Somehow, I got a couple of boxes of 16 ga shells loaded with an ounce of #8's and 18 grains of Blue Dot. This is 12 grains short of what was supposed to be loaded.

Will they do weird things pressure-wise if I just plink or shoot rabbits with them...should I just unload them and salvage the powder and shot? Thanks.

I am not positive, but I don't think there is any danger. However, you might have ignition problems, producing bloopers, especially if it is really cold.

Easiest answer is to go out and try a couple and see what happens. If you have a chrono that would help. I am STRICTLY guessing but I'd think your velocity will be in the 900fps range if you get good ignition.

Personally, I wouldn't use them for hunting, unless you're potting rabbits our of your garden.

All in all, I'd probably just salvage them but, like I said, I'd try a couple first and see what happens.

Thanks, Gato. If they were centerfire rifle rounds, I'd just unload them. I'll give a couple a try. Rabbits, clay pigeons, or those pesky, ubiquitous crows (that some seem to think are protected ) might be the only targets. Fifty rounds out of a couple thousand isn't a big deal...and it'll take me longer to unload them than to just blast 'em.

Ive seen guys at the trap range shoot some "blewpers" with no powder. Reloaded some after powder ran out.

The only real worry is having a wad stick in the choke then firing a full power round behind it....

That wouldn't do the barrel any good.

AD

I'm not gonna let that happen...I've come to love little Elsie too much!

Well, those 60% loads shot ok...left some unburned powder, but otherwise there was surprisingly little difference in felt recoil between the 18 grain loads and the 30 grain loads. Go figger.

One of my/our (meaning me and a couple of hunting buddies) hunting loads we used over the years was 1 3/8 of shot, AA hulls and ABOUT (this is from memory and I'm not going to quote exact figures, look it up or if you're really interested I'll can probably find it for you) 30 Grains of Unique. Reasonably low recoil load about 1100 fps that patterned very well and was deadly on pheasants, sharpies, or huns, using 6s or larger for pheasants, depending on time of season. Was equally deadly on decoying ducks with 4s or larger when lead was legal.

OTOH, one time I read a load for skeet which used (I think, this was 25 years ago or so) 4756 and the muzzle velocity was over 1500 fps. First one I shot, which had substantial recoil and a LOUD booming noise, people came running to see if a gun had blown up. It hadn't and I didn't have any pressure problems, except on my shoulder. That little experiment was short lived.