Cliff Roberts
Member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2021
- Messages
- 59
Well... this is embarrassing...
I've reloaded brass for about a decade now but I'm only 2-ish months in with reloading shotgun hulls so please keep in mind I may be unfamiliar with some of the terminology... (I think I've delayed the inevitable long enough)
BACKGROUND: I've started loading for 12 ga after buying a couple new shotguns. Mostly #4 buckshot with about 400 successful reloads and some birdshot with about 250 successful loads. However, given that factory slug prices are... elevated... Slugs are the main thing I wanted to reload.
I'm using a Lee Load-All 2 press and a Lyman 525gr diabolo slug, WAA12 wad, longshot powder with an overpowder card (about .030 thickness), and mostly fed cases. Primers are varied based on what I can get (finding primers still sucks around here) but, right now, I'm breaking into the case of CCI 209As I bought about 2 years ago after getting my first in-line. I was using Federal primers previously and experiencing the same issue, hence the switch. According to the lyman manual I'm using, max load is about 37gr (which was a little hot for the old JC Higgins and Savage 820B so that load got dropped to 33.7gr) and, depending on whether the hull was a range pickup or new, a 6- or 8-fold crimp (which is recommended by the book... luckily... since I haven't made/bought a roll crimper).
PROBLEM: I've been experiencing what I've seen described as "bloopers" in common nomenclature in about 40% of my loads described above. Specifically, the primer will ignite but is either not thoroughly burning the powder or not igniting the powder at all. This results in the slug/wad exiting the barrel at a VERY slow velocity (thankfully no squibs) and, upon ejection of the hull, the unburned powder dumps out of the hull into the barrel and action of the shotgun and/or on the ground. I have not had this issue using Nitro 100NF, HS6, Green Dot, or Unique. I have not tried Blue Dot (because I can't find it). I don't have enough experience reloading with the shotgun to try to work up a load outside of the recommended data that I have and, currently, longshot is the only powder I can find with data for the slug I'm using.
TROUBLESHOOTING: I verified that the powder hasn't been contaminated (going as far as opening another lb from a different batch to verify and still getting bloopers), no moisture in the cards or hulls (range hulls are not washed but they are left to dry in an old air-dryer like I do with my wet-tumbled brass), and no change between once-fired Hulls or new hulls bought from Ballisticproducts.
WEIRD OBSERVATION: I have noticed that a couple of the ones that "feel" full pressure may still occasionally have unburned powder in the hulls upon extraction. The partially ignited loads have a really funky odor that's difficult to describe.
QUESTION: Is it reasonable to think that the bloopers are a result from irregular powder compression using the card (as I don't seem to recall having bloopers prior to using cards with this powder but the powder-leaching was resulting in poor consistency in placement and velocity) or is that charge just potentially just too light resulting in poor pressure/ignition (as I dont seem to recall any bloopers in the 20 or so slugs loaded at 37 gr either)?
If time permits, I hope to get back out to the range tomorrow and try a few rounds loaded up to 35 gr to see if that helps alleviate some of the bloopers.
TL;DR: I am a newbie... getting poor ignition... send help... maybe the marines...thank you!
I've reloaded brass for about a decade now but I'm only 2-ish months in with reloading shotgun hulls so please keep in mind I may be unfamiliar with some of the terminology... (I think I've delayed the inevitable long enough)
BACKGROUND: I've started loading for 12 ga after buying a couple new shotguns. Mostly #4 buckshot with about 400 successful reloads and some birdshot with about 250 successful loads. However, given that factory slug prices are... elevated... Slugs are the main thing I wanted to reload.
I'm using a Lee Load-All 2 press and a Lyman 525gr diabolo slug, WAA12 wad, longshot powder with an overpowder card (about .030 thickness), and mostly fed cases. Primers are varied based on what I can get (finding primers still sucks around here) but, right now, I'm breaking into the case of CCI 209As I bought about 2 years ago after getting my first in-line. I was using Federal primers previously and experiencing the same issue, hence the switch. According to the lyman manual I'm using, max load is about 37gr (which was a little hot for the old JC Higgins and Savage 820B so that load got dropped to 33.7gr) and, depending on whether the hull was a range pickup or new, a 6- or 8-fold crimp (which is recommended by the book... luckily... since I haven't made/bought a roll crimper).
PROBLEM: I've been experiencing what I've seen described as "bloopers" in common nomenclature in about 40% of my loads described above. Specifically, the primer will ignite but is either not thoroughly burning the powder or not igniting the powder at all. This results in the slug/wad exiting the barrel at a VERY slow velocity (thankfully no squibs) and, upon ejection of the hull, the unburned powder dumps out of the hull into the barrel and action of the shotgun and/or on the ground. I have not had this issue using Nitro 100NF, HS6, Green Dot, or Unique. I have not tried Blue Dot (because I can't find it). I don't have enough experience reloading with the shotgun to try to work up a load outside of the recommended data that I have and, currently, longshot is the only powder I can find with data for the slug I'm using.
TROUBLESHOOTING: I verified that the powder hasn't been contaminated (going as far as opening another lb from a different batch to verify and still getting bloopers), no moisture in the cards or hulls (range hulls are not washed but they are left to dry in an old air-dryer like I do with my wet-tumbled brass), and no change between once-fired Hulls or new hulls bought from Ballisticproducts.
WEIRD OBSERVATION: I have noticed that a couple of the ones that "feel" full pressure may still occasionally have unburned powder in the hulls upon extraction. The partially ignited loads have a really funky odor that's difficult to describe.
QUESTION: Is it reasonable to think that the bloopers are a result from irregular powder compression using the card (as I don't seem to recall having bloopers prior to using cards with this powder but the powder-leaching was resulting in poor consistency in placement and velocity) or is that charge just potentially just too light resulting in poor pressure/ignition (as I dont seem to recall any bloopers in the 20 or so slugs loaded at 37 gr either)?
If time permits, I hope to get back out to the range tomorrow and try a few rounds loaded up to 35 gr to see if that helps alleviate some of the bloopers.
TL;DR: I am a newbie... getting poor ignition... send help... maybe the marines...thank you!