How to develop a new load - wild cat

[Lovesbeer99]

Let's say I'd like to develop a wild cat load? Where would I start and what would I need to learn? Safety is priorty 1 so please don't suggest that I just load up and let 'er rip.

I'm interested in developing a 20g load in buck and/or slug. I've see that Winchester loads a .410 with 5 pellets of 000 buck, but I can't find a 20g with anything bigger th #3 buck.

Thanks in advance and shoot safe (I do).
Lovesbeer99

 

[redneck2]

From everything I've read, shotgun is not a place to experiment. Just changing primer brand can change pressures by 7k pounds. Reloading manuals are very explicit about exact components.

 

[snuffy]

but I can't find a 20g with anything bigger th #3 buck.

That's because buckshot loads are stacked, or nestled into the payload space. Bigger buckshot can not nest side by side in the smaller gauges.

The Lyman 4th edition shotshell hand book,(the bible for shotshell loading), has quite a few loads for 20 ga. buckshot, but ALL are for #3 buck. It also has slug loads.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

+1 redneck2's comment.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

How do you account for .410 ga with 5 pellets of 000 buck stacked 1 on top of the other. If you look at the winchester website, you can find it.

Maybe we just need some bigger buck shot, like 0000 buck for 20 ga.

By the way, this is not actually a wild cat so much as it's a 20ga with 000 buck. It not like I creating a bullet with a 20ga slug.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[snuffy]

How do you account for .410 ga with 5 pellets of 000 buck stacked 1 on top of the other. If you look at the winchester website, you can find it.

You didn't ask about .410. The .36 000 buck fits nicely inside a .410 shotcup stacked atop each other.

The 20 gauge you asked about, #3 buck at .25 probably nests in a triangular shape, the ones above the lowest nest sits in the spaces of the one below. A 2 3/4 load sports 20 #3 pellets per shell. a 3" load has either 21 or 24 pellets.

I don't know what your use might be, but for a Self Defense load, 25 cal pellets at say 1300 fps will do a lot of damage. You don't need the bigger stuff for close range encounters.

American Size English Size European Size Pellet Diameter Pellet Weight (grains)
#4 Buck,.24"
#3 Buck,.25"
#1 Buck, .30"
0, .32"
00, .34"
000, .36"

Go here to see the whole shot size chart.
http://www.hallowellco.com/shot_size_chart.htm