16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 4

I've been a member of this board for awhile, watching and reading in the background, but this is my first post. What a great resource it is. I've finally decided to take the plunge and reload all of the empty 16 GA RGL hulls I've been saving. I've converted my reloader from 12 to 16 GA. My charge bar is for 1 1/8 oz. of shot, and I'm trying to decide whether to reload with that, or get a 1 oz. bar. On that point, I've been able to find several recipes here for reloading RGL hulls with 1 oz. Are there any tried and true recipes for 1 1/8 oz.? I would be using them as field reloads for doves. I also seem to recall past discussion on the board about using a 20 GA wad when reloading with 16 GA RGL hulls and would like any pointers on that (or any good 16 GA wads for 1 1/8 oz.).

Hello and welcome on your first post

Not to the point, but I would suggest the 16 gauge DR wad and
7/8 ounce of shot for doves. You will be amazed how effective it is.

I do not think that 1 1/8 ounce would be needed, but I feels sure spr310 will have some loads for you.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0At1GjTxK0YbudHdQdEUtLWJwbVNyZVNudVF0MGk2WFE&gid=6

Mike

Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1973 Location: Maine

First off, welcome to the site. You've been lurking for a while, so you already know what we're like.

Moving on to your main question, I'd recommend sticking to 1 oz. or below in the 16. SPR310 has an abundance of loads on the spreadsheets he posts and I'm sure he has some for 1 1/8 ounce, but I (and many others) think the 16 works best with 1. After all, your RGLs were loaded with 1 oz., right?

Anyway, keep us posted....

Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 4

Yes, the loads were orginally 1 oz. I was mainly interested in 1 1/8 oz. because I already have the charge bar. I could see the opinion in other posts that the preferred load for the 16 GA is 1 oz. Maybe that's what I should stick with. I'm not looking for a goose load, just a late season dove load - one to use after they've been shot at. What kind of set up would there be for that kind of application?

jmcmoon,

Wimpy loads are the current big deal, some like them, some hate them. You have to decide.

Very difficult to go against the 1 oz. load, it has always been and will always be a very effective load in the 16 Gauge and there are lots of them. 1 1/8 oz. are very good potent loads, some believe you don't need them, again just opinions. I can understand you wanting the heavier load for late season birds and you probably won't be disappointed if you used 1 1/8 oz. as long as you can handle recoil.

There is plenty of 1 1/8 oz. data, Hodgdon and Alliant have published loads. spr310 will be along and he has a good deal of data also.

I don't mind the 3/4 and 7/8 oz. loads they have their place, but I like the 1 and 1 1/8 oz. loads in the 16 Gauge for hunting.

Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 4

Mark-

The orignal loads were 1 oz., but a heavier load for later birds makes sense to me, and I don't mind the recoil from a 1 1/8 oz. load. I've also already got the charge bar. I looked on Alliant's website and saw the Blue Dot formula for 1 1/8 oz. Have you tried that? I also looked on Hodgdon's website, but have heard that Hodgdon Longshot powder might a little over the top . . .

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3178 Location: NCWa

JMC
In the 16 my loads range from 3/4 to 1 1/4. All work well for their designed purpose. The 3/4 & 7/8 are almost exclusively on clays or if I'm sure the shots will be at small birds and within 30 yards. I think the loads most suited to the 16 are 1 oz- it seems the most balanced load and the one best suited to the shots that a 16 is best at(please excuse the preposition). The 1 1/8 & 1 1/4 are reserved for hunting where I'd probably be better off to use a 12 ga, but is the only gun that I have suitable for hard shot. I've experienced very little difference in hit rate between 1 & 1 1/8 loads of similar velocities; the main difference being amount of recoil and added cost, $.25-$.35/box. I tend to get less shots at late season doves, but I hit about 1/4, shooting about a box/morning hunt. So it would be awhile before the purchase of the 1 oz bar would pay for itself, but your shoulder would thank you by the end of the first day. Smile

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

If you check out the spreadsheets you will find most new loads and many old loads. Also tested loads from members of this forum. I think for doved a 1 oz load would work. Also as you will notice the majority on the forum will say if you are going over 1 oz, use a 12 gauge. Myself I think if you are going under 1 oz get a 20 or 28 gauge.
Nothing wrong with longshot powder. It is a good powder for 1 oz or 1 1/8oz loads. Unique or universal are also good powders for 1 oz loads.Plenty of loads in the rem hull for either.

*Last edited by Dogchaser37 on Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:02 pm; edited 1 time in total*

jmcmoon,

I have never tried a Blue Dot load in the Remington hull. Not really a Blue Dot fan with mild-force primers like the Remington 209PSTS.

I do like SR7625, 800-X or Longshot for 1 1/8 oz. loads in those hulls.

If you go to the Hodgdon website, there is loading data for all the powders I mentioned. Like spr310 said Longshot isn't more than you need. If you check it out 1,240 FPS is the highest velocity in the Remington hull with Longshot.

I am sure you will like one of those loads. Have fun!!

Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 4

spr310-

Whoa. That is some serious effort you've put in there. I really appreciate it. Thanks. I know the 1 oz. RGLs I've been using advertise a muzzle velocity of 1200 fps. I have no idea what wad pressure they generate, and I'm not sure exactly what it means anyway. I understand that pressure does not affect recoil or pattern. What does it do/affect?

Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 591 Location: SoCal-FL- NYC

you should not need 1 1/8 for dove, early or late season. 1 oz on dove works great, but i don't think that was your question. somehow the tread turned into telling you what is good enough for shooting dove. i will add that i would want 1 1/8 for pigeons.

i loaded my first pheasant loads that were 1 1/8 in the RGL this past fall. Most of them were perfect, some did not crimp perfectly but they still fed and loaded in both the model 12 and the O/U.

I think your original question was about 1 1/8 in RGL, from my limited experience i would say that the RGL is a pretty inferior hull and it has been moderately difficult to load 1 1/8 perfectly in every hull. IMHO the RGL wall and crimp area is thin and at best are a challenge to load with anything over 1oz. Maybe someone with more experience can shed some light on this, but thats what i have found.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

You should have no problem loading 1 1/8oz loads in rhe rem hull using longshot or 800x and the SP-16 wad. That's what that wad was designed for.
1 1/8oz in a rem hull.

Joined: 01 Nov 2010 Posts: 78 Location: northwest Montana

for what its worth, i use longshot in most all of my 16 ga loads, both steel and lead. in lead loads i have found slowing down the load to somewhere under or around 1200 fps gives me the most consistent patterns, regardless of hull or primer combinations. i DO tend to stay with the sp16 wads, they seem to show tighter and more consistent patterns with loads over 1 oz. not trying start a war with any other members...thats just what MY perrsonal data shows me. enjoy

Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 591 Location: SoCal-FL- NYC