doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Status of RST Shot Shells

Good call. I’ve been reloading rifle and pistol ammo for over 25 years, but never did shotgun up until a few years ago. Obviously, I’m still massively green at it. It started with this gun and I’ve migrated over to my modern 10 gauge browning gold. But you’re right the whole reason I started with shotgun reloading is because the patterns were super horrible out of the RST ammo. The whole point was I wanted to load ammo loaded with real black powder for it with low pressures so I don’t have to worry about losing eyes and fingers in worrying if someone else didn’t do something right with the ammo they manufactured. I have a really good recipe for this gun with cut down roll crimped plastic hulls. It’s 100 grains of FG and one and 1 5/8 oz number six nickel plated shot. I use a half inch nitro card and just an overshot card. I’m going to eliminate the nitro card and try it with a plastic shot cup and see if I can improve my groups. Yes, I’m aware that plastic will melt in the barrel from the shot cup so I will inspect and clean between every firing. Looking for a good tight turkey load. The nitro card load works just fine. I just want a better pattern.



I’ve tried to square load in it with 4 1/2 grains(116 grains) of DuPont FG and one and 5/8 ounces of NZpI #6’s. It patterns better with a little less powder(100 grains) and also less recoil to boot.

I love the fireballs it makes with black powder that’s for sure!!!



I’ve been using cardboard overshot cards, but I found some plastic clear learning chips at the dollar store the other day that fit perfectly. I figured they’re gonna be more of a waterproof option for turkey hunting, and a little bit more durable to boot. I should’ve used the color other than red. I will next time so I can see inside of the shot cups better. The two on the left are my hand loads next to the factory RST 2 7/8” ammo.



And some with cardboard so cards…



The ones with plastic overshot cards I just loaded a couple days ago. I removed about 13 grains of lead shot and added 13 grains back in my load with BPI original buffer. The load that I didn’t use a nitro card on and instead used a BPI tough wad shot cup that I cut down to 1.458” so it would fit in my load. I can deal with a little plastic to clean out of my barrels. If my pattern greatly improves I’ll probably take them out in the next day or two and pattern them at 25 and 40 yards. That’s the best part about black powder. Is there going to be way less pressure than any smokeless load and it’s pretty much almost full proof to screw up loading with black powder in my opinion.

The point of reloading, at the present, is to have something to shoot in the old guns, not save money. I’m still working with pre-Covid components, so I am saving money, but again, that’s not the point. Since the USA is now the world’s self-appointed policeman, the powder companies could give a rat’s a$$ about the reloader. It takes two 8 lb jugs of ExtraLite to fire one 155mm howitzer shell. Learn to reload, especially 2.5” shells. You won’t regret it.

The reason I started reloading these is not because the lack of ammo, which obviously is the only way you’re going to shoot this thing, is because I wanted a good tight turkey pattern and to take a turkey with it. Well, my bucket list was hit as you can see in the photo above. Still working on and off with loads looking a tighter pattern. It probably the only thing I’ll ever use this gun for. Maybe someday I’ll take it coyote calling to shoot a predator just for giggles. I tried some lead number twos in it but I was less than impressed with same load I used above, but substituted the number twos in the payload. I’m sure with a plastic shot cup and some buffer like I’m doing now with greatly increase the pattern enough to at least try and get a coyote in my lap to drill.



But you’re 100% correct, if you don’t reload, you will not be shooting a gun like this. Especially if RST goes out of business or stops making 10 gauge loads. All I can say is they pattern horribly in my gun so there are no options for me unless I reload for it. I literally only get 17 or 18 pellets at the most on a turkey head target at 25 yards with RST ammo. In #6’s. Number fives are half of that for patterns. I don’t know why but my gun sure doesn’t like that stuff. I barely get a good enough pattern the way it is at 25 yards with a one and five eights and loaded hand loaded using a nitro card. Hopefully the plastic shot cup in buffer is the answer. I’ll find out soon.

Tripple
Check your private messages, when you have a chance.

Like you, I too load black powder for 16, 12, 10, 8, and 4 gauge. I use plastic shot cups for hunting almost exclusively. I can go 15 to 20 shots before I need to clean the plastic out of the barrel. I can testify that plastic definitely patterns better than cardboard and felt wads. Velocity is also more consistent. In a 10 gauge I I have to cut 3/4 of the petals off of the wad to get everything to fit. I load 105 grains of swiss 1 1/2 with #6 and English 7's. That is my go to pheasant load and it drops birds with authority. As an added bonus when you shoot a round of skeet with black powder it wakes your companions right up!

Is there any reason you do not use 3f to save space?

No Need 100 to 110 grains is all you need with 1 1/4 ounce of shot. Besides, FFF comes with more recoil.

3f wont recoil more, if you load to the same velocity.

But whatever works. I remember loading well over 100 grains early on.

When I first started, I tried to square load 4 1/2 drams and 1 5/8 oz of #6’s. I was, and still am, using DuPont FG. 4 1/2 drans which is around 123.75 grains. Basically 27.5 grains per dram. I also tried 116 grains and 100 grains. The hundred grain load definitely patterned the best. I figured out that I found a little heavier on shot than my powder charge. I get better patterns. I might actually get brave enough and try an1 7/8 oz and 2 ounce load with 90/95/ & if it doesn’t feel harsh for recoil I’ll work my way to a 100 grains of FG…some day. I’ve done some reading that there were 2.5 oz loads found in old factory ammo that was pulled down. I need that much of a payload. I’ll shoot my modern 10 and not lose any sleep about it coming apart. I would assume if I go heavier than 1.58 ounces I probably wanna stick to that 90 to 95 grain powder charge to keep pressures down. Comment above I do have double F and triple F I just haven’t tried either of them. I figured they might cause higher pressures and velocities? Still trying to work on a good turkey load and only experimented a few times so I’m gonna stick to my one and 5/8 for a while and see if I can get it to tighten up with a plastic shot cup and buffer first.

I think the reason I stuck with FG is because I read that FFG, FFFG, and FFFG, along with Goex and pyrodex powders causes increased pressures. I was paranoid and wanted to stick with the lowest pressures as possible, since I just started reloading for the gun.

So what is the burn rate for 2F and 3F versus FG? I’m curious if there’s a burn rate chart between these and how much do down load to get the same velocity and pressures between them?