16ga.com ~ View topic

I'm curious if anyone has experience with low pressure steel 16 loads for quail/grouse out there. I happen to hunt quite a few areas that require non-toxic shot, and since none of the major retailers have steel loads in 6s, 7s, etc., for 16 gauge, this meant either high priced bismuth, etc., in 16 or carry a 12 (or 20, which I don't own) and shoot the readily-available 1 oz. steel loads. I never did enjoy carrying a 12 for quail, period.

Three of four years ago, I finally came across load data for 16 gauge steel and have been loading 7/8 oz steel 7s in either Winchester (cheddite) or Federal hulls with STEEL (22.0 and 22.5 grains, respectively), Federal 209A's and BP 1680 wads (slit, 4x). I don't have the manual in front of me right now, but I think pressure runs around 7,800 and velocity around 1150. I was initially skeptical about performance, but have now shot them enough to be quite pleased with them. No, I still use lead when I can legally, but about half my hunting is on non-toxic areas. I mostly shoot them in my Citori or BPS with IC chokes, but have used other guns. My brother shoots them in his Ithaca 37 with a Herter's adjustable choke.

Anyone else with experience on these types of loads with birds, quail, grouse, huns, etc.? I'd like to hear from you if so. And, for what its worth, I think they do a pretty good job.

I would assume these loads or something similar would also work well on skeet ranges where lead is illegal. And with the price of lead now. . . . . .

I have done consirable work with Steel powder. It is at its best with stout loads and Federal 209A primers. While reduced loads go bang, if you check those loads at colder temps you will find some fairly large variation in velocity shell to shell.

The other powders like Longshot and Blue Dot will have the same issues.

If you absolutely must use so called Low Pressure loads with steel shot, try some with wads from Baschieri & Pellagri or Gualandi that are made with a collapsible section and you can use powders like Unique, Universal and others in the same range.

As you can probably tell I am not much for Low Pressure loads as they cause more problems then they solve. To be honest they don't solve any problems, only imagined ones.