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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ 2 9/16" & 2 1/2" shells |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:08 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 208
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I know a lot of you guys shoot these on occasion. What do you use them for? Hunting? Skeet?
Will 2 1/2" shells work fine in most 2 3/4" shotguns? How about 2 9/16"? Pumps? Semi-autos?
Is there a noticeable dropoff in performance with these shorter shells? Vastly reduced payload?
BIG QUESTION: How difficult is it to reload these shorter shells?
The reason I'm asking is that I'm looking at purchasing my first 2 9/16" shotgun, and it got me to thinking about all of this. Thanks. 8mmfan |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:30 am
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Member
Joined: 31 Oct 2006
Posts: 245
Location: Eastern Iowa-DeWitt
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8mm fan,
The shorty's shoot as well as the 2 3/4". Many loads duplicate the same velocities and payload without over pressuring the gun. Mec makes a short kit for the single stage press and works great. The LPG here has many recipes for the 2 1/2" hull. Easy to join and great info. Good luck
Charlie |
_________________ Ithaca 37 16ga.
DeHaan SO 16ga.
Ruger Red Label 28ga.
Winchester Mod 12 16ga. 30" full
Sears mod. 30 Ranger 16ga.
1 NEW Citori 525 Sporting Clays w/30"tubes
"All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse and a good woman" D. Boone |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:42 am
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Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 208
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Thanks, Charlie. Much appreciated. |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:14 am
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Joined: 19 Feb 2008
Posts: 443
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I only load/shoot 2.5" shells. That way I don't have to worry about which gun they go into. Easy mod for a PW375 took care of it. PM me for details.
sv |
_________________ Grulla 215k
Bayard Hammergun
Marlin Model 90 |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:33 pm
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Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1460
Location: Eagle, Nebraska
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I am starting to load only 2.5" too. Using the same load, same velocity, and the load crimps better, no cards or adjustment to shot column height.
I shoot them out of both Belgian and Japanese Mfd Sweet 16's and have not had any problems.
Get a roll crimping tool, then you wont need the Mec to crimp. |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:57 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Hello
There is NO problem in loading 2.5" 16 gauge ammo.
Here is my process,
Federal hull, cut to 2.5" , size and prime with Winchester 209 primer.
17.0 grains of Hodgdon Universal Clays
For a wad I use the Gualandi TUWG1816 16 Ga Super G Mini Wad.
Precision Reloading 1-800-223-0900 has them.
I just bought 2000 wads for 69.98 which included shipping
http://www.precisionreloading.com/2004catalog.htm
7/8 oz of shot (8s or smaller)
6 Star crimp as normal.
I am using a Pacific 155 with a quarter of an inch cut off the final crimp die.
Velocity is about 1200, pressure is 9,045
Their recommended load for Bismuth is 16.5 clays, 13/16 ounce of 7 1/2 or smaller for about 1200 fps.
Pressure 9,155
Hope this helps
Enjoy the day
Mike |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:04 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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I shoot mostly 2.5" also, and use cut down Federal hulls for their large internal capacity (which helps a lot on short shells), and their longevity. I also like to roll crimp as you can squeeze more into the hull then you can with a star crimp. I even shoot roll-crimped 1 1/8 oz. loads and spreader loads in my Fed. 2.5" hulls. |
_________________ Gun art: www.marklarsongunart.com
Gallery art: www.marklarsonart.com
The man's prayer from the Red Green Show: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to. I guess." |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:16 pm
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Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1460
Location: Eagle, Nebraska
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Uncle Dan, do you have data for your cut Fed hulls? |
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Posted:
Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:06 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 208
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Super awesome responses, guys. Thank you. I have PM'd a couple of you. I have a couple of further questions:
How do you cut down the hulls? Do you just use a knife/razor blade? Is there some sort of favored technique for this? Is 2.5" the length of the FINISHED shell, or the cut-down hull? Where do you measure from?
What is a roll crimper and where can I get one? Are they all the same? The load mentioned above with a 2.5" shell shooting 7/8 oz of #8's, with the Gaulandi wad sounds like exactly what I'm looking for for skeet/trap and clays from my 16's.
Thanks again, very much, for the good info. 8mmFan |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:19 am
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Member
Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 2350
Location: West MI
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8mm, check these links out for the tools;
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/
http://www.precisionreloading.com/
I like the PR tools better but both work. For cutting the technique I use learned on this sight is to take a piece of PVC pipe or wood dowel that will fit snug in the hull you're trying to cut down, drill an 1/8"-3/16" hole at about where you want to cut the hull to, tap an exacto blade into the hole perpendicular but at a slight angle to the dowel and then with a twisting motion run a hull up onto the blade and it will cut off to the desired length leaving a spiral piece of left over hull on the dowel. You have to play with it but it works really well once diled in. I cut down any 2 3/4" hulls where the crimp is getting crunchy and use the shorties for easy to recognize spreader loads, polywad spreader inserts work great as over shot cards. Hope this helps, Mike |
_________________ Sorry, I'm a Duck Hunter so shouldn't be held strictly responsible for my actions between Oct 1st and ice up. |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:55 am
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Member
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 1522
Location: NH
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8MMfan,
I don't reload for the 16 but I do shoot RST 2.5" shells in at least 1 of my guns.
For facttory ammo you can't beat their stuff or customer service. |
_________________ A bad day of hunting is better than a good day of work. |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:30 pm
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Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 3373
Location: The Great Northwet
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Posted:
Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:44 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9464
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Uncle Dan, me too please
Thanks
Mike |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:06 pm
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Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1460
Location: Eagle, Nebraska
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I have both the BPI and Precision Reloading's hull trimmer. The PR is better of the two. Works slick. You sure can get more for your money loading 2.75's then when you need to, cut them down to size!
I would like to see some data for 2.25 or 2" shells even!! Would even get more for your buck. I think there would be some good loads say at 3/4oz that would work nicely in a shorter hull?? |
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Posted:
Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:09 pm
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Joined: 19 Feb 2008
Posts: 443
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UncleDanFan wrote: |
I shoot mostly 2.5" also, and use cut down Federal hulls for their large internal capacity, which helps a lot on short shells.
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And here I am trying to get rid of case capacity so I can star crimp and get a tight fit on 3/4 and 7/8 ounce loads.
sv |
_________________ Grulla 215k
Bayard Hammergun
Marlin Model 90 |
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