doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Safe shells forDamascus ?

My loads with 7625 are listed in the Lyman manual at 8500 psi and 1300 fps...I could see where a real low pressure load could give you problems in cold weather.

I didn't know what was going on with 7625 until I read 2-piper's experiences a few years ago. I switched to 700X for low-pressure and haven't looked back.

King,
I believe that 700x has a burnrate close to Hodgdon Clays that I use. When I started loading during my heavy skeet shooting yrs, I started with Unique because that's what I had laying around from my IPSC pistol shooting. When I got tired of looking like a coalminer coming home, I switched to 700x and later to Clays when it came out.

Before I begin to reload my own shotshells, I am reading books, posts, etc., before I even purchase the reloading press. A guy at the local skeet/trap club will sell me a MEC 600 jr. to get started. I am reading this with interest as I also have damascus bbl guns and I want to keep pressures between 5000 and 6000. The first reloading book I purchased was yesterday, "The Complete Reloading Manual for the 12 Gauge Shotshell" published by Loadbooks USA, Inc. On the cover it claims to have 10,000+ proven, tested loads. Is this an okay book? Are there better ones? So far in this post, I've seen 7625, PB, and 700x powders listed. Are these considered "slow burn" powders? Just looking to get started reloading. Thanks for the help and knowledge shared here.

King, this may be true with the 12 gauge.
But SR-7625 is my go to powder for low pressure 16 gauge loads, and Unique for the 20 gauge. However, I don't do alot of shooting in below freezing temps.

Red,
The burnrates of powders can be generalized but not 'nailed down'. In general, the burnrate charts out there on the web and in loading manuals will show 7625 being slowest of the three you mentioned and 700x being fastest of those three. One of many burnrate charts can be found here. http://home.hiwaay.net/~stargate/powder/powder.htm

Take all of these charts with a grain of salt. Also, make sure you know what maker of the powder is for the pressure/velocity data you're using. There are many numbers assigned to powders that are the same from maker to maker but pressures/burnrates can vary. One makers 4350 is not the same as another's.

If you're loads are 1 oz or less in a 12g, I see no reason to use powders as slow as 7625. Just my opinion.

Thank you, Chuck. There seems to be alot more reloading data for Win. AA hulls rather than Rem. STS. I have 250 Rem. STS hulls to begin with, and no AA's. Does anyone know of a book or source, or have data for Rem STS's to move a 7/8 to 1 oz load, 1100 to 1200 fps, with 5000-6000 psi.?
Thanks

Yes - Again, look at the IMR website. I see one load at 5200 psi @1200 fps, and there are others close to 6000. Bill

Bill, I did not even think to look at the website for info. Thanks for the help.

There are several factors which make a slower powder more effecient in a smaller gauge as 16/20 than in the 12gauge. First & generally speaking you are using the same primer to light a smaller charge in a smaller space, thus better ignition. Second & this also isa generalization, but usually the smaller gauge will be loaded heavier in proportion & will also have more bore friction even for the same proportionate load. In proportion to a 1oz load in 12ga a 16 would have a 13/16oz load & a 20ga just over 11/16 (23/32 actually). These gauges are seldom loaded that light but the 12ga is quite often used with a 1oz load. Keep in mind though the 7625 load which let me down was a 1¼oz one in 12ga, though it was loaded in the old Rem SP hull with paper base wad & a mild primer (CCI 157). "IF" you feel you just have to go to those extremely low pressure loads with a slow powder use the lowest pressure you can with a hot primer & hot case (AA etc). Personally any gun I did not trust with a 7500 psi load when I went afield I would leave on the rack at the house. 1oz of shot @ 1200 fps is going to stress the action, stock etc etc about the same regardless of max chamber pressure. The max chamber pressure is primarily going to affect the Chamber walls. Except for very early guns built before introduction of smokeless, some of which are fairly light in the breeches, the chamber is about the strongest part of a shotgun. Those on which it is not I personally reserve for only light loads of BP.