Fiber Wads and Smokeless Powder for Short 10 Gauge

[Bill Murphy]

Using a card wad over the powder and felt or fiber filler wads and 1 1/8 ounces or a little more lead shot, 23 to 25 grains of Red Dot won't blow up any ten gauge gun. The standard 12 gauge fiber wad 1200 fps load with 1 1/8 ounces of shot was 23 grains of Red Dot in the sixties. The bigger hole in the ten gauge should allow a couple more grains of powder for similar performance. I would like to see that 31 grain load in print before I believe it.

[Alex Dawes]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I would like to see that 31 grain load in print before I believe it.

I agree. I would like to see the original as well. It was in the document Pete Lester put together and seemed a little off to me. 6 of the 7 loads are over 29 grains of Red Dot in the comprehensive list.

It seems like low 20s is the place to start. I appreciate all the help. My Remington 1894 and my Parker are some hefty 10s

[Bill Murphy]

Mid twenties of Red Dot would be a very safe starting point. If heavy shot loads or high velocity are desired, a slower powder than Red Dot would be called for to keep pressures under control. The 12 gauge data you mention starting at 18.X grains is with good sealing plastic wads, not paper wads. William Davis is correct. 12 gauge data is usually, maybe always, safe in a ten gauge, but we're talking paper wad data from the sixties. Modern 12 gauge data is lighter than it needs to be if we're loading it in ten gauge cases. Red Dot data for 1200 fps loads in the paper wad era was 23 grains, gravitating to less than 19 grains today.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Alex Dawes

I agree. I would like to see the original as well. It was in the document Pete Lester put together and seemed a little off to me. 6 of the 7 loads are over 29 grains of Red Dot in the comprehensive list.

It seems like low 20s is the place to start. I appreciate all the help. My Remington 1894 and my Parker are some hefty 10s

If you check my spreadsheet you will see that is from published load data printed in the 1960's by Hercules Powder Company. If you look at my notes I cautioned that Red Dot powder may have had a change in formulation and I would start by reducing them by 25% if using in composite barrel guns.

[Mike of the Mountain]

I don't load Red Rot or WSF but I do load Unique in my Short-10. You can use nitro cards and fiber wads in the same loads as an SP-10 or other 10g plastic wads but you will need to play around with the size of your wad column to make sure your crimps will be good.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

I don't load Red Rot or WSF but I do load Unique in my Short-10. You can use nitro cards and fiber wads in the same loads as an SP-10 or other 10g plastic wads but you will need to play around with the size of your wad column to make sure your crimps will be good.

I'm in the process of loading 10's as we speak .

I've loaded a bunch with 1 1/8 ounces and a powder puff load of Red Dot . I've also loaded a bunch with 1 1/4 ounces and SR7625 again a not what I would call hot load .

But I'd forgotten you gave me the data for your Unique load . I have it saved so I just might load up a box of them to try at Tuesday night skeet

[6pt-Sika]

Just loaded a box using Unique and an ounce and a quarter of #8’s per Sir Koneski’s details . Although I was able to get by with one 1/8” 16 gauge nitro was in the cup and my usual over shot card to make the crimp flat . I’ll try these Tuesday evening at skeet and a few of my SR7625 to see if perceived recoil is close .

[6pt-Sika]

I almost forgot I’ve got a 10 gauge 2 7/8” load at home scribbled down from a friend using Universal Clays and 1 1/4 or 1 3/8 ounces of shot . That’s his Southern SxS load . May have to load a dozen or so of them tomorrow just for the heck of it .

[24 grams]

Originally Posted by Alex Dawes

I agree. I would like to see the original as well. It was in the document Pete Lester put together and seemed a little off to me. 6 of the 7 loads are over 29 grains of Red Dot in the comprehensive list.

It seems like low 20s is the place to start. I appreciate all the help. My Remington 1894 and my Parker are some hefty 10s

Did you ever work up a 10 gauge load with fiber wads?

[Alex Dawes]

Originally Posted by Steven Groh

Did you ever work up a 10 gauge load with fiber wads?

I made a few with poor patterns and then came into a ton of SP10s, so I abandoned it. I’ve been contemplating using an X10X gas seal if I were to try it again though. I wonder if it would work better than a nitro card and keep the blow by to a minimum