16ga.com ~ View topic - Started getting things together to reload 2½" 16ga

@ Alan in Vermont -- Ta Daaa! You have hit upon the exact same characteristics of the DR-16 that prevent me from buying any more -- poor anti-migration seal in Ched/Fio etc, a little too tight in RGL, thick-walled, eccentrically molded shot cup, and a long recoil section (intended to make it adaptable to many different hulls and loads, and it is) that unfortunately is both floppy and subject to wad cock, as well as having way too much spring-back to use in anything but the very slowest reloading process -- certainly not good for progressive reloaders.

Downrange, by the way, seems to make good wads otherwise, so don't avoid them because of the DR-16. As I understand it, rather than being made in a mold made by Downrange, the DR-16 comes from a mold made by the well-intentioned and shop-talented fellow who conceived it and introduced it at his own expense and out of the goodness of his heart as a benefit to the world of 16 gauge enthusiasts. Downrange fills the mold and markets the product, as I understand it. Many people find this wad very useful. It is a device of very flexible usage -- i.e. intended to be used in all hulls for a wide range of loads. Some folks here swear by them. No doubt they perform, but I find them troublesome to use for the reasons you point out, and with the relatively large selection of wads now available for the 16, I have no time for the DR-16 anymore. Maybe some of the DR-16 supporters can give you advice on how they use this wad.

FYI, I am no rookie to reloading shotshells. I have been reloading them for 54 years, and have used just about every component and material available, every technique and most brands of equipment, and 7 different gauges. I have shot re-loads almost exclusively during that time-period, in every type and sort of gun, at all sorts of game and targets. I have slowed down to about 7,000 rounds per year now, down from my peak of over 20,000. That I can't abide the DR-16 is no reason you and others can't do well with it. Many are very happy with it, as I'm sure you will now hear, so don't give up easily. I didn't give up the DR-16 willy-nilly, but I did give it up after losing patience with the fiddling required for my usage: relatively high-volume re-laoding. IMHO, to load better it could use a "real" anti-migration ring on the over-powder cup, and one more leg in the recoil section. Better yet would be to make wads of two different lengths to cover the range the DR-16 tries to do -- but then the manufacturer would be in direct competition with other good wads for the 16. I think they just tried to do too much with the DR-16 -- a noble effort, for sure -- but consequently, the DR-16 doesn't do anything better than the currently available alternatives.

Good Luck and Happy Reloading

I think the off center post is a problem. since the petal stitches dont pop consistently they should go. I have loaded and shot about a bag of them,once I started breaking the stitches with my fingers pattern consistency improved. I have been meaning to try some with the odd leg snipped out but have not gotten to it yet. with that gone they might maintain the scrunch set by the wad ram better. The rebound is a real pain in new hulls. I have been having better results using the CB green 20ga wad with the bump in the cup,for my 16ga target loads. Flake or disk powders will stay put under the wad, not Long Shot .It is to fine.