doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Reloads for Winchester Low Recoil Low Noise Shells

I know it has been discussed repeatedly on here but I'm looking to start reloading and my starter shells will be the Winchester LRLN shells. I want to send 1oz of lead downrange between 1050fps and 1150fps with pressures less than 7k. Any confirmed, good loads? Thank you.

What powders do you have? Start with the Hodgden website since Alliant powders are nonexistent

Someone can probably give you better advice, but I would try to pick up a Hodgdon reloading manual or something similar at your local gun supply store. (They're usually free). That way you can figure all of the different combinations. Most reloaders do. Good luck with your reloading.

This is right from the Hodgdon site https://hodgdonreloading.com/rldc/ The factory specs for the Winchester AA Lite, Powder: Winchester AA Lite, Primer: Win. 209, Wad: J-XL-1, Grs. 12.4, Pressure: 4900, Velocity: 970. Change to 13 grs. powder, Remington TGT-12 wad, 6500 PSI, and 1,025 fps.
There are different loads to pick from.

Don't currently have powder or components.

That's a good start. Thank you!

Looks like 13g of Perfect Pattern powder with Winchester components will satisfy my needs. 1oz, 1050fps, 6900psi. Any feedback on Perfect Pattern?

I've been using it 12 grs at a time in a cheddite or similar hull cut to 2" with a BPI short shell wad, 15/16 oz of lead, and a roll crimp for 1125 fps. 6300 psi.

The powder really meters nicely in any decent powder measure (I use a Redding). Very nice to shoot and great patterns.

AA Lite was discontinued over 10 years ago.

Perfect Pattern is good, I've used about 6 pounds so far.

It's dirty... your hands will be filthy after shooting.

The price of it has gone up 30% since its introduction last year.

Expect more of that since Hodgdon is about to become the monopoly they've always wanted to be.

I believe Winchester Super Target has replaced AA Lite.

It’s a different powder. The two are not interchangeable, not that you’re implying that.

Super Target has gotten absurdly expensive, and the rumor is that 244 is ‘replacing’ Super Target in the lineup.

The Winchester brand is known for this kind of product instability.

Alliant (former Hercules) which has announced their exit from the market at least stayed with their various products. Some of them for over a century.

This whole powder/primer supply issue stinks. It reeks of political manipulation and corporate greed.

Personally, when my supplies are exhausted in a few years I’m finished with this hobby. Costs are just insane both shells and targets.

I’m going to sell all this stuff and take up something more rewarding like submarine rides to the Titanic.

Hodgdon will only be a monopoly because Alliant had just about stopped selling any powder, at any price. Without Hodgdon I doubt anybody would reload anything. And their prices still lag behind Alliant by about ten bucks a pound.

I was just wondering vam5067. You mentioned having a low noise shell. Do you wear ear plugs when you shoot? I shoot 2-3 times a week and that's what I use for silencing gun noise. 👍

I tend to agree with this. Hodgdon was pretty reasonably priced powder for many decades. They got their start when Bruce Hodgdon became an entrepreneur before I was born, and bought up train-car loads of WWII surplus military powder, and sold it at a very cheap price to reloaders.

I read varying accounts of why powder, primers, and other components have gotten so expensive. Supposedly nitrocellulose and other chemicals are in short supply, but the chemicals used to make nitrocellulose have always been pretty cheap and readily available. Some industry insiders say that stringent EPA regulations have caused manufacturers to either close plants, or charge a lot more, so electing a pro-gun President who is also against excess government regulations helped matters prior to 2020, and if Trump is re-elected, it could help us again.

Then there is the increased cost of brass, bullet metal, primers, and powder due to wars, conflicts, and foreign policy disasters of the past 3 1/2 years with Biden and company. Supplying Ukraine for all that time, along with stockpiling for a conflict with China due to poor Democrat leadership isn't helping. Trump quickly stomped ISIS into submission, was intelligently winding down our presence in Afghanistan, and kept Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran from starting any new conflicts. It only took Biden a couple months to screw all that up, even worse than it had been under Obama. And of course, there is still a lot of hoarding by shooters who understand that the Democrats are always doing all they can to restrict supply and increase the costs of shooting through legislation and threat of lawsuits.

Another big factor is the general inflation rate since Biden took office. Because of Bidenomics, every dollar you had saved in 2020 has now lost about 20% of its' value. The dollars you earn now purchase less overall. This affects manufacturers too, so when they pay more for raw materials, fuel, energy, transportation, loan interest, regulations, taxes, and wages... then naturally those costs will be passed onto us. Older shooters on fixed incomes will be impacted even more than younger shooters who may still see at least some wage increases over time. That's why Ronald Reagan famously said, "Inflation is the cruelest tax of all."

Re the low noise-low recoil loads: I've always lived and shot in the Upper Midwest at clubs that continue shooting during the winter when it can get very cold. If you reduce velocity too much, you may find yourself with loads that start sounding real poofy (I've noticed that with guys shooting the factory low noise-low recoil loads when the temps drop below freezing.) I believe it was the late Bob Brister who wrote that the best recoil reducer is good hearing protection. Will also keep your ears warmer in the winter.