Shotshell load compendium

P

pcammo

New member
Let’s start a thread with our favorite shotgun hand loads. Here is my first contribution:

Load #1

10 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer : CCI-209
Powder: 41.5grs SR-4756
Wad Column: BPD-10 (molly or HBN coated with three petals split 2/3 the length of the wad) – (2) 1/4” and (1) 1/8” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column.
Shot: 58 pellets lead T-buck
Crimp: Roll crimp with Ballistic products 12ga. frangible plastic over shot disk and seal the edges with a soft silicone (a small syringe works well for this).
Velocity: 1360fps
Pressure: 10.8KPSI

Notes: This load patterns well in a variety of 10 gauge firearms. It functions well in the autoloaders and burns clean over a wide temperature range. This load will function over a greater temperature range than nearly any factory buckshot ammo.
As always, shotgun shell reloading is substantially more risky than metallic cartridge reloading. It is difficult to determine if you are near maximum pressure with a particular load (a strain gauge can be very helpful). Furthermore, shotshells experience a much greater variation in pressure with temperature than most metallic cartridges. Shotshell components tend to vary dimensionally from lot to lot; as a result slight adjustments are frequently needed with the height of wad column and crimp height. All of these things can affect pressure, please be careful. If you are new to shotshell loading please read one of the many fine publications on the market covering the subject.
 
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Load #2

10 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer : CCI-209
Powder: 41.0grs SR-4756
Wad Column: BPD-10 (molly or HBN coated with three petals split 2/3 the length of the wad) – (2) 1/4” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column.
Shot: 38 pellets lead 4-buck
Crimp: Roll crimp with Ballistic products 12ga. frangible plastic over shot disk and seal the edges with a soft silicone (a small syringe works well for this).
Velocity: 1390fps
Pressure: 10.9KPSI

Notes: This load works well over a wide temperature range and also functions well in auto loaders. This load has patterned very tightly for me in a variety of guns/chokes, often putting many more pellets on target than much heavier loads.
 
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Load #3

10 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer : CCI-209
Powder: 36.8grs Blue Dot
Wad Column: BPD-10 (molly or HBN coated with three petals split 2/3 the length of the wad) – (1) 1/4” and (1) 1/8” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column.
Shot: 45 pellets lead 4-buck
Crimp: Roll crimp with Ballistic products 12ga. frangible plastic over shot disk and seal the edges with a soft silicone (a small syringe works well for this).
Velocity: 1210fps
Pressure: 10.8KPSI

Notes: This load work well in auto loaders. An average patterning load that should be kept in the 40-85 degree F range.
 
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Load #4

10 Gauge

Hull: Remington 3.5” (Low Base, the newer design)
Primer : Remington 209p
Powder: 38.5grs. SR 4756
Wad Column: BPD-10 (molly or HBN coated with three petals split 2/3 the length of the wad) – (3) 1/4” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column.
Shot: 58 pellets lead T-buck
Crimp: Roll crimp with Ballistic products 12ga. frangible plastic over shot disk and seal the edges with a soft silicone (a small syringe works well for this).
Velocity: 1390fps
Pressure: 10.9KPSI

Notes: This load works well in auto loaders and is very temperature stable. This hull/powder/wad combination is reliable in my BP-10 to near zero degrees F. For my gun, this load patterns best with a Browning or Briley Full or X-Full choke.
 
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Load #5

12 Gauge

Hull: Federal Gold Metal 3”
Primer : CCI 209
Powder: 33.2grs. SR 4756
Wad Column: Turkey Ranger (molly or HBN coated with three petals split 2/3 the length of the wad) – (1) 1/4” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column.
Shot: 47 pellets lead T-buck
Crimp: fold crimp with Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the outside of the crimp with soft silicone.
Velocity: 1200fps
Pressure: 10.9KPSI

Notes: This load works well in auto loaders and is very temperature stable. This is a good patterning load with a variety of choke combinations in my BP-12. Velocity will be quite a bit lower in back bored barrels as this wad does not expand to seal very well.
 
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Load #6

10 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer : CCI-209M
Powder: 44grs SR-4756
Wad Column: Ballistic Products MM1050 (molly or HBN coated pre-split) – (2) 1/4” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column.
Shot: 58 pellets lead T-buck
Crimp: Fold crimp with a Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1300fps
Pressure: 10.5KPSI

Notes: This load can pattern very tightly in some guns, in others it tends to cluster several pellets and then leave big holes. This load has functioned very well for me down to about 15 degrees F.
 
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Load #7

10 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer : Fed. 209A
Powder: 3.0grs. 700-X And 65.0grs IMR-4227
Wad Column: Precision Reloading TUFW105 (molly or HBN coated pre-split) – (1) 1/4” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column (about 25 grains).
Shot: 40 pellets lead 4-buck
Crimp: Fold crimp with a Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1275fps
Pressure: 10.4KPSI

Notes: This load was derived by Tom Roster a couple decades ago. It is a duplex powder charge load and must be loaded such that the 700-X sits directly above the primer and the IMR-4227 sits on top of the IMR-4227. There should be sufficient wad/crimp pressure to hold the powder column in this arrangement. I don’t recommend this load to anyone. The only reason I included it was because it generates some phenomenal patterns. The pressure is also fairly consistent over a wide range of temperatures. It is a fairly dirty burning load.
 
Load #8

12 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer : CCI-209
Powder: 35.5grs Alliant Blue Dot
Wad Column: Ballistic Products MM12312 (molly or HBN coated pre-split) – (2) 1/4” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column.
Shot: 66 pellets lead T-buck
Crimp: Fold crimp with a Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1185fps
Pressure: 13.5KPSI

Notes: This load patterns fairly well but may be dirty burning in some back bored shot guns. Blue Dot also gets pretty dirty as the temperature drops.
 
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Load #9

12 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer : CCI-209
Powder: 36.5grs SR-4756
Wad Column: Ballistic Products X12X – (2) 1/4” felt or wool wads on top of the X12X plus one Ballistic Products Teflon Wrap
Buffer: none
Shot: 62 pellets lead T-buck
Crimp: Fold crimp with a Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1225fps
Pressure: 11.6KPSI

Notes: A very good cold weather load for the 3.5” 12 Gauge. Patterns well and works fairly well in back bored shotguns.
 
Load #10

12 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3” Gold Metal
Primer : WW-209
Powder: 29grs SR-4756
Wad Column: Precision Reloading TUFW123 (molly or HBN coated with pre-split) – (1) 1/8” felt or wool wads in the bottom of the cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column (about 20 grains).
Shot: 32 pellets lead 4-buck
Crimp: Fold crimp with a Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1225fps
Pressure: 11.2KPSI

Notes: This has long been a favorite 12 gauge load for my BP-12. It patterns well and performs well in colder temperatures. It also burns fairly clean in all but the largest over bore shotguns.
 
Load #11

12 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3 1/2”
Primer : WW-209
Powder: 38grs Alliant Blue Dot
Wad Column: WAA12R – (1) 0.030” over shot wad placed in base of shot cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column (about 28 grains).
Shot: 42 pellets lead 4-buck
Crimp: Fold crimp with a Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1100fps
Pressure: 12.2KPSI

Notes: Dirty at low temperature, seals back bored barrels fair.
 
Load #12
10 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer: Win. 209
Powder: 38grs. Alliant Blue Dot
Wad Column: SP 10 with petals removed plus fitted Teflon wrap
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping till all interstitial sites are filled and the buffer is level with the top of the shot column (about 30 grains).
Shot: 18 pellets lead 4-buck stacked 3x6
Crimp: Fold crimp with a Precision Reloading tyvek over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1120fps
Pressure: 10.2KPSI

Notes: A very heavy recoiling load that produces decent patterns. About the cleanest Blue Dot load that exists.
 
Don't have any to add myself, I've only recently purchased my first shotshell press, so I appreciate the load data. I'll be trying some of these.

I've kind of wondered why there never seems to be much shotshell reloading info on here.

Thanks
 
Load #13

10 Gauge

Hull: Federal 3.5”
Primer: Fed. 209A
Powder: 38grs. Alliant Steel
Wad Column: Ballistic Products TPS1035 (treated with molly or HBN or mica) plus (1) 1/4” and (1) 1/8” felt wads in the base of the shot cup plus a mylar or polypropylene shot wrap inside the shot cup
Buffer: Ground polyethylene (Ballistic products SD-C works well - add about 2 grams of molybdenum disulfide to 1 pound of buffer) – add buffer with gentle tapping (20 grains).
Shot: 55 pellets tungsten BBB shot (density of 15.5 g/cc)
Crimp: Fold crimp with a 0.030” over shot wad on top of shot column. Seal the crimp with soft silicone
Velocity: 1275fps
Pressure: 10.7KPSI

Notes: This is an experimental load using the new shot produced by the Tungsten Spheres Company. It is safe in my particular gun/choke; I make no guarantees beyond that. Please note that you must protect your barrel and choke from all direct contact with the tungsten shot traveling down the barrel. I would highly recommend that anyone thinking about loading tungsten shot should read the fine booklet entitled Handloading Hevi-Shot by Ballistic Products. Typical patterns are insanely dense and penetration is outstanding. It is not uncommon to get 15-20 hits on a sheet on notebook paper at 50 yards and 9-14 hits at 60 yards. The real down side is that there is $7.00 in shot in each shell.
Tungsten Spheres Company
 


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