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Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 54 Location: San Francisco

A local club 15 minutes from my home requires steel shot. Anyone have any suggestions for loading steel 16 ga? I'd be interested in putting together some 7/8 oz or 3/4 oz loads of steel 6s or 7s so I could shoot more frequently with less driving.

Ballistic Products is the only source I know for 16 ga. steel wads. I would also make certain your gun barrels will handle steel shot. Only guns made after 1978 or so are generally known to be steel shot compatable. However, quite a few made after WWII will also shoot steel if the chokes are not full or improved modified. Any pre war guns should be looked over very carefully by an expert who can pass one for steel shot use.

Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 54 Location: San Francisco

16gg: Thanks for the BP tip. I figured they would sell wads. But I asked about reloading, not guns. I think most of us on this board are informed enough to know that steel isn't for all guns.

Can anyone with any direct experience reloading steel 16 ga shells give me some feedback on hulls, wads, powder, etc.?

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 287 Location: missouri

Are you restricted to any speed or shot size at the range or is it shoot what you like. The reason I say this smaller steel is very ineffective at ranges over 20 -25 yards in most instances unless you push it to very high velocities.
I use steel loads in my 16 ga guns that I have developed. The speed is around 1550 fps, Tom is going to pressure test it for me as soon as he is up and running this spring. You probably could get by with a slower load of steel if you could use say #5 steel which would be the equivalent of #7 lead shot..Ballistic Products has several loads for the MM16 wad in the 1300 -1350 fps range using Blue Dot. If you want something a bit more in the high velocity range you have to use Alliant STEEL powder, of which there is no published data for the MM16 wads. Once my steel load is pressure tested I will have Alliant publish it hopefully. By the way it plays havoc with ducks up to mallard size using #4 steel shot.

L K, I have no doubt you know about steel shot and such. I'm certain most of us do. I don't mean to sound condescending. However, we are a public forum. On issues of safety, I keep in mind that anyone might drop in to view our discussions, from the well informed to the uninformed. so I always attempt to qualify my input by addressing any hazards involved. Please understand, thanks. 16GG.

Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 54 Location: San Francisco

A prominently posted sign states that nothing over 3 dram equivalent, no magnum loads and no large shot may be used. Not much help, and there's the question of what they mean by "large" shot. The club sells bulk steel shot in size 7 as well as #7 factory shells, so I know what they favor. I'll find out more, which I should have done already. Meanwhile I'll order the BP 16 ga book. Or was it their steel shot book that had the loads you described? I don't plan to go into this in a big way as I'm happy hunting ducks and pheasants with other non-toxic shot. But that 15 minute ride to where I can shoot clays is too tempting not to give this a whirl.

A three dram load is an archaic blck powder term that refers to a 12 ga., 1-1/8 oz. load at 1200-1230 FPS. Most target clubs restrict lead shot to 7-1/2# or smaller to limit range. Steel target loads use #7 shot which is a tad lighter than #7-1/2 lead and won't range as far either. I'd say you are safe with any standard 1300 FPS steel shot target load. However, I'd stay with the 1 0z load in the 16 if using steel.

Perhaps you'd be better of simply shooting a 12 ga. there. The ammo is easier to get and you will probably avoid any regulatory hassles about hand loads and non toxic shot, odd gauges etc. Or at least go talk to them first before bringing reloads to shoot. Most clubs with non-toxic rules restrict ammo to factory loads to insure compliance.

Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 54 Location: San Francisco

I need more time with my 16 ga guns and less time with my 12 ga, which is why I'm looking to load steel 16s instead of buy spendy factory shells. And since the club sells steel shot in bulk it's unlikely they restrict shooters to factory loads, though they may have speed and max shot size restrictions. I'll check this out more fully and report.

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 287 Location: missouri

Well that would beat this one to death, the dram equivalen tables I have only go up to 1365 fps for a 7/8 oz load of lead.
Ballistic Products has the steel shot loads listed in volume five of the 16 gauge manual, I would strongly suggest using the Blue Dot loads with the MM16 wads as they crimp up best. I use their listed Blue Dot loads with Hevi shot with very good results, #6 Hevi shot is really all you need to make your 16 a very, very potent duck gun.
Try some of the BP listed steel loads and see how they work for you, with #7 or 6 steel it may be just enough.
We did some preseason practice last year with some 12 ga 1 1/16 oz loads of #4 steel that I chroned at 1630 fps, we were smoking clay on just about every shot...

Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 54 Location: San Francisco

I appreciate the Blue dot recommendation and I've ordered the 16 ga book from BP. Many years ago I bought a case of Federal 15/16 oz steel #4s (purple plastic hull) for use on decoying ducks with a Spanish double I owned at the time. I'm down to about 6 unfired boxes but held onto another 100 fired hulls and hopw to use them for the clays loads. But with my luck all the recipes will call for another hull....... I'll report back as I learn more.

LK, I'd like to know if the majority of the Frisco area shotgun clubs require non-toxic shot. I've lost touch with what goes on in California. I do know that eco policies tend to be overly liberal and agressive in some areas of the state. I'm not up on how much impact it's had on the shooting sports. Please fill us in.

Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 287 Location: missouri

Joined: 12 Aug 2005 Posts: 54 Location: San Francisco

16 gg: I'm but a dilettante clays shooter so I may not have the scoop on all the clay venues in the SF Bay Area. I do know that the Pacific Rod & Gun Club at the soutwestern corner of SF, to which I was referring in my previous posts, requires non toxic shot. The club, which has been there since the 1930s, is on public property on the shore of Lake Merced where there was concern over high lead concentration in a public area and one frequented by lots of birds. Birds Landing on the Delta to the east and Coyote Hills to the south, both about an hour from SF, allow lead and are great sporting courses. Black Point Hunting Club to the north has a rudimentary sporting course which requires non toxic shot, though their planted pheasant program allows lead. Richmond Rod & Gun Club, on the shore of the bay to the east switched to non-toxic over a decade ago. All the state and federal refuges, of which there are many and which provide excellent duck and pheasant hunting, require non-toxic shot.

Thanks for the info. 16GG.