Help with Rio loads for my 12 year old

[Andrew Sacco]

I'm still on the learning curve of shotshell reloading and this is for our little girl who just ran her first "2 straight" in the yard with her little Mossberg and is now itching to shoot more. She's fine with low recoil 20g RST shells (1150FPS I think). With the lack of reloading materials, I grabbed what I could when I could. I grabbed 100 new Rio primed hulls 2 3/4" because they were available, not realizing finding a soft load and wads is tougher than I thought. If I could use these I can keep her going and hopefully interested and she's going to take her hunter safety test soon : ) This is what I have on hand:

Green Dot
Am. Select
WST/WSF
Unique
Universal
700X
Bullseye
Red Dot

Primed new Rio hulls

Orange duster wads

3/4 and 7/8 charge bars

1/8" felt wads

If I could have found Cheddite or STS or AA hulls I would have grabbed them. Any help appreciated, if there are no softer shooting loads I can find I'll keep searching the net for any available light ammo for her. I hardly shoot a 20 anymore so this is a weak spot in my ammo supply. Thank you in advance.

[Randy G Roberts]

Andy BP has a manual for RIO recipes you can order. It's inexpensive, at least it was a couple of years ago.

[Keith Doty]

Andy, it is my belief that Rio hulls are made by Cheddite, look at the head stamp. I have bought them and cut them down (to 2 1/2") when I could find no others, couldn't tell the difference when loading. As a teenager just starting to reload shot shells I shot up pounds of Unique in a 20 ga. 870. Check manufacturer data looking for sub 1200 FPS loads, Alliant website has several low velocity loads showing unique and Orange Duster wads with light shot weights. As the hulls may be different, back well off the max load and pay close attention for pressure signs. It is generally NOT RECOMMENDED TO SUBSTITUTE ANYTHING IN A PUBLISHED LOAD but I use several loads that started with non published component combinations to this day.

[Keith Doty]

Good suggestion on the BP manual.

[Andrew Sacco]

Keith and Randy thank you very much. I have the Rio manual, along with all of their Advantages manual. The problem is having either the powder or the wad that is listed in the recipe. I Suspected the Rios were the same as the Cheddites as that’s what I have been reading online but I just wasn’t sure. I cut a Cheddite and Rio apart and they sure do look similar. Thank you for the help !

[john pulis]

If you look at the Alliant and Hogdons web sites you will find tested recipes. Also look at the Claybuster web site. He has recipes using 700x with his 3/4 & 7/8 oz loads with Win, REM, and Federal hulls, tapered and straight wall hulls. Down range purchased the Duster line of wads, and may have recipes on his web site. Is the Orange duster a Winchester (tapered hull) clone? Are Rios a tapered or straight internal hull?

[Andrew Sacco]

If you look at the Alliant and Hogdons web sites you will find tested recipes. Also look at the Claybuster web site. He has recipes using 700x with his 3/4 & 7/8 oz loads with Win, REM, and Federal hulls, tapered and straight wall hulls. Down range purchased the Duster line of wads, and may have recipes on his web site. Is the Orange duster a Winchester (tapered hull) clone? Are Rios a tapered or straight internal hull?

The Orange Duster label says "WAA20" equivalent, so assumed for a tapered hull? The Rio's are straight wall Reifenhauser or whatever you call it design. I only have the Dusters because it's a new bag of 500 for $6 laying on the gun club table.

[Keith Doty]

Andy, you might want to just call DR. They list the Orange Duster under Federal type wads in 20 ga. Typically newer vintage Federal are straight wall cases. BUT they also list them under Winchester type. When in doubt, call the manufacturer's tech guys. This will sort opinion , rumor, and fact.

[Andrew Sacco]

I'll do that tomorrow Keith, thank you.

[Keith Doty]

If you just can't find a workable combination and it'll keep a 12 year old shooting I'll bag up 100 of mine, Sporting "S" 20 ga. wads, and send'em to you. I use them in straight wall hulls like Cheddite, RST, etc. They will be short ( I use them in 2 1/2" shells) but card wads are cheap and still currently available. I also know of guys using Cherios and pinto beans to "bulk up" light loads so they crimp well!

[Andrew Sacco]

That’s an amazing offer and I truly appreciate that. I will keep you posted I will try to talk to ballistic products tomorrow. Thank you again!

[CraigThompson]

I also know of guys using Cherios and pinto beans to "bulk up" light loads so they crimp well!

Yes someone on here a year or so ago suggested using red beans to displace in the bottom of the shot cup . So I recently bought a bag of them but have yet to try .

[Andrew Sacco]

I talked to BP today and the downfall of having Rio hulls is the lack of data, the benefit of having them is I have them. He was not that terribly helpful but he said a lot of their 20g wads are being bagged and back in stock this week so I back ordered some of them. Thanks for the help everyone.

[Keith Doty]

I wonder if a Game Warden would consider shooting beans for filler baiting water fowl?!?!

[Keith Doty]

Noticed this AM, Grafs has sporting 20ga sporting short wads in stock, don't know how long they will last.

[Andrew Sacco]

Thank you I’ll look have been on the road.