16 Ga Reload Recipe Recommendations

[Billy Gross]

Guys - I like the sound of the load the both Bills and Double Lab like. I guess I will buy a flat of RGL, then reload them with 20/28, Win 209, and DR16. I use a lot of 20/28 on my 28 Ga. so I always have that around. I will have to order a 16 Ga. tool set for my PW 800+. I do not doubt that this is a safe load, but Alliant doesn't have this or much else in their reloading guide for 16 Ga. I will ask them if they can test and endorse this load - fat chance. Billy

[Double Lab]

Billy;
It's already been tested.

[William R Johnson]

Double lab,
Have you tested any 1oz loads with 20/28? I asked Art a while back and he had not.

Thanks,
Bill

[Double Lab]

No Bill I have not. I stopped shooting 1oz. loads in my 16's years ago. Too much recoil for me and my O frame guns. I've settled on the 3/4oz. loads and have found them to break any target that I encounter on the clays course.

I use the same load, only bumping up the shot to 7/8oz. (which is the tested load I posted) for bird hunting. If I feel the need for a 1oz. load I go to the 12ga. I've killed a boatload of doves and quail with the 3/4oz and dozens of wild roosters in South Dakota with the 7/8oz. I try to keep things simple.

Daryl

[Billy Gross]

Thanx guys - That is helpful. Billy

[William Davis]

Same with me 16 G 3/4 oz targets 7/8 oz birds.

William

[Researcher]

You guys may be over thinking this. One ounce 16-gauge loads have been virtually a "standard" since UMC first offered factory loaded smokeless powder shotgun shells in 1891.

Back in the day, 25 or so years ago, Byron Sterling who ran the shop for Randy Shuman up in Newville, PA, tipped me off to the fact that Winchester/Western were putting up their 16-gauge Dove & Quail loads in a compression formed hull like the AA. I bought several flats and have been reloading them for decades. I first loaded them with a Winchester 209 primer, 20.5 grains of WSF, the WAA-16 wad and one ounce of shot. When Olin discontinued the WAA-16 wad, I bought up all of them Green Top Sporting Goods in Richmond had, which lasted me quite a while. Just as I was about to run out of 16-gauge reloads, Claybuster came to the rescue with their CB-16 wad and I'm still using those compression formed hulls. About the same time Down Range introduced their DR 16 wad and I got a 7/8 ounce load from the 16-gauge society for use in the Federal hull which I had a good supply of -- Winchester 209, 16.2 grains of American Select, the DR 16 wad and 7/8 ounce of shot.

Several years ago I bought some flats of those black 16-gauge Remington Game Loads that were one ounce at 1200 fps, the same as the Winchester Ball Powder Loading Guide says my reloads are, and I found those Remingtons exceedingly harsh!?!

[William Davis]

I load everything down about one Gauge with a Game and Target load. Short 10 1 1/4 & 1 1/8 12 1 oz & 7/8 oz 16 7/8 & 3/4. 20 G my press is dropping 11/16 oz. and never use it on anything big Suits the old wood pretty well makes for easy shooting, need to hit harder just move up a gauge.

If I only had one game gun and it was a 16 might make up a 1 oz load. Can't see any reason for 1 1/8 in my 4 16's

William