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I have a tight shooting m/f Lefever 12 that I'm wanting to load some low pressure (roughly 8k psi) 1 or 1 1/8oz nice shot spreader loads for. These would primarily be used for ducks over decoys in a sneak boat, so shots would be fairly close. I have a couple bags of WAA12 wads and some green dot, but I'm not married to those. 2 3/4" will work (it has 2 5/8" chambers), or I may trim the hull a bit. I have some 2.5" RST hulls too, but again, I'm not attached to that idea. Anyone have a recipe that might work? I only need to load a box or two. I would buy some commercially, but no one sells non toxic spreader loads that I'm aware of.

Thanks!

Have you scanned the non tox loads published here by (sign-on) spr310? If memory serves there were some loads for non tox within those offerings. He is usually willing to chat directly by email if you contact him.

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

At risk of being excommunicated due to heresy, I have some loads that have worked well on paper- I haven't hunted waterfowl with them but areas in the state now require No-Tox for Upland birds, however the last couple years including this one, have left little unburnt ground around here. Were you interested in Bismuth or in the Tungsten variations?

*Last edited by skeettx on Sat Aug 09, 2014 4:59 pm; edited 1 time in total*

I, too, an interested
But I have not loaded Steel in many years as I have
accumulated many flats of 12, 16, and 20 gauge non-tox ammo.

Mike

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

I haven't tried Nice Shot yet, but I've developed a Bismuth #6 shot load that has shown to be fairly consistent at patterning between one and two degrees less choke: fired from a full choke it patterns between an IC and M, Fired from a Mod it is a little more open than an IC. The full choke is in a M21; the Mod is in an A5, and it cycles with the ring in the light position. I've checked listings for loads with similar loads and the pressures are listed between 7 & 9K. the specifics are:

WW AA 12 ga hull
17gr Red Dot
WT12 wad w/sides removed
one ounce bushing of #6 Bismuth shot (yield 13/16 oz)
Spred-R insert placed post down, with top tight against shot load
a #065 Lee Loader powder measure dipped into #6 Bismuth shot,
yield 3/16th oz, poured on top of the Spred-R insert.
over shot card
crimp.

I had planned to try this load on actual birds, but I'm not sure where I can go at this point that hasn't been burnt. In addition to wildfires to the north, east and west, this last week there are fires to the south- so I may have to try some new areas.

Looks like you need to hunt some Ash Doves Very Happy

http://pet-doves.com/petdoves/Ash.htm

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

We normally would have Mourning Doves- I always thought they were Morning Doves as different from Afternoon and evening doves; but now I think they are mourning as in grieving the loss of their homes and food to all the fires. Are those Ash Doves adaptable to ash?

Member Joined: 02 Sep 2010 Posts: 829 Location: SW Ohio

I have loaded a 12 ga load of #6 Nice shot 1 1/8 oz. used a Rem STS hull International clays (very similar to Green dot) Waa12 wads, and a Win 209.
Pattern very nice at 40 yards with a mod choke, LM for 25 yards.
I am using 21 gr of powder for 1255 fps but the pressure is 11500. ( I shoot a 3 1/2 in chambered gun- max pressure is 14500)
Dropping powder down to 17 gr shows 7100 psi and 1090 fps.
18.4 gr of powder has 8600 psi and 1145 fps.
This is all off the Hodgdon web site using Intl clays.
You could load 17.5 gr of Greendot and get it tested.
Maybe a place to start?

Thanks for the info. A conservative load of green dot does seem like a good place to start. I also like longshot. It's a bit surprising to me that there is such a dearth of nice shot recipes out there.

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

I would have to dig up my loads for the 12, I think I shot short hulls, but 1 1/8oz with Longshot powder, I think pressure was around 9k thought. Which isn't going to do any more damage to your gun that a load at 8k

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

Federal or Cheddite Hull, Federal 12S3 wad, 34.2 grains of Longshot
Win 209 primer 1 1/8oz Nice Shot,
Should run you 8600psi or less. It will also be about 1400fps in velocity.

I use load above, but with a Fed 209A, will boost velocity, but pressure too.
If you have to use Fed 209A primer, then I would back off to 32 grains of Longshot, pressure will be around 9k velocity about same as above.

Take a look on Shotgunworld Forum, in the Nice Shot category, I think they posted some Nice Shot loads in different gauges. Haven't been on there for awhile.

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

http://randywakeman.com/NiceShotDataP6.jpg

There is link I got from Shotgunworld, its Randy wakeman's site, lots of data there, I think you can find what you are looking for.

Its good stuff on Ducks, not question about it. Most are dead before they hit the water.

Thanks Hootch!

Member Joined: 02 Sep 2010 Posts: 829 Location: SW Ohio

Basically Nice Shot is a lead substitute. You can use any lead recipe but use nice shot. Manufacturer recommends to add 1500 to the listed load pressure, when subbing nice shot. I think is conservative but not hard to follow.
So in reality there are TONS of Nice shot recipes out there.