doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Smokeless Powder Recipe Needed

I would like to load some shells with 1oz, paper hulls, fiber wads, plastic shot cup. Would like around 5000 psi with 1200 fps. What I don't know is what smokeless powder to use and how much.

Why mix fiber wads with plastic shot cups? If you want a low impact, eco friendly load, go all fiber, no plastic shot cup. If you want plastic shot cup just use a plastic wad. All fiber loads can be found in period Lyman reloading manuals. Look at first or second editions. Easily found in an older loaders bench, because we never throw anything away, or for sale on EBay. Powders most likely will be PB, Herco, Unique or a Red Dot. Good luck.

I have the Lyman #39 (1953). The only modern powder listed is Red Dot. Perhaps the later ones overlap fiber wads with modern powders. Incidentally, someone has a mother lode of Lyman #39 on Ebay and has a buy now price of $17.00 It has a wealth of information regarding fiber wads and their loading. There are some recipes using the Alcan plastic gas seal so plastic wads weren't too far off. Gil
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ideal-Lyman-1953-No-39-Handbook-and-Catalog/290893130422?hash=item43ba94eab6:g:EfEAAOSwLJ9aClbU
My success loading nitro cards and fiber wads has been spotty despite using a recent recipe from BP. Gil

The reason for the plastic shot cup is the pattern it throws in my guns. The reason for the fibre wads is up to now I've only loaded with black powder and this has caused burning and plastic residue in the barrel from using plastic wads.

Good reasons but with smokeless you might as well go all plastic. A lot more load options. I use PB but that�s getting harder to find. I got lucky and found 36 pounds of it so I�m good for years.

Look at IRM Green loads. 1 ounce/5,000 psi is listed.

Tamid I am in the same boat looking for card and fiber loads in 12 gauge paper hulls. I shoot a bunch of black powder in my guns and really want to use a good low pressure nitro load. My guns are cylinder, light mod and mod, a few are light full and all throw very nice patterns I do not use a plastic shot cup but place a thin card over the fiber to mitigate shot embedding in the fiber filler. I have not noticed any lead build up in my guns from lead scrubbing when cleaning them after each outing. Hope someone on the forum will post some good loads to use in light loads.

Unless one uses vintage paper hulls which don't have an internal plastic base as do the current paper hulls by Cheddite, be aware that the pressures in the new paper hulls are increased because of smaller internal volume and less "give" in the base than with the old cardboard type bases. Gil

That is a good point to keep in mind Gil. I have Federal once fired, New Cheddite and once fired RST hulls on hand. I envision low pressure loading and a small increase in pressure over published old style hulls should be tolerable in current nitro proofed guns. Would have them tested to be sure they would be safe. One could also drop the charge a grains or two to lower the pressure and still have a suitable load for clays. Would be nice to make use of these hulls with a eco friendly wad column.

There's a rule of thumb on going from plastic wad loads to nitro cards and fiber wads to increase the load by 15% to make up for the inefficiency of the old wads. I wouldn't bet my old guns on that rule of thumb without testing. I had issues with inconsistent velocities with NC and fiber wads. I haven't given up on them. The small plastic gas seal from BP was a sanity preserver. I was trying to develop loads for a 2" 12 ga. I had wild swings in velocity with the old school approach. I abandoned testing in the double and shot them out of an 870 to chrono. The gas seal brought everything closer in speed. Until I can come up with a load in NC and fiber, that's what'll it'll have to be. It may have been inconsistent seating pressure, but there's a school of thought that isn't an issue. Gil

Used up the last of my Dupont Bulk Smokeless Shotgun Powder in 1995 under 16ga Rem. plastic shot cups. 2 1/2 drams, ounce of 8's, star crimped for doves and ruffed grouse. Don't remember any burnt plastic. I see my notes said "Goodbye old yeller friend". All I have left now is a few empty cans.