Shotshell components???

R

Rock Knocker

Well-known member
Im going to finally get into loading up a few predator and other shotshells.

Its all new to me, I plan on starting with 100 primed 2 3/4 high brass and same with a bag of 3" hulls. Im curious about what wads to get, cant I get a flight control type wad? I want some buckshot, Im thinking of getting T shot but I havent used it, so im open to suggestions. I plan on playing around with some TSS as well, I will get 2 shot tungsten, but what wads and protective wraps are needed? Also powder, what do you suggest? Ive got a decent bit of Longshot around but from what I remember looking into this years ago, hodgdon had a better powder Magnum maybe?? Ive never found it.

Ballistic Products is in my home town and not too far away, they dont really have a store front but if I walk in with cash I think they would help me out, the catalog is a bit overwhelming considering ive never put any of the stuff together before. I would like to make my dad some TSS 28ga 8shot as well. `Thank for the help!
 
I hope you have LOTS of cash!!!

I can point you in the right direction with what has worked for me with T shot, but for TSS you should contact Hal at TUNGSTENSUPERSHOT18. His load data is confidential, but given freely when you purchase shot from him (great prices). I only use 2-3/4 hulls, because I don’t feel like lobbing 2oz of TSS at $7 per shot. I went with #4 for a higher pellet count.

With T shot I’m using Longshot, a FS12 Cushion Seal and a Teflon Wrap. Awesome patterns and I can get 1-1/2 oz of shot in there (55 pellets). I have data for that if you want it.

I’m using Longshot and a PT1251 for the TSS. Great patterns with that combo as well.

I’ve spent a ton on components that didn’t work. These are what I have settled on and won’t likely change.
 
The Lyman Shotshell reloading manual has a lot of options for you but all loads are for specific hulls, powder, primers, wads. However I have always mixed and matched components unless approaching maximum loads. YMMV. You might want to consider #4 buckshot too. The choke you install will have a major affect on the density of your pattern so don't neglect patterning your shotgun. Your patterning gear can be as simple as a large cardboard box, a roll of butcher paper, a roll of tape or a stapler, a marking pen to make an aiming point and a writing pen to lable the sheets of paper taped or stapled to the box set 20-30 yards away.
Ballisitcs Products has pamphlets for sale of specialty loads. I believe they have one for coyotes or buckshot.
 
The prices didnt look so bad, well TSS, yeah thats some money but I might only shoot a couple of those a year. Nickle plated Tshot wasnt priced too bad. But this ammo isnt going to get shot much. I think Ive fired 5 of the 20 Federal 4buck I found 4 years ago, I would like to increase that a bit if I can make my own ammo, I only know 1 store that carries 3" 4buck sometimes... Ive also got a 22lb bag of lead 4 birdshot I got at a garage sale, that will be great for coons, opossums and cats trying to get chickens.

I just got a Browning BPS high capacity with a 20" cylinder barrel, I patterned it with Federal 3" 4buck at 40 yards, not actually that bad of a pattern but like my other BPS this one puts the denses pattern of buckshot nearly 2 feet high, the pattern was large but the good part of it would level a coyote at 40. A cylinder barrel is obviously not ideal, I plan on getting the barrel drilled for chokes but I would like to try flight control wads with buckshot, I just cant find that ammo anywhere. As far as I know, IV8888 youtuber say maybe 250 of these BPSs were made, that makes it a little harder for me to drill and change a lot. Ive got a field model with chokes as well, I just wanted to set up this little 20" pump for coyotes.
 
Another thought that might work for you is to use the steel shot cups like the Ranger Elite, BP12 wads (I think they need a gas seal wad), and their LBC wads. These are unslit and thick walled but are slower to open up and thus give a tighter pattern from a cylinder bore. If you don't slit them they will tumble and the pattern is unuseable. I use them in my cyl/cyl SXS in Cowboy Action shooting when I need a tighter pattern for knockdown targets. I put two slits in them 3/4 of the way down and they give me modified choke patterns from the cylinder bores. However, I am loading black powder which is much lower in pressure and that allows me to get away with mix & match components. YMMV
 
Hellgate said:
The Lyman Shotshell reloading manual has a lot of options for you but all loads are for specific hulls, powder, primers, wads. However I have always mixed and matched components unless approaching maximum loads. YMMV. You might want to consider #4 buckshot too. The choke you install will have a major affect on the density of your pattern so don't neglect patterning your shotgun. Your patterning gear can be as simple as a large cardboard box, a roll of butcher paper, a roll of tape or a stapler, a marking pen to make an aiming point and a writing pen to lable the sheets of paper taped or stapled to the box set 20-30 yards away.
Ballisitcs Products has pamphlets for sale of specialty loads. I believe they have one for coyotes or buckshot.
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I would definitely consider some 4buck but I wanted to try sme Tshot in some type of flight control wad in this cylinder barrel.

I just made 8lbs of buckthorn charcoal this week, me and a buddy are going to try making black powder.
 
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You can go into the office at Ballistic products, purchase there and get information on components. The information will be centered around what has been tested. Often there is a small table that has items on sale(package damage, spilled shot ). When the trap team needed primers, during the covid shutdown by tampon tim, I called them and they said come in we can sell you a case. Picked up a partial bag of nickle plated 5.5 lead shot while I was there. I have an account with them, so when I order I just tell them I will pickup.
 
Yeah I stopped by there one time during covid but I showed up unannounced with some vague questions and didnt get too far. Thats why I would try to get a better idea of what I want and show up there with a list.
 
I use the BP "Advantage Manual" a lot and keep a Lyman manual on the shelf plus have some of the BP pamphlets. Beware that changing wads can jump pressure a lot. Some complain that BP's data is pretty hot. I like to keep my loads in the 6,000-9,000 psi range for my older shotguns. There are usually no over pressure signs before you get into the dangerous area. Tested printed loads are the ones to stick with. I believe "Hoglips" has data available with his TSS shot
 
Rock Knocker said:
Im going to finally get into loading up a few predator and other shotshells.

Its all new to me, I plan on starting with 100 primed 2 3/4 high brass and same with a bag of 3" hulls. Im curious about what wads to get, cant I get a flight control type wad? I want some buckshot, Im thinking of getting T shot but I havent used it, so im open to suggestions. I plan on playing around with some TSS as well, I will get 2 shot tungsten, but what wads and protective wraps are needed? Also powder, what do you suggest? Ive got a decent bit of Longshot around but from what I remember looking into this years ago, hodgdon had a better powder Magnum maybe?? Ive never found it.

Ballistic Products is in my home town and not too far away, they dont really have a store front but if I walk in with cash I think they would help me out, the catalog is a bit overwhelming considering ive never put any of the stuff together before. I would like to make my dad some TSS 28ga 8shot as well. `Thank for the help!
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Unlike rifle, theres no switching of components in shotshell reloading. You find a recipe and follow that recipe exactly. Shotshell doesnt have pressure signs or a way to tell you something is wrong before you have parts on the ground (or in your face/arm). You are working with a max of about 11K psi instead of the 50-60k psi with rifle, there's no room for error before things go boom.

So, youll just need to find a recipe for the shot type and weight you want and go from there. Be aware ALOT of shotshell components are unavailable.
 
Good to know. I will find some trusted recipes, I like playing around with rifle loads but Ive never been that interested in shotgun loads, these 3" buckshot kick plenty already.
 
I like the higher pellet count of lead BBB and lead T shot compared to the low pellet count of lead number 4 buck. BPI may still have the lead BBB and lead T shot.

From KPY Shotshgell Ballistics.
1200 fps lead BB shot gets 3.70" of gel penetration at 40.8 yards and has about 77 pellets in 1-1/2 oz of shot.
1200 fps lead BBB shot gets 3.70" of gel penetration at 50.2 yards and has about 65 pellets in 1-1/2 oz of shot.
1200 fps lead T shot gets 3.70" of gel penetration at 59.7 yards and has about 56 pellets in 1-1/2 oz of shot.
1200 fps lead #4 buckshot gets 3.70" of gel penetration at 101 yards and has about 41 pellets in 1-7/8 oz of shot.

The 3" 1-7/8 oz load of lead #4 buckshot will have way more recoil and have about 15 less pellets than 1-1/2 oz of lead T shot.

Since I hardly ever shoot at coyotes past 50 yards away with a shotgun, I would rather shoot 1-1/2 oz of BBB shot with about 65 pellets than shoot 1-7/8 oz of lead number 4 buck with only 41 pellets.

I don't think you can go wrong shooting lead BBB or lead T shot at coyotes if you don't want to pay quite a bit more for TSS shot.
 
Now ive got the idea, if I can somehow attach a few inches of good braid fishing line to a gas seal and the bottom of an unslit wad? At least thats the first flight control idea ive had.
 
spotstalkshoot said:
You could try TPS unslit wads and make 3 vanes yourself. Keep hull type/payload weight and primer/powder charges per recipes and you should be able to play with wads.
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What are some tricks and tips to cutting wads,,,, or more like, what are the different cuts and changes to the wad going to do to the pattern?

2 long cuts vs 3 long cuts, 3 short cuts vs 2 long, etc..???
 
There's a guy on YouTube, shows how he used a hull as jig to cut 3 vanes into a wad. Haven't tried it, only targets will tell how it works. I do think his vanes are to large, but that's the testing part of loading.
 
Rock Knocker said:
What are some tricks and tips to cutting wads,,,, or more like, what are the different cuts and changes to the wad going to do to the pattern?

2 long cuts vs 3 long cuts, 3 short cuts vs 2 long, etc..???
Click to expand...

You can cut a non slit wad however you want, and each cut will change the pattern. Fewer cuts will tighten the pattern but tend to be blotchier, less depth on the cuts (like half way down the wad, 3/4 way, all the way) will also change the pattern but the more intact wad you leave you will run into the risk of shot staying with the wad and causing the wad to go tumbling downrange as a slug.

Tps wads are probably the thickest, if you can find any recipes for those. Thatll be more "flight control" like. For lead shot below 4B you will use any lead shot recipe, you just may not get the full weight of shot to fit (bigger the shot the less shot fits in the hull). For 4B and bigger you'll use buckshot recipes made for it.

You should be able to find tss recipes with TPS if you go that route, thats one of the best tss wads there is, you'll just have a bunch of filler wads inside it to take up space.

Buffering is also a way to tighten patterns with the lead shot, but only buffer recipes that call for it as buffer raises pressure considerably.
 
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