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Looking for some low pressure reloading recipes for Vintage 12 ga 2.5 inch. Want to reload 1 oz and 7/8 oz.
Thanks in advance
Bruce

https://www.hodgdon.com/basic-manual-inquiry.html

Ger

While listed for 2 3/4", roll crimped or "Hartin" star crimped 2.5" shells should handle the load recipes.
https://www.nssa-nsca.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ceretto.pdf
Consider the data published by Sherman Bell that there is no significant pressure rise shooting 2 3/4" shells in shorter chambers. Gil

Scroll down about 1/3 here for details of Bell's study
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZIo0y746UsSRZIgRuuxwAbZjSBHitO_EanvwLYc-kGA/edit
Bottom line: �Shooting 2 3/4� shells in 2 1/2� chambers does make them produce more pressure-but in most cases it is less than a 1000 psi increase. I see no reason, related to safety, to modify an original 2 1/2� chambered gun to shoot 2 3/4� shells, if the 2 3/4� load you intend to use would develop pressure that is safe in that gun, when fired in a standard chamber!�

Depending on the gun and barrels, 1000 psi may matter however.

Here are several loads I use: RST/Cheddite hulls, Winchester or Cheddite primers, GU Z21 (Trap Commander) wad, 1 oz. shot 6 fold crimp. 18.5 grains of American Select for 1200 fps @ 6900 psi. My #30 bushing from MEC drops 18.1 grains and the load works perfectly. Friends and I use it in all of our English 2.5 inch game guns. Good for field or clays. RST/Cheddite hulls, Cheddite primer, GU 1225 "Spitfire" wad, 1 oz. shot 6 fold crimp. 18.1 grains of Clays for 1180 fps @ 7200 psi. Both with small shot for clays and larger shot for field use. I use the American Select data most often and Winchester primers in cold weather as they are a bit more reliable when temps drop below 30 degrees. (Getting soft and when temps are in the teens and going lower, I just stay home and read a book or watch an old movie)

800X needs some lead in front of it to burn consistently. My experience has been that it is a poor powder for a 7/8 oz load, and I wouldn't begin to think about a 3/4 oz. load. Did I mention that it meters poorly? There are a lot more people that swear at 800X than there are those who swear by it. Research it.

Good reminder, Drew. We tend to remember Bell's article as telling us that, on average, the increase is only a few hundred psi. I went back and reviewed the article some time ago. Average increase for 10 loads he tested: 709 psi. However, 4 of the additional pressure readings vary from 891 to a high of 1216 psi. Thus, if you're going to reload 2 3/4" shells for 2 1/2" chambers, you do want to build in an additional safety cushion. I'd say 1500 psi should keep you on the safe side.

I used to use Green Dot and a Purple PC wad which produced a 1200 plus fps 1 oz. load under 7000 psi. The problem was that when it was below 20 degrees or so, it would not burn consistently and I could sometimes watch the shot leave the barrel. I switched to a faster burning powder(Titewad)and that problem went away. The pressure went up to just over 7000 psi., but no more squibs during late pheasant season.

Jim

I use 19.0 grains of Green Dot in a 2-1/2" straight walled case with the Claybusters CB-6100-12 (Green) wad and 1oz shot using a fold crimp. Produces 1200 fps and 5800 psi. !!!!

Based on a 2-3/4" load I found in the Alliant reloading data tables. For informational purposes only. Use at your own risk and take all sensible safety precautions.

Thanks to all for the help, just what I needed!