16 ga load tinkering

[Aaron Beck]

19.9 gr universal in a chedite 2.5" hull with ched primer gulandi wad and 7/8 oz of shot.
Looks like a nice load but I have read that its not very popular on this site. Ive shot plenty of these in the woods but found that I could back off the powder quite a bit and have a more pleasant clays experience. 2 bushings less and I was measuring 18.4 gr of same powder with the cx2000 primers. They all shoot fine at least in summer, no off sounds or feel. Very little unburned powder. I have no access to a chronograph but must assume they are going slower than the 1150 posted velocity. perhaps someone else knows?

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Aaron, I shoot that load alot also, taking it off the Hogdon reloading site. It does seem to have a bit more recoil than anticipated. I may back off to around 19 gr. I currently have around 500 of those loaded up and havent been shooting clays much this summer, so will be a while before I reload more.

[Mike Koneski]

My go to recipes for 2 1/2" 16g are

-RST hull, 7/8 oz, Sporting 16 wad, 16.3g Unique

- RST hull, 7/8 oz, BP 16 Short wad, 16.4g PB. For spreader I cut an X-Stream insert in half (crosswise)

Nice load from John Davis for 2 3/4" hunting (I adapted it for clays)-

RST or Fiocchi hull, 1 oz, SG16 wad (I add 1/2 of a 1/4" 16g fiber wad to fill), 22.3g Longshot. Tested by Tom Armbrust to 1196 FPS and 5440 PSI. For a 2 3/4" clays load drop the shot charge to 7/8 oz and add more fiber wad to fill the column. This recipe is good for upland birds and clays!!

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

If anyone is sitting on a supply of Red Dot I would like to add this load. RST hull or any Cheddite 2 1/2 in hull...SG 16 short wad...14 gr. of Red Dot under 7/8 oz. of shot. Mild load, not pressure tested, but chronographed at 1160 fps. I've used this load for clays for many years with no bloopers. It also burns very clean.

[Andrew Sacco]

My go to recipes for 2 1/2" 16g are

-RST hull, 7/8 oz, Sporting 16 wad, 16.3g Unique

- RST hull, 7/8 oz, BP 16 Short wad, 16.4g PB. For spreader I cut an X-Stream insert in half (crosswise)

Nice load from John Davis for 2 3/4" hunting (I adapted it for clays)-

RST or Fiocchi hull, 1 oz, SG16 wad (I add 1/2 of a 1/4" 16g fiber wad to fill), 22.3g Longshot. Tested by Tom Armbrust to 1196 FPS and 5440 PSI. For a 2 3/4" clays load drop the shot charge to 7/8 oz and add more fiber wad to fill the column. This recipe is good for upland birds and clays!!

Any preference to primer Mike? (I think I know your answer....)

[Mike Koneski]

Not at all. If one is concerned about Cheddite then drop your powder charge by 1 to 2 grains.