I recently bought a 10 gauge shotgun. I'm interested in making some lighter game loads, rather than the big mankiller 2 1/4's, or the big 18 pellets of 00 buckshot loads that you buy in the store, or are generally listed. I was wondering if any of you had any particular loads or experience that could be handy on the subject.
10 Bore Reloading
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Ivan the Butcher
Member
Hodgdon published a shotgun loading manual in the 90's. Inside it were loads for all kinds of shell no longer popular. The data for the shorter length 10 gauge shells was included. Some work is necessary to shorten plastic hulls, but it can be done. Also Ballistic Products will have just about any components you need, including loading data. Ivan
The easy on the shoulder 10ga was the 2 7/8" case,,sometimes called the "Short Ten".
Very popular with the vintage SxS shooters that use 10ga. Not many of them like to use the Magnum stuff even if they do have an Ithaca NID Magnum 10 in hand.
Do a search for 'reloading for the short ten gauge' and you can come up with quite a few older postings from the Double Gun Forum, LC Smith and other SxS forums about loading the shorter 10ga.
#7625 powder was/is popular for that, but has been recently discontinued. But you can find loads listed with everything from Red Dot & Green Dot,PB,,I think I saw one w/ International Clays (might be hard to get too).
Most of the loads will be in the 1 1/8 to 1 1/4oz range and be aimed at lower breech pressures (7000k or so) as the vintage shooters are often using damascus bbled guns.
Most all use the Federal brown plastic case as it is the one most available now. They are cut to length and loaded as any other shotshell. Some are standard 'star crimp'. Some loads use the older overshot wad w/a roll crimp.
Have fun!
Very popular with the vintage SxS shooters that use 10ga. Not many of them like to use the Magnum stuff even if they do have an Ithaca NID Magnum 10 in hand.
Do a search for 'reloading for the short ten gauge' and you can come up with quite a few older postings from the Double Gun Forum, LC Smith and other SxS forums about loading the shorter 10ga.
#7625 powder was/is popular for that, but has been recently discontinued. But you can find loads listed with everything from Red Dot & Green Dot,PB,,I think I saw one w/ International Clays (might be hard to get too).
Most of the loads will be in the 1 1/8 to 1 1/4oz range and be aimed at lower breech pressures (7000k or so) as the vintage shooters are often using damascus bbled guns.
Most all use the Federal brown plastic case as it is the one most available now. They are cut to length and loaded as any other shotshell. Some are standard 'star crimp'. Some loads use the older overshot wad w/a roll crimp.
Have fun!
If you can't get enough info here you might try this hunting site......
Duck Hunting Chat
Duck Hunting Chat
Ivan the Butcher
Member
If your gun is from the early 60's or before you have chokes that were regulated for roll crimp shells, that makes them even tighter that what they say if using star crimp shells. So if you 10 gauge is older and says it is Mod. and Full, using star crimps it will pattern like Imp Mod and extra full. Since you are talking of loading your own, putting "X" shaped inserts in the shot cup will open you up about 2 choke sizes. So the your older gun will shoot like a Improved Cylinder and Mod gun with star crimps. While this would be fine for upland game, That is a lot of gun, although I have seen people do SxS Sporting Clays events with shot 10's (7.5 & 8 shot). If you are hunting water fowl or on Federal lands, you must use "non-toxic" shot. Steel shot and the tungstens don't go with the old guns with tight chokes, so you will be using Bismuth. That stuff is pricey, but loads the same as lead shot. I use it in my older 12 gauges. Fluid steel barrels with Modified or more open chokes can use steel shot. I had an earl 50's SxS that an earlier owner lapped the chokes to Modified on both barrels, best medium range goose gun I've had.
Nemo288
Member
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It is to shotguns what this forum is to S&W.
The best, most comprehensive, information center on the planet.
You might recognise one of the participants
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