10 gauge reload Issues

[Keith Doty]

Randy it's kinda hard to tell from the photo angle but you might benefit from raising the load height just a bit, "tightening" the crimp. Try a few with a 16 ga. 1/8" cork in the bottom of the shot cup or a 1/16" 10 ga. card over the shot. I've tortured myself for many years with different loads looking for that consistently perfect crimp! Different things work with different loads without constantly adjusting dies. I keep careful notes and when changing loads in the same gauge I don't mess with the setup, the simple addition of a card or cork can make a world of difference and they're CHEAP! A slightly different wad sometimes is the answer. You can make yourself crazy adjusting dies for each load, bismuth vs. lead, etc.

[Randy Roberts]

Keith I had to use a 1/4" and an 1/8" cork wad under the shot already to get enough stack height. I'm gonna play with the pre crimp a little and then I can try your suggestion. Thanks.

[Keith Doty]

No shame there. I use a Remington SP10 wad and a 1/2" non treated fiber wad in the shot cup in some of my 1 1/4 oz. lead shot loads. Loads nicely and shoots great, clays and doves hate'em! Appears that big, soft fiber wad also absorbs some of the acceleration and lowers pressures slightly as well.

[Keith Doty]

This is a nice one to shoot. Not sure why I have such a variation, suspicious I was inconsistent with seating pressure, gotta work on that and test again. These were specifically for a damascus gun, 1888 vintage Parker hammerless.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Originally Posted by Keith Doty

No shame there. I use a Remington SP10 wad and a 1/2" non treated fiber wad in the shot cup in some of my 1 1/4 oz. lead shot loads. Loads nicely and shoots great, clays and doves hate'em! Appears that big, soft fiber wad also absorbs some of the acceleration and lowers pressures slightly as well.

Same here Keith. That 1/2" fiber wad is 16g, so it drops into the shot cup really nice. I use Unique, but nice to know Longshot is an option.

[Keith Doty]

Exactly what I do.
On the Longshot, I was looking for low pressures for Damascus guns and powder availability being what it is I bought some because I could. Actually pretty impressed, have had very good results in 10 ga. AND, still fooling with it but 20 ga. as well. Kinda doesn't sound likely but test results don't lie.

[Randy Roberts]

Keith that's the load I'm working with except I had the powder down to 29 grains. I was going to send it off for testing but now I don't have to. Thanks. I like those low pressures.

[6pt-Sika]

Any hull SP-10 wad 30 grains of SR7625 and depending on the hull 3 or 4 red beans as filler . Plain and simple breaks targets and kills birds . When I started using this load it called for one 16 gauge 1/8” card in the shot cup which I did and it worked nicely . But somebody on here started talking about using beans and or cheerios which I laughed at . One day I was out of 16 cards so I went to the local grocery store and got some small red beans . Tried a couple in the snail at the shop , seemed fine . Loaded what I needed for where ever I was going used them and have never looked back . By all means do as you wish but this works for me ! Heck I’ve adapted the same basic 30 grain SR7626 and SP-10 wad for buckshot slugs and bismuth .

[Mike of the Mountain]

I have a load for 10g using 7625 too. I have plenty of that powder but when I was given the recipe with Unique, I liked it so just kept using that load.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Mike Koneski

I have a load for 10g using 7625 too. I have plenty of that powder but when I was given the recipe with Unique, I liked it so just kept using that load.

You gave me your Unique load a year or so ago and I loaded a box or two . Since I’ve got plenty SR7625 and plenty Unique the Unique will be my go to if I run out of SR7625 .