8g Shells

[Mike Koneski]

So I've been playing with different recipes for the 8g with Universal and Clays. I have plenty of both so which I choose is not an issue. So far all the recipes break birds, some better than others. I have loaded a bunch of the 1 1/2 oz with 25g Clays and they work fine. Much softer than the 29-30 of some other recipes. I loaded up some of Craig Larter's recipe of 23.9g and they worked great at the VGC. BLING is the thing!! I loaded some up for "longer targets" where I added a sleeve that came out of industrial hulls. Since the shot cup in the recipe is filled with a 1/8" nitro card and a 1/2" fiber wad, there is nothing to hold the shot. I'll test some of these next week on Olympic Bunker targets. I'll let you know how they work. :)

[Craig Larter]

Very interesting, please provide a picture of the loaded shell with the wrap. Thanks

[CraigThompson]

Nothing wrong with bling ding ! I’ve killed tower pheasants with both hammer and hammerless Parker 8’s using both Universal Clays and Clays . With the Clays it was the same as my 1 1/2 ounce target load except with 6’s , with the Universal Clays it was 1 3/4 ounce of 6’s . Both brought pheasants and pigeons down with authority .

[CraigThompson]

Have you tried one of the ones I gave you that was loaded with buckshot ?

[Mike Koneski]

Have you tried one of the ones I gave you that was loaded with buckshot ?

No I haven’t yet.

[Mike Koneski]

Very interesting, please provide a picture of the loaded shell with the wrap. Thanks

Will post tomorrow. 👍🏻

[CraigThompson]

No I haven’t yet.

They worked in your gun , but I suggest shooting one on paper at 25 yards to see for yourself .

[Mike Koneski]

Here are pics of the sleeves. They are approximately 1 1/2" long. I cut them in half to fit above the filler wads and below the crimp.

Gualandi wad, 1/8" 12g nitro card, 1/2" 12g fiber wad and the sleeve on top. Using new uncrimped hulls I don't need an OS card. If I use previously crimped hulls I use an OS card to be certain I don't have that little opening in the crimp that allows some shot to trickle out.

[Jay Oliver]

I recently got my 8ga. converted press and sizing die, though I haven't set it up yet.

Does anyone use 700x? That seems easier to find than Clays. Looking forward to rolling my own soon...

[Mike Koneski]

I recently got my 8ga. converted press and sizing die, though I haven't set it up yet.

Does anyone use 700x? That seems easier to find than Clays. Looking forward to rolling my own soon...

Go online and buy Tom Armbrust' book on reloading and shooting the 8g and 4g guns. Filled with reloading data. If you got your press from Ken Burns, he can give you load data too.

Be sure you slow down with the press so as to save your wad-guide fingers. Replacements are very hard to find. I got a price from a local machine shop for them and for them to set it up and run any quantity we're looking at $40/wad guide.

[Stan Hoover]

Be sure you slow down with the press so as to save your wad-guide fingers. Replacements are very hard to find. I got a price from a local machine shop for them and for them to set it up and run any quantity we're looking at $40/wad guide.[/QUOTE]

I remove the hull to install the wad by hand, I don’t know, just like to see everything in place where it belongs:whistle:

[CraigThompson]

Go online and buy Tom Armbrust' book on reloading and shooting the 8g and 4g guns. Filled with reloading data. If you got your press from Ken Burns, he can give you load data too.

Be sure you slow down with the press so as to save your wad-guide fingers. Replacements are very hard to find. I got a price from a local machine shop for them and for them to set it up and run any quantity we're looking at $40/wad guide.

I could use a couple of the guide fingers . I’ve not had any for close to two years now and seat the wads by hand . If you order some get me a couple .

[CraigThompson]

Be sure you slow down with the press so as to save your wad-guide fingers. Replacements are very hard to find. I got a price from a local machine shop for them and for them to set it up and run any quantity we're looking at $40/wad guide.

I remove the hull to install the wad by hand, I don’t know, just like to see everything in place where it belongs:whistle:[/QUOTE]

I do the same as you because the fingers are broken off the guides think that’s the third I’ve worn/broken since I started this . But I’d rather have the guide fingers so the process is quicker .

[Mike Koneski]

I could use a couple of the guide fingers . I’ve not had any for close to two years now and seat the wads by hand . If you order some get me a couple .

Won’t be having his shop make them for $40/each. If need be I’ll split some 10g or 12g guides and put them together in the guide clamp. Should work.

[CraigThompson]

Won’t be having his shop make them for $40/each. If need be I’ll split some 10g or 12g guides and put them together in the guide clamp. Should work.

If they’d hold up I’d be willing to give him $40 each for a couple !

[Craig Larter]

You guys must be reloaders in training, I've had my original wad finger with no damage since owning my 8ga press. LOL! That being said I would gladly pay 40 bucks for a few replacements.

[neil steven]

Mike, is there any chance that you could post a couple of pictures of the crimp/fold on your shells?

[Mike Koneski]

Here are some pics of the crimps. Fold crimps on shells with Gualandi wad, nitro card and fiber wad (top), Gualandi wad, nitro card, fiber wad and plastic shot sleeve (middle) and SP8 wad and roll crimp (bottom). Top and middle are Winchester Industrial hulls. Bottom are Remington Industrial hulls.