Steel Shotshell Data... Am I missing something..?

[TuckerTerra]

Hello, I am new to this forum. I have a question about steel shot data.

I have been reloading shotshells for a while now, but have always just done 2 3/4" lead shells. Since I am a waterfowl hunter, I decided to reload some 3" steel this year.

I have a reloading handbook (Lymans 5th edition to be exact)

I started reloading these, and they patterned very well:

Winchester Plastic Cases with Plastic Basewad.
43 grains of Alliant Steel power
Fed 209 primer
One BPI Ranger Plus wad
One 20 GA 1/4" fiber under shot
This shot was 1795 FPS with 10500 PSI

And then, I got looking at another load that had more pellets......

Winchester Plastic Cases with Plastic Basewad.
36 grains of Alliant Steel power
Win 209 primer
One BPI Ranger Plus wad
This shot was 1480 FPS with 10800 PSI

Sooo... My question is, why can't I just load the exact loads I am currently doing, except take the basewad out and put in 1 1/8 ounce of shot. (basically, why can't put 43 grs of powder in the second loads to get more FPS?)?




Also, there are many loads that have all the same components, except the have a car over the shot. Do I actually need the card?



I know these may be STUPID questions, but in my time of reloading, they all were light lead loads and never had to deal with high pressures and such.


Thanks very much for your help!

 

[snuffy]

Yes, you are missing something, SAFETY! Loading safe loads means following the load data to the 'T'. No substitutes.

I'm on the road today, I'll answer this fully tonight .

 

[243winxb]

ShotGunWorld.com Link

Shotgun recipes are to be followed exactly. Any change in components can raise pressure dangerously. The card over shot could be to open the pattern more on firing, this is a guess. You might want to post here for better answers.> http://www.shotgunworld.com/

 

[Galil5.56]

If there is any area of shotshell reloading where sticking to the exact recipe is absolutely paramount, steel reloading is it... These loads have been established with exact components in mind that the reloader can duplicate, and extrapolation, and messing with case height/internal volume by case basewad removal would be a serious violation, not to mention case integrity issues that could cause failure.

Unless something has changed, the old active casings with steel insert had a huge internal volume per given length, and maybe finding data for these would help your situation. I don't find your question stupid, and it never hurts to ask; but it hurts a lot worse if/when a catastrophic failure could be sprung, and there is no do-over... Please load to spec, and play it safe.

 

[TuckerTerra]

Yeah, and that was why I was asking. I didn't know if anyone here would have said "ohh yeah I know what he is talking about, I do that and everything works great in the loads"

So I won't alter those loads then, and I will do some more research on the card.

I was just told that different primers result in different PSI...? I have always just used winchester 209, I have a couple cases of them. When the recipe said to use federal 209, I figured "209 is 209, doesnt matter the make". So now I have 50 shells with win 209 instead of fed 209, which is what the recipe called for. How bad is that?