doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com heavy loads for short 16?

I use a bunch of 1 oz loads out of 12 and 16 gauge guns. The 1 oz is just easier to find for 16.
My 16s have run fairly light in weight over the years, I have a bunch of older factory loaded 2 3/4 magnum 16 gauge loads that I have never been tempted to run in my own guns.

Best,
Ted

I am shooting out of German pre-war drilling and BBF o/u. Both are marked 65mm and have modern steel barrels. Only the drilling has lengthened forcing cones--don't know if that provides a "fudge factor." Am not trying to run "hot" loads. Both have fixed full chokes. I have many reloaded 2 3/4 16 loads already, but the short chambers just really crimp you on the volume. But I can get 1 oz with standard wads--maybe that is enough, but hunting pheasants without a retriever one wants all the slap-down available. I have not found roll crimps to be shorter in factory slug loads, however. They have to be trimmed back to length. Not sure if 65mm is actually 2 1/2 or 2 9/16. I suppose size 6 shot might fit a few more pellets per ounce. Thanks for all the leads for info. That's what this site does! BTW since these are "shooters" I don't suppose it would be out of line to investigate chamber lengthening. Of course measurements would be required to see if there is enough metal to safely do that.

65mm=2.559�
2 9/16�=2.5625�

I think that shooting 2 9/16 inch ammo in a 65mm chamber is an acceptable option. It�s pressure that you need to keep at a reasonable level and your guns should be fine. Recoil is a separate issue from pressure. Payload and velocity create recoil. Pressure is independent of those. So a fast, heavy load will generate a lot of recoil even if the pressure numbers are low.

As to anchoring power have you considered going to larger shot. Larger shot down range will have more retained energy. Anything centered will be dead. But if a fringe area hit happens a few large pellets will hit harder than the same number of smaller ones.

Both barrels are full choke, so more than likely it isn't the lack of shot that is not bring the birds down but not centering the shot on the bird.

Large shot, more shot, has the thought of not shooting if the bird is beyond the your ability to center the load on the bird. More than likely hours spent on the skeet, trap and sporting clays course shooting from a low gun position with the safety on as you would be in the field when a pheasant flushes would do a lot more for putting birds down than adding more shot.


Opening your first barrel to IC or LM might be an option also.

I wouldn't open the chokes. Match the shot to the chamber/tube. Some tubes as original just will not pattern large shot well. I have shot quite a few wild pheasants w/ 65mm(12 bore) cartridges. But I hold with shot size & type. I prefer Diamond shot.... A heavier load will just wear more on you & the longarm. I have seen Berettas(semi-autos) quite worn shooting many Kent heavy loads.


Cheers,

Raimey
rse

KY Jon,
In Europe, 67 1/2mm shells are(were)sold as being safe in 65mm chambers.
Mike

Thank you, Researcher, for the history. I knew it was in the 50s but did not remember the exact date. I had bought my first, personally owned shotgun in '54, the old J Stevens Arms & Tool Co 12 ga, which I have determined must have been a 325 model. I started my Junior year of high school that same year. I remembered those "Baby Magnums" appeared on the market around that same period, just didn't recall exactly when.

Yes I saw that in the C.I.P. Tables. 67.5 is the same as our old 2 5/8� shell. So 2 9/16 would also be fine.

Number 4's are my pheasant-favorite when using a 12 ga., fives for the 16, and for all hunting loads I use 6% antimony shot, often buffered. Wild pheasants can get up and run sometimes as we all know. That's when I'm hoping a few more shot will break a leg or kill outright to anchor them until I can get there. They only have to wiggle under the matted weeds to disappear forever, without a dog. It really pains me to have one go off, suffer and just be wasted, but among a group of hunters at least one will do that in a season. Just trying to cover the bases. Of course, it might be better all around to just pick up the 12, but so many of the drillings are 16 ga format, and they make a whining sound when I leave the house without them. Thanks all, for the help and advice!

BTW Raimey, I have seen not only shot size, but powder selection affect pattern. 7625 was my go to powder for one drilling, as the patterns thrown were just even perfection.