I can not find data for a 16 gauge reload that will crimp right.
All of the published data I have tried does not fill the hull completely.
Every load I have tried is sunken in the middle sometimes spilling shot.
I do not want to add filler (spent primers, puffed wheat etc.). Do any of you guys have a recipie that results in a nice cleanly crimped hull?
Thank you, Pete

16 gauge reloading is a challenge. But at least--other than a really good hull--there are better components out there. Especially wads for loads lighter than 1 ounce. Used to be we had to use filler.

There is a 16ga reloaders group with a lot of data.

I have reliable 7/8 oz recipes using the black Rem hull with Unique powder and the Claybuster wad, as well as Herters hulls, 20/28 powder, and the DR-16 wad (although those wads are hard to find currently).

Have you tried www.16ga.com?

There are lots of published loads that are simply bad recipes. Many couple undersized wads with large capacity hulls. For example the Remington and old Winchester compression formed hulls work best with wads with a smaller diameter (Remington, Winchester/Claybuster). The larger capacity hulls like Federal, Cheddite/Herter's, Fiocchi, and non-compression formed Winchesters (which are Cheddite hulls) work best with larger diameter wads like the Gualandi/SG16, Z16 (B&P), and Cheddite wads.

If you post your load I can pretty much tell you what's going on.

There is a spreadsheet of 16 gauge loads on 24HrCampfire website that originated from the Yahoo 16 gauge users group.
Bulky powders and Guilandi SG-16 wad are your friend in Cheddite or Federal hulls, if you want to avoid fillers.
If you are like me, and cannot always get the ideal wad or powder, or just want to use what you have - cut 5/8 diameter styrofoam wads from meat trays to put in the shot cup, under the shot.

Thanks for the replies.
The load I am using now is.. 2 3/4" Cheddite hull
209 Cheddite primer
19.9 gr. Hodgdon Universal Clays
Claybuster CB0078-16 wad
1 oz. lead shot
I had been using the Claybuster CB0100-16 wad that is called for in a 1 oz. load, but the crimps were unusable,
they were sunken in and the shot was running out. The wad I'm using now, Claybuster CB0078-16 is supposed to be used in 7/8 oz. loads,
but it makes the 1 oz. loads usable, but far from perfect. ( the CB0078-16 wad has a little nub in the bottom of the shot cup)
Pete

The 16 ga. Claybuster wads load best in the small capacity hulls like Remington and old compression-formed Winchesters. With the mismatched diameters you will eventually get powder migration and bloopers. The stack height is also bad as you've learned. I wonder how they come up with these loads.

If you're staying with the Cheddite hulls, I'd pick up the Gualandi (Ballistic Products "Sporting 16") or the B&P wad (Z16 or "Field Commander"). Another wad, the DR-16 (Down Range Wads) make up nice 7/8 oz. loads in a large hull like the Cheddite or Federal. The DR-16's have been tough to get lately.

If you have Remington or old CF Winchesters hulls the Claybuster wads work out fine. I like the CB0078-16 wads in Remington hulls for 7/8 oz. target loads.

I have used the Gualandi wads with terrible results. But I have never tried the Z16 or field Commander wads, maybe they will solve my problem.
But the loads with the CB0078-16 wads are passable for now. Thank you.

Have the same problem, I use a small slice of 1/2 inch backer (ethafoam, whatever it is called) rod on top of the shot.

Problems reloading the 16s are common. I use pop corn (hold the butter and salt) often to fill. I shoot 3/4 oz exclusively in 16 (and most other gauges). I like the Claybuster wads for 7/8. I am told they make wads for 3/4 oz but have never seen them. I use 16 grains of Green Dot. It's a nice load and works well.

[quote=sxsman1]I have used the Gualandi wads with terrible results.

I'm curious about the problem that you encountered with the SG16 wad, because I have found it to be excellent in straight walled hulls.
Claybuster 16 gauge wads have the smallest diameter skirt, which leads to powder migration and bloopers, in cartridges carried around in the field.
It's hard to find a straight willow on the Prairie, when you have a stuck wad, a long way from the vehicle.

I have tried the Gualandi wads, with the same problem I have been writing about, they don't fill the hull and I can't get a decent crimp with them. What load are you using? I would like to use them because I have a very large supply .
I don't have trouble with powder migration with the WAA 7/8 clones.
Pete

There's SG16 and a short SG16s. I don't use the "short".
Filling the hull is all about density of powder once you have a wad with the tallest cushion section.
SG-16 has the tallest crush section - and the powder cup is filled with little bumps that take up more space.
For example - 24 grains of SR4756, SG-16, and 1 ounce #8 shot is a perfect fit in Cheddite hulls.

sxsman1

If you wish a better crimp, use your current load and add a "Cheerio or a Cocoa Puff" above the wad and either under or over the shot.

Bio-degradable and unseen when shot.

If you will try this, please report back on your results

This method works GREAT for me.

Mike

When Cabela's first started selling the Herters (Cheddite) shells at very reasonable prices (real bargains when they were on sale!), I initially tried the Claybuster wads. As suggested here, they didn't work for 7/8 oz loads. The DR-16's work really well. Got my hands on a bunch of the black Rem Game Load hulls. The 7/8 oz Claybusters work very well in those. And as far as 16ga 7/8 oz wads go, the Claybusters are about the easiest ones to find, and the least expensive. I looked through old loading data using the Win WAA 1 oz wad in the Rem hulls. The Claybuster is essentially a clone of the Win 1 oz wad, with that little bump in the bottom of the cup to reduce space for lighter loads so no filler is required. Works like a charm. If only those Rems didn't have such brittle case mouths . . .

Larry, those black Remington hulls do get crispy, but for recreational targets as long as they hold the shot in place I'm good. They get ugly, but I've gotten 5 to 10 loadings on many of them. A split or two is no problem. I just shake my head when I hear of someone tossing them after one case-mouth split. I've got large tub of the green Remingtons 16 gauge hulls I'm going to start on this winter.

No filler is needed. You’re putting the wad too far down into the Hull. When you seat the wad & shot, only push it pass the wad guide fingers on the press. You’ll hear an audible click when you pass the fingers. It’ll crimp perfectly after that. If you hold the finished shell up to the light, you’ll see that the base of the wad is seated just on your powder charge. When you crimp the shell, the crimp will seat the wad/shot in the perfect position. There is no need for a lot of wad pressure in these loadings. I’ve been doing this for years with fantastic results. Most of my 16 bore loads are 7/8 Oz too. 1 Oz will crimp even better.

I do this for the two types of wads I use for the 16. The SG16 (2.5” loads) and the DR (in 2 3/4” hulls).

I've abandoned loading 16ga 2 3/4 and just load 2 1/2" now that way I never have to mate the proper length shell to the shotgun, they all shoot 2 1/2" fine. Cheddite hulls SG-16-s wads, 7/8oz 8s and Greendot.

That's a really nice load, Oskar. I've got 1,000 or so short hulls that get the same components. My bread and butter 2 3/4" load is the Remington hull, Claybuster 0078-16 wad, 15 gr. Green Dot or Int. Clays, and a W209. Hopefully those W209's come back.

No Fillers. Cheddite hulls\Ched primers. No dishing.



Green 15.5-17.2 Green Dot and DR-16 with 7/8 oz.

Purple Herters (Cheddite) 16.5-17.2 Green Dot and SG-16 with 1 oz.

No adjustments on the 9000 between the 2 I can live with the occasional swirl, it doesn't hurt anything. Will be loading 4-5K of the 1 oz. this winter.

There's an easy solution for stuck wads in a situation like that, a "wad knocker". Range shooters carry them all the time. It's just a piece of brass rod about three/four inches long and less than bore diameter. Your drop it down the bore and it "knocks" the stuck wad out the other end. Mine doubles as a handle for a chamber brush.

http://www.comp-n-choke.com/product/TorBrsh.html

DT, I'm with you. I don't pitch them after one use. I seldom use reloads when hunting anyhow. They're all for breaking targets, mostly non-competitive skeet. As far as that goes, the Herters (Cheddite) hulls aren't that great either.

It's a better world these days for 16ga reloaders--or at least it is when you can find the components you need. But other than a really good, reloadable hull, everything we need to reload 7/8 oz without filler is out there.

I've gone the other direction. Got back into 16ga reloading more seriously when Cabela's started selling the Herters shells and I found the right wad (DR-16) to use in them. More recently started reloading the black Rems. I know a lot of guys who reload 2 1/2", but I've always stuck with 2 3/4". Great to be able to do that without using filler. I've been reloading mostly the black Rems with the CB wad since the DR's have gotten hard to come by.

Thanks for the reminder Stan.
The wad knocker is the solution to a stuck wad, but only if it is always in your upland vest.
The real solution to bloopers is carefully crafted hand loads, using the correct wad for the case, and avoiding loads at the lowest pressure level, which might misfire on a frosty morning.