has shown a 2 to 3 hundred pound pressure increase . It is possible to find loads if you want down to the 5000 PSI range. I know shooters that shoot the load you mention.

[Bill Murphy]

Robert's advice is perfect. The first eighth of an inch of the forcing cone is almost chamber diameter anyway. You will probably gain no pressure by using a 2 3/4" Remington empty. Another method of pressure change is to go to a 7/8 ounce load as long as it fills the shell and crimps well.

[Dave Miles]

Originally Posted by Scott Stevens Smith

Gentlemen,

I recently purchased a 12 ga Parker PH with 2 5/8" chambers and twist barrels. I had the gun checked out and it was deemed safe to shoot with low pressure loads. I went on to the alliant powder website and got the following load. 2 3/4" Remington STS hulls, 1 oz shot, rem 209P primer, WAA12L shot cup and 18 grns of Green Dot. The operating pressure of this load is supposed to be approximately 6300 PSI.

What I did to achieve the shorter shell length was cut down the OAL of the hull to 2.5" and then loaded it on my MEC 600 as normal but added an overshot card under the crimp to keep the shot from falling out. Below is a pricture.



Any opinions on the load and what do you think about the technique of adding the overshot card under the crimp? Will it increase pressure?

Your style of crimp, is called the Hardin Crimp.
It will not increase pressure.

[Paul Harm]

If Mec would make their plunger that goes in the housing for the final crimp station with threads about 3/4" longer you could crimp shorter shells. I have one made with the longer threads and can crimp 2" shells. I've called them and complained but think it fell on deft ears. Paul

[charlie cleveland]

nice looking shell.. sure beats the look of my ready rolls...i have a 2 1/2 inch chambered lc smith 20 ga that i shoot 2 3/4 inch shells in all the time with no noticible effect...charlie

[John Farrell, Charter Member #33]

I am curious to know what kind of roll crimper you used to get the Hardin style crimp.

[Bill Murphy]

John, the Hardin Crimp is created with a standard crimper with an eight sided starter, not a roll crimper. The advantage of the Hardin Crimp is that you don't have to fool with a roll crimper. The Hardin Crimp, as Dave posted, is not an aggressive crimp, does not increase pressure over a similar load with another type of crimp. However, some loaders like to seal a Hardin Crimp with a sealer or wax to insure that the shotload stays in place under recoil from several discharges of the opposite barrel.

[Scott Stevens Smith]

I use my regular reloading set up. Mine is a mec 650 Jr.