Originally Posted by
bigcountry
What really amazes me about shotshell loadin is the vast differences in data for various hulls/wads. And I feel kinda powerless. I just have to trust the load data provided.
When reloading trap/skeet/quail/dove loads I allow myself some latitude in substitution. I fill a hull with water and pour it into a different hull and if it appears to have the same internal volume I will substitute it.....but we're talking 8500 PSI loads here.
Also some primers can be substituted....(sorry but I don't have the list right now but at least one Federal and one Fiocci primer is extremely hot and not to be substituted) but one needs to know this.
When I load serious hunting loads it's religiously to the recipe. Frankly it's nonsense to me but I trust it and so far it has worked quite well. IMO rifle reloading is a lot more understandable and I'm far more comfortable doing it.
For loading lead shot for pheasants I use just about anyone's data....Hodgdon's primarily but also Alliant as longshot and blue dot are my "go to" powders for hunting loads. However when it comes to steel, buckshot, slugs, and the unusual stuff it's BPI all the way....they have done the testing and have the good data and products. I never use data from internet posters as the chance of typo errors just is too great.
Fully agree.....shotshell loading is totally a different field.....
Now if I can muster the ambition to understand black powder....