Wads for 2 1/2 inch shell?
 

I'm just starting to reload shells for my 16 gauge parker. Is there a special wad you need to use for 2 1/2 inch shells or will any 16 gauge wad work? If so what wad do you use?

Thanks,
Trey

Are the hulls straight wall, RSTs or another. I load 21/2 RSTs with DR-16 wads and with the CB-16 7/8 wad and the Gulandi. the DR work best but there are a number of different powder, load, and wad combinations. What powder are you loading? 3/4 or 7/8? Look at both the Hodgkin's and Alliant web sites. They have numerous load recipes to choose from.

Check with Balistic Products. They offer pretty much anything for whatever hull you are usng. RST hulls are made by Cheddite. And they use Gulandi wads.

Most of my 16 loads use DR 16 wads and 2 3/4 hulls. That wad is a tight fit in a 2 1/2 hull. Roll it's fine crimp has not worked for me. Best go with the Gulandi from Balistic products if you plan to crimp.

Side note shot load is a key. Most current 16 data assumes you want a light 12 load. I load my 16 g to light 20 ballistics. 3/4 oz at 1150 fps. For my Trojan I load a few 7/8 oz not many.

William

John,
I'm using RST 2 1/2 inch shells with 7/8 to 1 ounce shot. I don't know what powder to use yet. I'm new at this.
Thanks,
Trey

Thanks everyone for your help/comments.

You can't go wrong with Unique. 16 grains with 7/8th ounce and 18 grains with 1 ounce will give you a moderate velocity soft shooting load,

Trey,

Universal and International work well as does the now discontinued PB and 7625. Look at the Hogdin site for the recipes. You can also send out loads you develop to Precision and Tom Armstrong for testing. I did so using 20/28 and both the DR and Gulandi wads in 3/4 and 7/8.

Good shooting,

John

I use Remington SP 16's with 1 oz of shot, works with a number of different powders.

I have reloaded and shot thousands of Chedite hulls, using the SG-16 wad from Ballistic Products, 20grs. 7625 and 7/8 ounce of #8 shot. It's light on the shoulder and gun, but fast enough for crossing shots. I can mix new RSTs in and not detect a difference.

Edgar, there is no more PB, 7625, or 4756. I would first go to the powder company web sites to see what works in the 16ga.
http://www.hodgdon.com/ or http://www.hodgdon.com/ are two of the biggest. BPI's SG16 looks like the shortest wad they have and it's what you want for 2 1/2. Here's their web site - call and talk to them. http://www.ballisticproducts.com . You guys with reloading questions - we have a forum for that - it's near the bottom of the forum list.

Yes, Paul. I knew that. I was just posting MY recipe for 16 ga., and I have plenty of both 7625 and PB. In fact I just picked up another 5 pounder of 7625.

lucky guy
i am afraid what i have is all I'll get around- but at least enough for future hunting and a little clays

Rick, there's plenty of powders we can still use - just gonna take a bit to figure out what's best. Unique, Green and Blue Dot all work with lower pressures in the 10ga guns. 12ga over a 1 1/8 could be a problem, but at 1 1/8 or less there's plenty of powders for low pressure.