10g. Reloading question

[Milt Fitterman]

Using 2 7/8" Federal and Chedite hulls and the SP-10 wad with 1 1/8 oz lead shot I need to fill the wad to get a good crimp. I have been experimenting one or two or even three 1/8" fiber wads to fill the bottom of the wad to raise the shot to get a good crimp. I have varied the number of fiber cards and adjusted with a 3 to five Cheerios. I can get a good crimp. Playing around I tried 4 red kidney beans in the bottom of the SP10 wad, 1 1/8 shot on top and got the best crimp. I am concerned it might affect the pattern. It is too cold right now to go out and test it and it is perfect weather to spend time reloading.

I am hoping someone has tried beans as a filler at the bottom of the shot cup and will chime in with their experience with their pattern or effectiveness. It is certainly less expensive and since they easily fall down past the wad fingers it is actually easier to use.

[William Davis]

10 G I get good crimps with about 1/2 inch 16g fiber, cut down from larger wad. Some hulls need 5/8 inch. The trick is vary the amout of fiber to suit load. Stack height can be very different depending on Hull Shot or Powder charge, my press bushings could throw more or less than yours. The fiber gives the ablity to adjust. It has a little spring, bit too much causes no problems.

16 2 3/4 I used to use Cheerios but found at times they crush, causing the crimp to collapse & leak shot. I went to a navy bean, solved the crimp problem but never patterned the load. My guess is the hard bean does affect the pattern. When Hodgdon published 2 1/2 inch 16 data switched to it don’t need fillers anymore,& did not persue the bean filler.

Willam

[charlie cleveland]

the only way to know is pattern that bean load then shoot a load with out the beans to see which one is the best pattern....in my way of thinking i dont believe the beans will affect the pattern ...charlie

[William Davis]

Charlie is probably right. Besides 1 1/8 oz shot on clay targets can probably stand a few pattern holes and be sucessfull. Sucessfull for fun Shooting . Real competition another thing.

Willam

[Milt Fitterman]

I get a great six point crimp with two 1/8" fiber discs under the shot and 3 or 4 cheerios over the shot. This is what I would use for competition. It is easier and a lot faster to use 4 beans that slide in easily through the wad fingers. The hole is big enough for them. The weather is supposed to warm up so I am heading out to PA on Sunday to test them. I sure hope the beans work. It is a labor intensive procedure to load 10 gauge on my little MEC 600. It takes a long time to make 125 to have enough for a round of clays. Thanks for your thoughts and if you have any other suggestions my ears are open.

[Milt Fitterman]

BTW, the beans seem to be very brittle. Maybe they will shatter up ignition.

[Craig Larter]

I use three 1/8th inch 16ga card wads and one .070 16ga card wad in the bottom of the sp 10. Perfect crimp every time.

[Milt Fitterman]

That is a great load Craig. Thanks for developing and testing it. I am just playing around working with what I have on hand while the weather keeps me inside.

I sure hope the pheasant are doing well in this weather in South Dakota. Are you planning on hunting this year with us?

[Jack Kuzepski]

I break off a piece of polish packing peanut that I think is of the right size and drop it on top of the shot charge right before crimp starting. It works. Doesn't affect patterns and if it is a little too much it just compresses.

Jack Kuzepski

[CraigThompson]

Seems to me with my 1 1/8 ounce loads I use three of the 16 gauge 1/8” card wads in the bottom and a 10 gauge overshot card even though I use a folded crimp . Incidentally there’s 18.6 grains of Red Dot beneath the SP-10 wad . This rather light load rolls up skeet and trap targets with ease . It also does a good job on dove .

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

I use 10 to 12 grains of rice in the bottom of the shot cup. They are hard enough not to crush during the crimp stage, and are small and light enough not to effect the patterns. I have patterned my loads with, and without, the rice with no apparent difference.

[Milt Fitterman]

Thank you Austin. Interesting idea. biodegradable too.

[Pete Lester]

When reloading 2 7/8" 10ga shells where filler is needed I find the Cheerios are still a better snack than all these other suggestions.

[Milt Fitterman]

I wonder what would happen if you put the rice on top of the shot.

[Jerry Harlow]

I wonder what would happen if you put the rice on top of the shot.

Hevi-shot puts flaxseed on top of the load for making a good crimp. Great patterns so it does not have any effect.

https://www.hevishot.com/catalog/hevi-metal/

Now if you are into being healthy, just eat some flaxseed while you load, but don't handle the lead shot at the same time. Will cure all kinds of problems!

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-991/flaxseed

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

Milt,
I tried, and patterned, that also and found more ragged patterns with the rice on top. Just a guess, but I think the rice makes its way into the shot column upon discharge and causes some dispersion. One might try using rice on top as a spreader round, but the patterns were ragged in my gun.

[Milt Fitterman]

I made some samples to try of rice on the bottom and top and the beans on the bottom. I intended to be out in Hamburg, NJ to tomorrow to try them however I was informed by the club that area will be closed for a competition so no go on the testing. It is a two hour ride to get there so not sure when I can do it next. The rice I am using is especially small. It is what we have right now and it is similar in size to flax seed. The best laid plans and all that........

[Paul Harm]

JMHO, but from past experience and from reading such books as a Sears 1905 catalog [ of all things ] , I would recommend anything possible to be put under the shot. Most anything such as wads, rice, beans, plastic, etc, is all lighter than lead and will stay behind it after the shot leaves the barrel. If put in front of it, the shot will have to go around it and it COULD disrupt the pattern. I found just a thicker OS card made a difference. And it's cheaper if using wads to put one cushion wad in instead of two or three OP cards.

[William Davis]

Agree with Paul

The fiber cushion wad can be sliced easily with a pocket knife to adjust stack height. I load three hulls Cheddites Federals and Remingtons. Each needs a little bit different stack height same charges. Load a few that are acceptable but not quite perfect cut the wad shorter or longer to adjust. My opinion cost, performance and fit fibers are the best filler wads.

William

[Milt Fitterman]

Thank you for all the help. I got out today and tried the different combinations. The rice on the bottom and the red dried beans on the bottom worked perfectly. The patterns were exactly the same as the shells I made with the two 1/8" 16g. card wads and the cheerios. I stopped eating the cheerios after they sat for months waiting for me to reload some more 16g. I did not like loading the rice since the plunger hits the rice and makes funny noises. Also, a grain or two are likely to pop out and the mice will probably like them.

As Austin said the rice on top made the patterns look ragged which is a good word to describe how it looks.

I still have some 1/8" card wads however there is never a shortage of red beans nor do I have to spend $8 to have them shipped.

There is something about reloading which kind of pushes you into finding the least expensive way to load shells. Not sure why. Maybe just the challenge? You certainly are saving enough just by loading your own using the card wads however it has been fun fooling around with this. The red beans are handy since most have them around or at least at the supermarket and it is quicker to load than the 2 card wad plus an overshot card or a few cheerios. One less step.

Best to you all! No more zero degree days I hope.

[Paul Harm]

I've used Navy beans but the wife complains because I'm using what she uses for bean soup.

[Michael alexander]

I’ve always used polystyrene disks punched out or food trays .for close on 50 years.just drop disk on top of main wad .dont ram it or you Will block your tube .Cant understand the concoctions you use on your side of the pond.

[Milt Fitterman]

What do you use to punch out the disks?

[CraigThompson]

What do you use to punch out the disks?

That’s pretty simple if for a 10 gauge get a piece of a 16 or 20 gauge single barrel . Grind around one end to make it sharp then just tap it with a hammer when it’s on the styrofoam tray and wahla .

[Daniel Carter]

What do you use to punch out the disks?

Buy a gasket hole punch from one of the cheap tool places( i bought a set of 12 for $9.00) sharpen it and it will push out a perfect disc with hand pressure.

[Milt Fitterman]

Thank you Woodcock Survey. Ordered a set.

[Paul Harm]

On this side of the pond we find ways to increase load height for a good crimp. Beans, corn, etc. are all cheap and easy to use.

[Milt Fitterman]

The dark beans seem to work better Paul. Just kidding. I have patterned with beans and no effect on pattern plus they are biodegradable. The best part is I don't have to stock them in different sizes nor pay shipping cost. Maybe not up to English standards but they work just as well as fiber wads.