Mr. Graham,
For your consideration, here’s what I use for 12 gauge low recoil loads of ½ and ¾ ounce using RST 2 ½” hulls, Alliant Extra Lite powder, Claybuster 6100-12 wads for straight walled hulls and a MEC Sizemaster loader.
My load data for 2 ½” hulls:
½ ounce (0.500 actual): RST 2 ½” hulls; Winchester or Remington 209 primers; 14.0 grains of Alliant Extra Lite powder (MEC #26 bushing); CB6100-12 wad; 0.125” card wad in bottom and ½ ounce lead shot from a tweeked MEC charge bar.
3/4 ounce (0.729 actual): RST 2 ½” hulls; Winchester or Remington 209 primer; 14.3 grains of Alliant Extra Lite powder (MEC #27 bushing); CB6100-12 wad; no card wad in bottom and 0.729 ounce lead shot from MEC 302 75 Charge Bar.
That 0.125 inch thick card wad I get from Craig Smith, Circle Fly Wads in PA. They cost about $15.00 per 1000 including postage or about 1 ½ cents each. It is a 20 gauge diameter nitro card wad that fits nicely in the bottom of the CB shot wad.
I use a MEC Sizemaster and for the 2 ½” hulls in the crimp start and final crimp stations, all that I did was use a 1/4" thick wood spacer at those stations to raise the hull to the 2 3/4" height. See picture below.
I use the same recipe for my 12 gauge low recoil 2 ¾” loads of ½ and ¾ ounce but use a mixture of Winchester AACF, AAHS and the common Remington hulls (STS’s, Nitro Gold’s, Gun Club’s, etc) and the Claybuster CB 0175-12 ¾ ounce pink wad for tapered hulls.
My load data for 2 ¾” hulls:
½ ounce (0.500 actual): Win or Rem 2 ¾” hulls; Win or Rem 209 primers; 14.0 grains of Alliant Extra Lite powder (MEC #26 bushing); CB0175-12 wad; 0.125” card wad in bottom and ½ ounce lead shot from a tweeked MEC charge bar.
3/4 ounce (0.729 actual): Win or Rem 2 ¾” hulls; Win or Rem 209 primer; 14.3 grains of Alliant Extra Lite powder (MEC #27 bushing); CB0175-12 wad; no card wad in bottom and 0.729 ounce lead shot from MEC 302 75 Charge Bar.
I sent samples of my 2 ¾” 12 gauge ½ and ¾ ounce loads to Tom Armbrust for pressure and speed testing. Those loads run about 5000 – 6000 psi at a speed of around 1300 fps. They sound good, burn nicely and break clay pigeons at reasonable distances with a mild recoil.
Those light 2 ¾” loads is all I shoot in my 12 gauge 110 year old early A grade Fox that I’ve had for 48 years and the 2 ½” shells in my H & H Hammer gun with steel barrels with 2 ½” chambers.
Definitely worth a try if you’d like to try some low pressure, low recoil loads.
