10 gauge hunting loads.

[Kevin Lefebvre]

Well Its turkey season and maybe id give my 10 gauge a chance to prove itself. I use 18.5 grains of IMR RED and 1 ounce shot. Very light recoil. My only issue is that the barrels are damascus.

Anyone have solid loads that would be heavier? I already have the table of all the loads that a gentleman posted on here. Im looking for someone who has a load they used possibly? :)
https://i.imgur.com/bbPhHA4.jpg

[William Davis]

23.5 Green Dot & 1 1/4 oz shot. I believe it’s a tested load that was on this site. It’s very effective on Crows. More recoil than my favorite 10 load 19 RedDot 1 1/8 oz. and about the most powerful I want to use in my short 10 guns.

William

[William Davis]

Here’s the Green Dot link. Note the test was Bismuth & My shot bushing drops 23.5 not 24 as tested. Several Green Dot lead shot recipes are published with heavier charges. Too much for me.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=22190&highlight=Green+dot&page=2

William

[Kevin Lefebvre]

thanks, il check it out!

[Pete Lester]

Hodgdon has recently published data for three 1 1/4 ounce lead shot loads for the 2 7/8" 10 gauge. All of them would be considered "period correct" for velocity and pressure. I would have no qualms about shooting these loads in any of my composite barrel 10's.

[Jack Kuzepski]

Pete,

What hull did they use for those results?

Jack K

[Pete Lester]

Pete,

What hull did they use for those results?

Jack K

If you go to the Hodgdon online reloading center you will see that all three short ten loads posted above were using a Federal hull cut down to 2 7/8"

[Harry Collins]

Pete,

I like the Federal hull and have been making 1 1/4 oz loads with IMR 4756. I still have about 6lbs left, but its nice to know that I have an alternative when I'm out of it. Thanks for pointing out that there is new data on 2 7/8" 10 gauge loads. You know the only thing I don't like about the Federal hull is the paper base. Sometimes the darn thing will separate and get stuck in the barrel. I try and remind myself to check the barrels after each shot before I reload, but it is engrained in me to keep my eye on where the bird fell.

Harry

[Paul Harm]

I don't know if what I do is correct, but I treat all 10ga hulls, Rem, Fed, and Win, all the same for reloading. They're all a straight walled hull. I use the 23grs of GD with a 1 1/8oz load - easy on the shoulder.

[CraigThompson]

I don't know if what I do is correct, but I treat all 10ga hulls, Rem, Fed, and Win, all the same for reloading. They're all a straight walled hull. I use the 23grs of GD with a 1 1/8oz load - easy on the shoulder.

I’ve yet to try Green Dot (but eventually I will) , but I don’t differentiate between REM and Federal hulls either .

[Pete Lester]

I don't know if what I do is correct, but I treat all 10ga hulls, Rem, Fed, and Win, all the same for reloading. They're all a straight walled hull. I use the 23grs of GD with a 1 1/8oz load - easy on the shoulder.

With everything being equal the Federal 10ga hull will have a little less pressure which I believe is due to the fiber base wad. I have fired thousands of Federal hull reloads and I have never seen a base wad come loose or missing. The hulls will eventually die from side splits and or crimp fatigue/tearing.

[William Davis]

I use Cheddites Federals and Remington hulls, don’t mix them with the same loads. Generally Cheddites for 1 1/8 target loads, Remingtons for 1 1/4 oz. Don't have many Federals cut down to 2 7/8,, do have a big box of Federals that will be cut & take the place of Cheddites as they split.

William

[Kevin Lefebvre]

I have IMR RED powder. How does the burn rate affect powder quantity? IMR RED is higher on the Hodgon list than IMR BLUE.

[William Davis]

I don’t know of any published/tested short 10 loads using the new IMR Alliant clones other than the ones on the Hodgdon site & none of them looked good to me. Charges really large in volume. Speed and pressure look fine just use a lot more powder. Having said that Alliant Blue dot loads use big charges too.

Burn rate is important. I recommend sticking with PGCA member tested Alliant 19 Red Dot or 23.5 Green Dot loads.

William

[Pete Lester]

I have IMR RED powder. How does the burn rate affect powder quantity? IMR RED is higher on the Hodgon list than IMR BLUE.

IMR Red was advertised to be identical to Alliant Red Dot. From what I have read it is more dense and people are reporting having to go down two bushing sizes to get the same charge weight as Red Dot with a MEC press. That being said if I had any IMR Red I would use 19 grains of it with 1 1/8 ounce in the 2 7/8" 10ga. Weigh your charges until you get a consistent 19 grains of IMR Red with 1 1/8 ounce of lead and go shoot your gun.

[Kevin Lefebvre]

IMR Red was advertised to be identical to Alliant Red Dot. From what I have read it is more dense and people are reporting having to go down two bushing sizes to get the same charge weight as Red Dot with a MEC press. That being said if I had any IMR Red I would use 19 grains of it with 1 1/8 ounce in the 2 7/8" 10ga. Weigh your charges until you get a consistent 19 grains of IMR Red with 1 1/8 ounce of lead and go shoot your gun.

I used it with 18.5 grains with 1 ounce. It barely recoiled. Seemed like a light load. Il add more shot. Someone recommended 23 grains. I might try alittle under that.

[Paul Harm]

I wouldn't jump up too high at one time. As recommended maybe 19 or 19.5 grs.

[Kevin Lefebvre]

How would I know if the pressure is to high?
Crazy recoil?

Smashed Primers?

Im using federal cut hulls.

[Paul Harm]

You would have to send shells in to be tested. You won't get smashed primers with shotgun shells - we're working with a lot lower pressures than rifle pressures. I personally feel if I'm using a mild 12ga load it will be safe in the 10 because the chambers are bigger having more surface for pressures to work against. Get the free reloaders handbooks from Hodgdons or Alliant and compare loads in different gauges using the same powder and you'll see how pressures go down as the gauge goes up even with more powder. That 19gr load of Red Dot with a 1 1/8oz of shot is a old 12ga target load. The 23gr load was with Green Dot, not Red Dot. You're going down a road many argue against - they like only tested or manufactures loads. There aren't many with the 2 7/8 10ga so many of us do what we feel is safe. The faster burn rates are usually for light target loads. Less powder is needed. We have a number of loads here. Maybe stay with them till you get a little more experience. Promo and RD are the same, Promo is cheaper. I like the 19grs of Promo/1oz of shot or 23grs of GD/1oz of shot. But then I'm only shooting clay birds and those work fine without recoil.

[Kevin Lefebvre]

I dont mind recoil. I just wanted something with a little more power.

[William Davis]

If power means bird killing power you will get it from larger shot and more pellets on target. High initial velocity 1250-1350 FPS slows to velocity just a bit faster than 1150-1180 FPS loads arriving on target at distance. Not enough faster to make much difference. Much more pressure with higher velocity .

Opinion worth what it cost if the tested 23-24 grs of Green dot 1 1/4 oz large shot won’t kill your turkey better to get a modern gun and use magnum shells. Refer to the link I posted few pages back collective experience with that load and tested pressures shown.

Also note 19 Gr Was the heaviest Red Dot Load test published on this forum. Don’t confuse it with heavier Green Dot loads GD is a slower powder more suitable for heavier shot weights.

Willam

[Patrick Barrett]

I have recently purchased a very nice 1894 Remington 10ga w/ steel barrels-that uses 2 5/8 shells.
Im an avid reloading person but new to older shotguns such as the one I mentioned above. Can some one help me to get started properly? At this time I would like to stay with smokeless powder.
thank you,
pb

[Paul Harm]

I shoot a 1882 Remington 10ga with Damascus barrels. You could look at my loads from page 2 of this thread. Use a mild primer such as a Win, 19grs of Promo or Red Dot, a Rem SP-10 wad, enough 16ga fiber wads in the bottom of the plastic wad to give you the correct load height in the shell for a good crimp. A 1 1/8oz of shot will use less fiber wads than a 1oz load. At one time I had a Parker lifter that had stepped 2 5/8 chambers so I cut a number of shells 2 5/8. It just was a problem with 2 5/8 and 2 7/8 shells, so I ended up cutting them all to 2 5/8. Back to your question - any light 12ga load, say 8000psi and under, will work in the 10ga. There'll be less pressure even subbing in different wads.

[Patrick Barrett]

Paul:
What do you think of the "Parker" reproduction full length bass cases, using smokless powder ? It would seem they have a long life period (perhaps only with black powder they use in them)

Pat

[Paul Harm]

I tried smokeless with brass Magtecks and never could get them to work - bloopers. The ones you're talking about have thicker walls and a base, more like a modern shotgun shell. So what's different? The crimp is all that's left. The military has/had all brass shells loaded with buck shot, and they worked. I believe they had a slight roll crimp and someone makes a after market roll crimper for brass shells. But now you're kind a defeating one of the reasons for using brass shells. JMHO, but after so many roll crimps the shell is going to fail on the end and you'd have to cut some off. Would it make a difference in your life time ? I have no idea. If you don't roll crimp you have to glue in the OS card. I believe Charlie has had some success with that. I never did. With BP you won't have any problems. If you ever get a copy of Accurate powders reloading booklet they have a section in there about the importance of crimps and how shotgun shells develop their pressure. Brass shells look kool but plastic shells are cheaper and more available. Start em at 2 7/8 and cut em down as needed. Good luck.

[ScottPestell]

will the 19gr red dot load be ok with cheddite or paper hulls using just fibre wads. I will be loading with over powder wad- a couple of fibre wads to fill hull - shot - over shot wad and roll crimp. Be shooting in a remington 1882 with fluid steel barrels 10ga.

[Kevin Lefebvre]

will the 19gr red dot load be ok with cheddite or paper hulls using just fibre wads. I will be loading with over powder wad- a couple of fibre wads to fill hull - shot - over shot wad and roll crimp. Be shooting in a remington 1882 with fluid steel barrels 10ga.

They should work fine. As long as you have proper tight wads.

[ScottPestell]

Yes I have proper tight wads. I have a bunch loaded with black but I have lots of red dot and would like to load some up. Would like to get Peters spread sheet nut cant seem to open it up.

[Rick Losey]

Yes I have proper tight wads. I have a bunch loaded with black but I have lots of red dot and would like to load some up. Would like to get Peters spread sheet nut cant seem to open it up.

Scott-

the file is a PDF format - have you down loaded a PDF reader? Adobe offers a PDF reader that is a free download

[ScottPestell]

Scott-

the file is a PDF format - have you down loaded a PDF reader? Adobe offers a PDF reader that is a free download

I dont even see a link in his post for the spreadsheet. I tried on my phone and computer. Anyway this red dot load should keep my in ammo for awhile!!

[Rick Losey]

the link is in Peter's post, which is #9 on the first page of the thread

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11403

[ScottPestell]

got it. thanks

[Paul Harm]

That load will work in any hull with fiber wads, or plastic for that matter. It's one of the loads I shoot in my Damascus barreled guns [ Remington 73, 82, 89, 94, Parker hammer and hammerless, and Lefever ].

[ScottPestell]

Thanks. I have a german drilling 12ga with damascus barrels that I shoot with 17gr of reddot and 7/8 ounce of shot. The drilling has a 38-55 barrel.