doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Low pressure reloads for 12 ga

I had bloopers using 7625 behind 1¼oz shot in a 12ga on a cold morning in a Duck Swamp with the load at a 7K psi level & taken directly from an older (Then current as was lead shot) DuPont manual. From that day forward it has not been on my preferred list of low pressure powders.

I like IMR 800X for my low pressure loads. Fed. Gold medal hull, windjammer wad, cci 209, 1 oz. of shot, under 5000 psi. Never had a blooper either despite people telling me I would. I've shot these loads in -10 degree weather with no problems. My only complaint is that the powder is not very clean burning, always leaves alot of residue in the tubes. Not a problem with double guns, but might suck for automatics (which I dont think the low pressure would operate them very reliably anywhoo).

Dustin

Lots of very nice low psi loads with 700X too!
Franc

Thank you all for your advise.

I load low pressure, low recoil loads using 15.0 grains of Nitro 100, 7/8 oz. of shot, Winchester gray wads and old style(compression-formed) AA shells. Pressure is 4900 psi, velocity about 1150 fps. Like some others above, I'd use one of the more popular powders that require fewer grains and are cheaper and easier to find, like 700X, Clays or Nitro 100. The loads with these powders usually start with a light shot load. Try some and you'll love it. The recoil is very light, you'll save a lot of shot, your gun and your shoulder will be happy and the targets will be just as dead. My loads operate my Beretta 390 fine and I use them for everything but trap. For trap, I go up to 16.0 grs. of Nitro 100, Green duster wads and 1 oz. shot. The faster burning powders require less shot whereas the traditional slower powders like 7625, PB and others require more grains of powder and produce MORE recoil than the faster ones, because of the charge weight, for a given velocity.

I have found that a good place to start is to use Federal Gold Medal hulls, Remington Primers, CB 1100-12 wads and PB powder and 1 oz of lead shot. Winchester Primers and PB powder don't work well in the cold weather we have in Minnesota. Velocities of 1100 fps can be achieved at less that 6000 psi. An even lower
pressure can be achieved by using Federal Top Gun empties since they have a card board base.
Mike

Like Mikes load I use Fed. Gold Metal or Top gun with 1 oz and CB 1100-12 wads. I use Winchester primers because it is what my club buys in bulk. Fortunately there are not to many sub zero days in Indiana.

I also shoot a lot of black powder loads; 70 grns. of 2F with nitro and cushion wads and 1 oz of shot. Works great for skeet.

I shoot IMR7625, 1 oz and federal gold medal hulls for informal blasting with this gun. I may still shoot federal paper, uni wad and 1 1/8 oz for another clays shoot comming up in which I won 2 years ago with this load giving me 1200 FPS and about 5000 PSI. I am down to my last bag of UNI wads though and when they are gone, then no more.