black powder shotshell reloading

[Eldon Goddard]

Made my fist attempt at reloading today. Short 10 with 4 1/4 drams FFG Goex and 1 1/4 oz of 7.5. I had some observations that I would like an opinion on.
The over powder nitro card wad (.125") was rather tight going in. I could push it in with my wad pusher but had to apply more force than with the cushion wad or top card. Is this normal?
My other question is how much roll crimp is acceptable. Measuring the space before roll crimp I had around .330 to .370" inches depending on the shell. Is this to much space to roll crimp?
In comparing my finished shells OAL to some factory remington loads they were about .100" shorter.

[Paul Harm]

You want the nitro card a tight fit and yes it will be harder to push in because it's hard unlike the cushion wad. The OS wad is just finger tight. If you don't want as much roll over with the crimp, add a bit more cushion wad by slitting them to get the correct height. With my old measure, it shows a 1 1/4oz oz shot and 3dr load [ equal amounts of shot and powder by volume ]. Your 4 1/4 dr would be a 1 7/8oz load. Where you just trying to get the correct height by adding more powder ? It's cheaper [ and less recoil ] to change the height of the cushion wad. My roll crimps vary from .060 to maybe .240 - haven't measured one in quite awhile. I use a Mec Jr to reload BP and the nitro card is pushed in hard over the powder, then the cushion wad, then shot. If the shot isn't with in 3/8 of a inch from the top I dump it in a empty shell, add a bit cushion . From then on you'll know what's needed. Hope I've helped you some .

[Eldon Goddard]

Paul thanks for the reply. It was my understanding that 4 1/4 drams and 1 1/4 oz was the classic 10 ga load. That was the only reason I chose it. Planing to load for my 8 ga next with 5 1/2 drams and 1 1/2 oz. Will add more cushion wad next time. Thanks

[Victor Wasylyna]

I plan to load black powder in 16 gauge (once fired with nitro) plastic hulls using 1 oz of lead shot and 2 3/4 drams of powder. I have a few questions:

1. Can I use standard (e.g., Chedditte) 209 primers? Or should I use magnum 209 primers for proper ignition?

2. Do I use 16 gauge cards and wads? Or do I need 17 gauge cards and wads?

3. Per my calculation, 75.2 grains of powder gets me 2 3/4 drams. Does it matter whether I use Fg or FFg or FFFg? I use 75.2 grains of either powder, even though they have different densities?

4. How are you measuring out your powder? Each charge on the scale? Or is there a way to meter? Using a dipper for powder seems very imprecise.

-Victor

[Matt Buckley]

Victor,
You should be just fine with regular Cheddite 209 primers. They will ignite without any problems and when you go to magnum primers you are raising the pressure which I am assuming is what you are trying to avoid with using bp loads. 16 gauge cards and wads are what you want in a 16 plastic hull. If you were using brass hulls then you would probably go up to 17. I generally use FFg in 12 and 16. FFFg may raise the pressure some. I just use an old bp/shot dipper for measuring. If you want to get more precise than that weight it out on a scale, but the dipper is close enough for me.

[Mike of the Mountain]

I use an old dipper for BP and shot. The little bit of imperfection in the BP charge won’t matter. It’s not like an extra 2-3 grains + or - of smokeless. I use fiber and card and paper hulls. Plastic wads and hulls make for a messy barrel. I use FFg buy in a pinch I’d use FFFG or Fg.

[ArtS]

Just a comment. The 16 wads are correct for the plastic hulls. If you load brass, you do go "up" in wads, but up is a 15ga, not 17. The Parker stamped brass cases generally load better by going up one size. I haven't loaded any in a little while, but the manufacturer recommendation and that of suppliers is to use 14 ga for OP and Cushion and 13 gauge for the overshotwhen loading MagTech. I have tried them and they give perfect loads. Glue in the overshot.

[Victor Wasylyna]

I like the dipper idea. Now you have me thinking I should save the $300 (and storage space) I would spend on a 16 ga MEC, and just get a dowel rod to push/seat the wads/cards and a roll crimper to finish.

I guess the issue with this idea is that all my 16 ga hulls are already 2.5 inch, so cutting off the existing fold crimp portion will not leave me with much length to work with.

-Victor

[Victor Wasylyna]

Originally Posted by Matt Buckley

16 gauge cards and wads are what you want in a 16 plastic hull.

Originally Posted by Arthur Shaffer

Just a comment. The 16 wads are correct for the plastic hulls.

Very convenient ... and efficient!

I already use 16 ga wads (and sometimes cards) for my “short ten” reloading.

It may not take much to get into black powder reloading for the 16 gauge.

-Victor

[Milton C Starr]

While im not loading bp I am using fiber wads, I did forget to order some nitro cards though. However stacking 2 overshot cards in its place seems to work somewhat I still need to get some nitro cards. I really like how adjustable fiber wads are because just as a example 1oz of one shot size is going to be a different column height compared to another shot size and material like lead vs bismuth. Normally I use two 1/2" fiber wads with my larger shot but with smaller shot I can use two and a 1/4" one in the 10 gauge 2 7/8". I have rolled crimp with 1/2" of hull material and 1/4" not sure what difference it makes my RST loads are only rolled with .17" of hull material all seem to work just fine.