Hodgdon Perfect Pattern Gunpowder - Development of LNLR equivalent shotgun loading data

[Krazy Kajun]

I normally load Clays or ClayDot gunpowder for shotgun loads for Cowboy with the intent to replicate "FeatherLite" LNLR shells which have a velocity of 980 FPS. I use 1 oz. of shot because I like to....some people load 3/4 or 7/8 oz. and that's fine for them. With Clays and Claydot powder being really scarce and other "old faithful" powders in short supply I ran across Perfect Pattern gunpowder from Hodgdon which is readily available.  You can find load data on Hodgdon's website for this powder.

 

In looking at the loading data on their website if you try and load less than 1 oz. of shot you really couldn't get down to a velocity in the range of 980 FPS.  I saw some lighter recoil loadings in the 1 oz. range so I loaded some in the range and then chronographed the loads at the range.  I reload on a MEC reloader so I included the bushing and grains of powder for each load I tested.  I used a 1 oz. wad from Claybuster. The results are in the table below. 

 

Note that Perfect Pattern gunpowder isn't as "fluffy" as Clays and as such the height of the gunpowder in the wad column is not as high.  This resulted in the crimp being impressed into the shot shell and not flat.  You can add an overshot card to raise the wad column so that the crimp is level.

 

Hodgdon Perfect Pattern
MEC Bushing	Gr Powder	Oz Shot	Velocity FPS
#14	13.3	1.0	985
#15	14.0	1.0	1,020
#16	15.3	1.0	1,090

 

Please note that these are my results and are not to be taken as official Hodgdon load data.  This information is being shared as a "starting" place for those that may want to develop their own loads. YMMV.

 

Kajun

 

 

[Tarheel Doc]

I use a Mec 13a. I really like it. 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Yeah, I make sporting clays loads with Perfect Pattern, using about 16.4 grains (range is on the powder bottle) with 1 ounce of shot.  In a Remington Gun Club or STS design hull with a Nobel Sport 688 or a Win 209 primer,  that makes an nice 1200 FPS clay target load.  Breaks birds well enough I use it in registered matches.

 

"A little less fluffy than Clays"  --- well, that is because Perfect Pattern is just about the densest, flattened ball shotgun powder made!  Comparing it to any of the flake powders it will always be be a lot less fluffy.   And due to the 30-40% nitroglycerin content of Perfect Pattern (or TiteGroup as well), leaving that powder in a polystyrene powder hopper for several days will eat up the hopper.  I had one soften so badly it collapsed like a tired sock that lost it's elastic.  Polystyrene has a faint smell of vomit to my nose, RCBS and Hornady use it in their loaders.    MEC uses a polyethylene bottle and not a problem there if you don't empty the powder hopper.

 

For cowboy loads I am currently using Clay Dot, as I stocked up WELL on that at the beginning of the panic.

 

good luck, GJ

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I use 14 grains of PP and 7/8 oz shot.  I need an overshot card to get a good crimp.  The recoil is a little sharper than Extra-Lite which I prefer.  Nevertheless, it's good to have an available shotgun powder suitable for light loads.

[Wild Eagle]

Since most of our "cowboy" loads are with much less powder than skeet or hunting loads, I have found that if I use 7/8 oz. of shot with a 3/4oz. wad I will get the correct stack height.  A couple of others that I know use 7/8 oz. wads with 1 oz. of shot to achieve the right stack height.  I find it easier than using a overshot card since I don't have to do anything special.

[Jack Spade]

Wild Eagle beat me to it but if you use the next size smaller shot wad you should get a better crimp, 7/8 oz wad with 1oz of shot or 3/4 oz wad with 7/8 oz of shot.  I have had to do this with some clay target loads with titegroup/high gun. 

[Bingo Montana]

All good info,  thanks. 

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

4 hours ago, Krazy Kajun said:

I normally load Clays or ClayDot gunpowder for shotgun loads for Cowboy with the intent to replicate "FeatherLite" LNLR shells which have a velocity of 980 FPS. I use 1 oz. of shot because I like to....some people load 3/4 or 7/8 oz. and that's fine for them. With Clays and Claydot powder being really scarce and other "old faithful" powders in short supply I ran across Perfect Pattern gunpowder from Hodgdon which is readily available.  You can find load data on Hodgdon's website for this powder.

 

In looking at the loading data on their website if you try and load less than 1 oz. of shot you really couldn't get down to a velocity in the range of 980 FPS.  I saw some lighter recoil loadings in the 1 oz. range so I loaded some in the range and then chronographed the loads at the range.  I reload on a MEC reloader so I included the bushing and oz. of powder for each load I tested.  I used a 1 oz. wad from Claybuster. The results are in the table below. 

 

Note that Perfect Pattern gunpowder isn't as "fluffy" as Clays and as such the height of the gunpowder in the wad column is not as high.  This resulted in the crimp being impressed into the shot shell and not flat.  You can add an overshot card to raise the wad column so that the crimp is level.

 

Hodgdon Perfect Pattern
MEC Bushing	Oz Powder	Oz Shot	Velocity FPS
#14	13.3	1.0	985
#15	14.0	1.0	1,020
#16	15.3	1.0	1,090

 

Please note that these are my results and are not to be taken as official Hodgdon load data.  This information is being shared as a "starting" place for those that may want to develop their own loads. YMMV.

 

Kajun

 

 

I don’t have a chronograph but I’ve been using 11gr. Perfect Pattern with 1oz shot In a 7/8oz wad for a couple of months and it works really well. Recoil is about like the AA Featherlites and you can load 5000 shells with an 8lb. Jug.

 

Randy

[watab kid]

i normally load clays or red dot , more the latter till now - im tapping my reserves so im happy to see an alternative and that #14 load is close to what i load for the two , it looks like i can substitute without much change , thanks 

[Old School SASS 111982]

What is an “overshot card” ? 

Quote

 

 

[Jack Spade]

An overshot card is a thin piece of cardboard or plastic sized for the gauge you are shooting.  They are placed on top of the shot after the shot is dropped in the shell.  They are used in roll crimps or used when you can't get the fold crimp to close all the way leaving a hole that the shot will fall out of. 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I reload 12-gauge, star crimp hulls.  My overshot cards are 1/2-inch square, 0.060-inch thick pieces of cardboard used as JS described.  Common packaging material is my source of cardboard.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

When I dropped my BP loads from 1 1/8 oz to 1 oz of shot, the star crimp started getting a tad concave on some.  I use one cheerio as an overshot card.  Read it from a guy on here on the WIRE and I already have cheerios, so...

[Possum Skinner, SASS#60697]

KK,

Thanks for sharing this very useful information.

 

Possum

[Nellie Blue #54399]

@Krazy Kajun thank you!  I had to buy an alternative powder this time so I’m glad I don’t have to start from scratch developing a new load.