I have done a lot of rifle and handgun reloading but am just about to start on my first shotshell reloading mission with the 16 gauge. I was wondering what powders are in favor for these loads - my preference is for cleaner burning. What are the thoughts out there on Hodgdon Longshot? In addition, any pet 16 ga loads that anyone can recommend would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

I love the 16ga and use it for all of my pheasant hunting. I have 2 sxs 16's one very light expensive spanish side lock double that I use alot and one turkish double that is alot beefier with a greener lock up. I will give you max loads from Ballistic products which I shoot in my turkish double and pet loads I shoot in the side lock. I shoot anywhere from 1 ounce to 1 1/8 oz field loads usally a fast 1 oz load in barrel 1 and a heavier 1 1/16-1 1/8oz in tube 2. The max load for 1 oz is a Fiocci or Cheddite high brass hull with Fiocci or Chedite primer 24 gr of universal clays a trap commander wad 1oz of #5 1/2 or #6 nickel plated shot and a over shot card for 1515 fps. The 2nd max load is same hulls 28 gr of long shot a trap commander wad 1 1/8oz of #5 1/2 np shot and over shot card for 1465 fps. My pet loads are same everything for 1 oz except 23 gr of univ clays. A 1 1/16 oz #5 1/2 np load with same hull and wad with 27.5 gr of long shot and a 1 1/8oz np load same everything but 26 gr of longshot. You may be wondering about #5 1/2 shot you can get it from Ballistic products and it is magic in the 16ga. The 16ga carries like a 20 and hits like a 12.

A good place to start is Ballistic Products' 16-gauge reloading guide. www.ballisticproducts.com

I use the Ballistic Products 16 gauge loads. I also use the Precision Reloading data. The PR data includes loads using the Remington black hulls.

I use loads that use Unique and Universal Clays with the Italian wads that PR sells or the Sporting wad that BP sells. Mostly I do this because I had those powders for 20 gauge and 28 gauge. Universal Clays is cleaner than Unique, though Unique's better than it was a couple years ago.

HTH,

Steve

WunderDog,

Look up the 16 gauge society on-line. You'll find more information that you can imagine on the 16 gauge and reloading for it.

If you really like the 16 gauge join the group, the're a good bunch.

The Lyman 4th Shotshell Reloading handbook lists a fair number of loads for the 16. One of my favorites is their 30.5 grain load of HS-7 (Winchester 571) in the Federal Plastic cases,the SP-16 Remington wad/Win 209 primer and 1-1/4 oz. of shot, but Hodgdon has discontinued HS-7 and it is pretty hard to find.

Definitely join the 16 gauge reloading group. Even though they load for low pressure they have some good loads for modern guns. I like Universal for 16 gauge. It's very clean burning and not as loud as Longshot. I have many loads with Unique and Green Dot. The recent versions of those powders are much , much cleaner burning than they used to be. Nothing in the 16 will be as clean as Clays, though, and Clays is too fast for the 16.

Thanks for the responses. I have looked @ the 16ga society as well as the Ballistic Products site. I am waiting for the new version of the Lyman shotshell manual and will probably pick that up as well. I am sure this will be an ongoing learning process as all reloading seems to be. Any input on the Fiocchi hulls? I have seen a lot of info on the Remington hulls but have a source for relatively cheap Fiocchi shells and will pick some up if the hulls are decent for reloads.

Ballistic Products sells the Fiocchi hulls. They crimp really good compared to some of the cheddite hulls BP sells. I have a bunch of both and will take the Fiocchi over any of them.

I agree that the new Fiocchi's crimp better than the Imperial Cheddites (dark blue) but the Fiocchi's are horrible for their second and third reloadings.

I have shot and reloaded for 16 ga since 1956,and at the moment,i have found the best results for velocities and obtaining the most loads out of a pound of powder i use Blue dot or 2400. vangunsmith

check out 16ga.com . Great site for the 16. Not sure if its the same as the 16 gauge society mentioned above. I use Unique, as I load the 20 and 28, and various pistols with it as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Doubless:
The Lyman 4th Shotshell Reloading handbook lists a fair number of loads for the 16. One of my favorites is their 30.5 grain load of HS-7 (Winchester 571) in the Federal Plastic cases,the SP-16 Remington wad/Win 209 primer and 1-1/4 oz. of shot, but Hodgdon has discontinued HS-7 and it is pretty hard to find.

Blue dot is about the same speed as HS-7 but I don't know how it compares in loads (grs). I love the 16 also & my hot turkey load is 27 grains of 4756 and a BP shot cup (12 ga) over a card OP & a 1/2" fiber wad. 1 1/4 oz #5 copper shot. I use this load in brass cases in my drilling with great success. Got both my gobblers this year & last with it.

Forgot to mention, the old Lyman Shotshell Handbook #2 has a lot of very good 16 ga loads that I use regularly. If you can find one, I'd buy it. I also have a 97 Win. 16 ga that I love to shoot.
Greg

The 16 ga society of the website and the 16 low pressure group merged a couple of years back. There is ample data for low pressure 5400 psi 7/8ths oz loads in Fiochhi hulls to 1260 fps 1 1/8 oz at a mere 9000 psi. The Fiocchi hull is a fine hull and when proper load development is done they can be shot to 10 reloads without problem. The problems arise from all this excessive worry about "clean" powders- it only matters in an 1100 type slush o matic. Those clean powders also scortch case mouths decreasing reloading life. Longshot is another particularly hard on case mouths. If you "need" more than 1250 fps I say you "need" a 12ga 3.5 or a 10 gauge. Do not be fooled by the hyper velocity claims.

Couple of things I'll mention here, one will be an echo of Brayhaven above. I have loaded for the 16 ga some 40 yrs [!] and my favorite heavy loads in a Browning auto have always used SR4756 [ducks, pheasant, etc.] while for light loads [dove, quail, etc.] I favor RedDot. I don't say these are the best just that they work and I use them.
W-W used to load the 'UpLand' shells in 16 ga and if you can find some of them, they are the best I have ever reloaded. These have the one piece drawn plastic shell with low brass. I don't know if anyone else offers a one piece case or not, most of the other brands I have loaded have a seperate base wad.
Hope some of this helps. The sixteen was and is a great guage and I regret it has fallen from popularity. I willed my eldest grandson the 16 ga Browning 3 shot auto my father bought new in 1930 and I hope he will enjoy it as much as I have even though he is only 8 now. I have always wanted to own a really good quality SXS in 16 bore even though I don't shoot a SXS very well.

Take a look at the reloading forum on 16ga.com

Lots of good info there.

Do any of you guys need 60 or so Winchester 16 ga, Expert, heavy field load hulls. These are compression formed hulls and they look like the old Winchester AA hulls. Most are 8 point crimp with some 6 point. You can have them for the postage. (I haven't checked on this but my zip is 39480)

Duckhunter:
You have mail re the hulls.