doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Effects of pressure and velocity on an old gun.

I've been pondering getting into reloading. Up until now I've been shooting Winchester "Low noise, low recoil" loads in a 12 ga. Lefever "G". I don't shoot a lot (just a couple of rounds of casual skeet a year), but at the same time this old gun has been rode hard and put up wet many times. In my way of thinking, low pressure will benefit the action and lockup while 1 oz. loads might be better for the 106 yr old wood than 1 1/8 oz. loads. The heavier loads might add marginaly to the lockup wear and tear as the recoil transfers rearward thru the receiver and stock. Does the shot charge make as much difference as I'm thinking on the wear and tear as I'm thinking.

Your thinking is sound! Recoil increases along with velocity and weight of shot charge. Low pressure is good in older guns such as yours.

Try these... http://www.polywad.com/vintager.html

A 100 bucks worth will last you 5 years.

GG:

If you only shoot that much you might want to just buy your shells instead of reloading. RST sells a complete line of low pressure loads and they are great folks to deal with.

http://www.rstshells.com/


Glenn

And if you're just talking about skeet loads, just reload with Winchester's gray color 7/8oz wads...more than enough #9's for skeet considering .410" skeet is only 1/2oz and .28ga is 3/4.....I reload 7/8oz #8's for 16 yard trap in my Remington 1187 .12ga

I agree with Glen. The RST people are top notch.

If you are going to reload Claybuster makes their Lightening wad with some low pressure reciepes. The Winchester hull and PB powder combo developes 5600 psi. and feels quite comfortable.

Regards, Gordon

You had it right in your first statement - low pressure for metal
and low recoil for wood. The recoil has no effect on the metal parts and the pressure has no effect on the wood.

If the gun is a little off face, consider the very cheap, yet effective, method of tightening by a thin metal shim between the hook and the hinge pin.

I've already taken up some slack in this old gun with the compensating screw and it's back to tight again. I have found out a lot about shotguns in general (and Lefevers in particular) over the last year. Always been more intrested in rifles until now. Still need to get a good gunsmith to look at it someday.

I'm not sure how much a guy could really save by rolling his own. Have access to a couple of MEC's. Would only require a new charge bar to get down to 1 oz. I've already looked and PB does look like a good possibility. I think I'm mostly intrested in trying my hand at it. Ya'll are probably right. No more than I shoot, I could just buy and still come out the same. There are a number of good loads straight from the factory that would more than do the job. I wouldn't be able to do enough volume to get the price per shot down very far.

Thank ya'll for the input and advice,
Larry

Reloading is a saving proposition for volume shooting or a way to get specialty loads. There are now a lot of niches filled that formerly required reloading. I load because the equipment is there, I can kid myself about saving a lot of money, and, well, ---- I enjoy doing it.

Grandpa's Gun,
If the gear is accessable load your own. You will not buy a commercially available load that is as soft as what you can make yourself.
Justin