Need Help with info on BP shotgun loading

[Billy Bristol]

I have decided to go BP for all my guns. I am all set with the .38 & .357 loads. My problem is I have never reloaded a shotgun shell and need any info I can get.

I will be reloading 20ga AA's using Goex. I will need info on loads, wads, primers, shot, etc.

Any help will be appreciated.

Please message me with any link's, data, or whatever help.

[Brasspounder]

Loading 20 gauge shells with BP would be about the same as loading for 12 gauge shells.

 

Any hull, any primer that fits, suitable BP powder charge, nitro card, cushion wad or cut down plastic shot cup,

a suitable shot charge (about same as for a 20 gauge smokeless shell), top card and roll crimp.

 

If using reclaimed shells, probly have to cut the shells back to remove the old crimp folds to obtain a good roll crimp. Shortened shells using the old style card wad column may not work too well in "modern" guns with

the long forcing cones...shortened plastic shot cups (the "cushion" part cut off) work better with a nitro card behind them to keep from melting the shot charge and leading the barrels ahead of the chambers.

 

If using a loading machine, a regular folded crimp can be used once the wad/shot column is adjusted around

the powder charge to be used to make things come out right.

 

Simple hand tools can be easily made to do everything but the roll or folded crimp.

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

I made some up using Circle Fly wads. Even with a very light load of BP they would handle knockdowns. It's been awhile, but about 2cc of powder is what I'm recalling.

[Tom Bullweed]

This is how I load 12-gage BP shells in my Stoeger, H&R single-barrel and Win-1887 with a lengthened chamber on a Lee Load-All.

Remington green hulls

Winchester 209 shotgun primers

1/2 of a normal FFg field load measured with a Lee spoon (APP or Goex)

1/8" overpowder card from Ballistic Products

1/2" felt wad (from Ballistic Products)

7/8 ounce shot

1/8" card (from Ballistic products)

crimp the hull as normal

There may be a slight gap between the top card and the crimp, but the shot column is held tightly in place by the overshot card.

[Lou Graham, # 26112]

The basic "starting point" is equal volume shot/powder. You will want to pattern it and then maybe adjust if you have a "donut hole" pattern. Remember CAS has closer targets so it's important to pattern at that distance. Most of the time for most guns, this works fine.

 

You want the shot cup with the smallest cushion you can find for 20 ga. I cut the petals down about halfway. It can get a little wider pattern and may also give you a nicer looking crimp. If you try a few and find you don't need to do it, don't bother. I always use an overshot card, also helps with nice crimp. I don't worry about the melted plastic in the barrels. Hot Murphy's Mix takes it all out real easy.