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Member Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 450 Location: Indiana

Any loads for clays. for 16 ga.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2350 Location: West MI

Getting a little wordy oldhunter, try and tighten it up a bit will ya... Very Happy

old16, clay games? or clays powder? assuming clays powder, try this link to a library of recipes compiled by a well missed poster around here; spr310. Don't know if this is the most current rev, regardless, it has a ton of recipes listed, select the drop down menus listed across the top of the page to help your search, Good luck...

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0At1GjTxK0YbudE9YTTZzeW91TGR6QVRBbUNyVHJnTEE&gid=16

Don't know about where you guys are at, but Clays powder is non existent everywhere I've looked (Western New York through most of PA and the whole length of Ohio). I've been loading it in 12 ga for years, but can't find it anywhere currently (none of the local guys in Chautauqua County NY or Warren County Pa; Cabela's in Hamburg Pa and in Columbus Ohio; Grice's and Bob's Army Navy in Clearfield Pa; Fin Feather Fur in Ashland Ohio; a couple of places in greater Cincinnati; etc., etc.). If anyone knows where to find some, let me know. Meanwhile, I load Universal Clays in 16 ga., and like it pretty well. Never tried Clays in the 16 ga.

Rob

None of the Clays series of powders will be available for awhile. As was noted in other posts a fire in the plant in Australia has effected the clays powders.

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 963 Location: Minnesota

I was in Fleet Farm in Chaska Mn two weeks ago. I asked the gun counter guy, "this is a stupid question, but do you have any Clays powder".
He checked and they had 12 one pound bottles. I bought three of them.
That's the first Clays I have found in a long time.

Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1973 Location: Maine

That's the first Clays I've heard of being available in almost a year.

I was in a local-to-me store last weekend and the reloading section had a partial 8 lb tub of Clays on the table next to a reloader. I had to ask b/c I use Clays in my 12 ga loads. Turned out, it was the owner's personal stock which he had been using to load some shells. And not for sale.

He also had some Red Dot and PB available, but I passed. I was not about to pay $30 for a pound of PB. (I'll probably regret that someday sooner rather than later.)

Member Joined: 16 Aug 2004 Posts: 317

Clays would not be my choice for 16 unless you are shooting a modern gun. Fast burning 12 bore powders just produce too much pressure except in the lightest of loadings. Universal Clays is a better choice in that family.

Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1973 Location: Maine

Alliant has recently introduced Clay Dot, a new American made offering designed to directly compete w/ Hodgdon Clays. However, these two powders are among the fastest burning smokeless powders made and are primarily meant for 2-3/4 to 3 dram equiv. 12 ga target loads of 7/8 to 1-1/8 ozs. shot load weights. Neither are very suitable for standard 1 to 1-1/8 oz. 16 ga hunting reloads loads assembled with modern one piece plastic wads.

I've safely used 14 to 14.5 grains of both Red Dot and IMR 700X for 1200 FPS (approx.), 3/4 ounce 16 ga loads in the Remington RGL hull. So I would think equivelent charges of Clays and Clay Dot can also safely be used in the same loads. However, the necessarily very light charges of these powders are less bulky, and filler wads are a must to get excellent crimps. There are better, slower burning powder choices like Green Dot or International Clays for 3/4 to 7/8 ounce 16 ga loads. Now that Clays is apparently not available, I'd look for a better alternative instead.

Joined: 12 Sep 2010 Posts: 1973 Location: Maine

I agree, 16 ga guy. (like I said, I use Clays for my 12.) Problem is, can't find Green Dot either. And PB was $30/lb.

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