16ga. shotshell reloading

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Fireworks

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I'd like to start reloading 16ga Shotgun shells. I bought a 16 ga. lee Load-all and I'm ready to start looking for components.

Unfortunately, there really isnt too much to choose from in this particular gauge, especially at this time. I may be limited to one style of wads and one or two choices for a suitable powder.

How important is it to use the exact wad and hulls listed in load data, as long as I follow the powder and shot charges?

Is it safe to vary the amount of shot to get a proper crimp height? If so, by how much?

Pardon me if these sound like stupid questions, but I'd rather ask here than do something dangerous.

Ive been reloading various rifle cartridges for a few years with very good results and I have a reasonably well equipped loading bench for that.
 
A real good start would be to get the latest Lyman Shotgun Reloading Manual or similar and read it. Shotgun reloading is not the same as rifle reloading. The maximum allowable pressures in shotgun shells is far lower, a fraction of modern rifle cartridges. Think of the difference in barrel wall thickness, typical action strength. No experimentation or changes allowed with shotgun reloads, the EXACT pressure tested published load must be followed, no substitutions or changes allowed in any components - hulls, primers, powder type, powder charge, wad, shot weight. The smallest, most innocent appearing deviation can cause enough change in the pressures to cause serious problems.
To start with, acquire a good number of high quality hulls by a major American maker such as Winchester, Remington or Federal. Make sure they are all the same type ( AA, SuperX, Gold Medal, Estate, etc). Then get the tested data for a number of loads using these hulls and then accumulate the listed components to reload your preferred load. Load & shoot. Rinse and repeat.
 
Get Lyman and any other manuals you can(Alliant will send you one free). Follow the data to a t hull/primer/powder/wad.

With shotshell it’s not like metallic theirs really no signs of over pressure until it’s too late.

Ballistic products has some 16ga stuff bilozir here in Canada carry’s their products.
 
Ashcroft said:
A real good start would be to get the latest Lyman Shotgun Reloading Manual or similar and read it. Shotgun reloading is not the same as rifle reloading. The maximum allowable pressures in shotgun shells is far lower, a fraction of modern rifle cartridges. Think of the difference in barrel wall thickness, typical action strength. No experimentation or changes allowed with shotgun reloads, the EXACT pressure tested published load must be followed, no substitutions or changes allowed in any components - hulls, primers, powder type, powder charge, wad, shot weight. The smallest, most innocent appearing deviation can cause enough change in the pressures to cause serious problems.
To start with, acquire a good number of high quality hulls by a major American maker such as Winchester, Remington or Federal. Make sure they are all the same type ( AA, SuperX, Gold Medal, Estate, etc). Then get the tested data for a number of loads using these hulls and then accumulate the listed components to reload your preferred load. Load & shoot. Rinse and repeat.
Click to expand...

I haven’t had a problem with cheddite.
 
Fireworks said:
How important is it to use the exact wad and hulls listed in load data, as long as I follow the powder and shot charges?

Is it safe to vary the amount of shot to get a proper crimp height? If so, by how much?
Click to expand...

Hulls are a very important variable in shotshell loading, only total payload weight is probably more critical. So, no, changing hulls or varying amount of shot are not safe.

The correct way to make major adjustments to column height to get a proper crimp is by wad selection. I would think wads can be substituted if they: a) fit the hull properly (hulls come tapered or straight, the wad must match the style); b) are the same column height when seated and filled with shot; c) have the same weight (remember the wad weight becomes part of the total payload weight).

Minor adjustments to column height can be made with wad pressure, assuming a moulded plastic wad with collapsing mid-section is being used.
 
I bought the ballistic products electronic edition for the 16g and printed them off. I plan to use them for my 16 g drillings. It also has 2 pages of 2.5inch loads!!!
Sporteque has decent amount of 16 gauge stuff including roll crimpers.
https://sporteque.ca/en/
 
Thanks for the replies.
I'm trying to figure out how to gather compatible components with powder availability the way it is.
I want to start with a 2-3/4" shell, 7/8 or 1oz load 0f 7.5 lead shot.

Should I start by sourcing a likely powder, then find the hulls and wads to match? Or is there a better approach?
 
Fireworks said:
Thanks for the replies.
I'm trying to figure out how to gather compatible components with powder availability the way it is.
I want to start with a 2-3/4" shell, 7/8 or 1oz load 0f 7.5 lead shot.

Should I start by sourcing a likely powder, then find the hulls and wads to match? Or is there a better approach?
Click to expand...

This might work out best for you if you can source one of the more common powders for this type of load such as 700X, Red Dot, Clays, etc. You will want a relatively fast shotgun powder for such light loads. It’s usually not hard to acquire an assortment of various once fired hulls but the best source would be your nearest shotgun range ( trap, sporting, skeet ). They frequently accumulate huge bins full of target hulls, the very best hulls for reloading and the easiest to match components to. Another advantage to this source is that you should be able to get all matched hulls. Most of their hulls will be 12 gauge but there are usually some 16’s mixed in as hunting season approaches.
 
Fireworks said:
Should I start by sourcing a likely powder, then find the hulls and wads to match? Or is there a better approach?
Click to expand...

I will vote the opposite way. Powder availability is not currently poor. Wad availability for 16 gauge is probably much tougher. Find a wad that will accommodate the shot charge you want, and whatever data you find is almost certain to include some popular choices of powders and primers.
 
Longshot, WSF, 572
Unfortunately no Unique, or Universal.
Check out 16ga.com and Ross Seyfried for low pressure
Black Powder equivalent loads - ht tps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/blackpowder-shotshell-loading/361504&ved=2ahUKEwjY2dj53J6BAxUxlIkEHXcIAH8QFnoECBAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2IIyRihMQjFovVN4QTdSCO
 
BattleRife said:
I will vote the opposite way. Powder availability is not currently poor. Wad availability for 16 gauge is probably much tougher. Find a wad that will accommodate the shot charge you want, and whatever data you find is almost certain to include some popular choices of powders and primers.
Click to expand...

I second this. You need hulls and wads, which are the limiting factor in 16 ga. Then you need data for those, and find a powder from there. North American primers are non existent right now, so Cheddite or other European primers are likely all you will find, which may or may not have data published with them. Primer substitution can raise pressures significantly, so you need to find data that includes all your components. While many suitable powders are not available, powder means nothing without hulls, wads and data. With current shortages and lack of availability, you need to work from the most limiting factor out to find a load.
 
Update - Sporteque in Drummondville appears to have gotten a whack of shotgun reloading supplies. They've got various powders, wads, Chedditehulls, Cheddite primers, and shot cards for 16 g. One stop shopping! Have a look at the Hodgdon website, and the BPI manual, away you go.
 
i load 16ga, mostly get Ballistic products wads, etc, Bilozir, and Sporteque carry there supplies,
Ballistic products, has load data on site and has a very good 16ga Manual,
I mostly use cheddite type hulls and sg-16 or Z-16 (field commander) wad for target and hunting, mut also buy the unsplit MM wads (1680)for heavy hunting field loads for geese, I have found 800X and longshot to be my best powders,
One caution i will give is the Remington wads, don't fit very well in a Cheddite hull, (most common Hull) can get powder leakage past wad base.
Higginson normally has shotgun powder, good luck,
I started out with a roll crimper and a few federal once fired hulls, and a bag of SG-16 wads, shot and powder,
 
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