I am looking for a buckshot load

[shotgunner]

I bought a 5 lb. box of 00 buckshot. The load I have tried is a Federal case, AA 12R wad and Blue dot. It calls for 12, 00 pellets. It shoots pretty well, but crimps are rough, which means they don't feed well. I am going to try to buffer the load with powdered plastic. Has anyone worked with buckshot? Any help you have would be great. Shotgunner

PS hunting season must be over for me to be messing around with this.

[PHATINJUN]

Roll crimp with overshot card might work better. Kurt

[Catfish]

   You need a better crimper, preferably one that will put alittle taper on the cases for a positive feed.

[.45 COLT]

Are you using the WAA12R wad with the petals cut off and Buckshot stacked in 4 layers of 3 pellets per layer? I rarely use a Federal hull, (The Federal one-piece hulls are great for Buck but they're hard to come by) but I'm thinking you might have to adjust the height of the wad/shot column. If it's too short, then maybe a 20 gauge card wad between the WAA12R and the first layer of shot.

If it is too tall, then you can cut the overpowder cup part of the WAA12R off and use just that section, along with fiber or cork filler wads.

I don't use any buffer at all. I'm running pretty high pressure as it is in my Buck loads and don't need another variable tossed into the mix.  Maybe it's good for soft shot, but I cast my own 0, 00 and 000 from wheelweight and it's quite hard.

DC

[shotgunner]

45 Colt

I had not yet tried the cut off wads. The shot does not quite fit in layers of 3, so I will give it a try. I am sure I can adjust the crimp on the MEC. I think I am going to buy a single stage press for projects like this one and the steel shot I load. The 9000G is a little bit cumbersom for this. Are you loading 2 3/4" shells? What powder are you using? How about the mold? I do a lot of bullet casting. Thanks for the input, Shotgunner

[shotgunner]

45 Colt

You hit the nail on the head for me. I cut the wads and the Federal hulls crimped perfectly. I used 3 or 4 grains of powder under max and enough plastic buffer to take up the space between the pellets. They ran slick through the 870 folder. They kick a little, but those 12 big holes in the target are impressive. Is the AA 12 R wad the way to go? How about a federal wad cut down? It is cold and most hunting seasons are over, but this keeps me occupied. Shotgunner

[.45 COLT]

In the Federal hull, a 12S4 wad might work. I don't use them, so I'm not sure if they are short enough. I load mostly 2 3/4" shells, once in a while I do some 3". A single-stage is the way to go for these loads. I've never tried any on my progressives, a 600jr or a Sizemaster works for me. With 00 Buck, I use different powders. A 9 pellet load, I've played with Red Dot, Green Dot, Unique, Herco and Longshot. 12 pellet loads, I like HS-7 (which has been discontinued) or Blue Dot.

I get the tightest patterns by taking just the overpowder cup portion of a wad (cut the crush section and shotcup off), fiber or cork filler wad(s) and a nitro powder wad just under the Buckshot. They are a PITA to load that way, so I seldom do it. I get pretty good results using the petal-off wads.

I cast 0, 00 and 000 using LEE molds. Cast with wheelweight, they're hard and pattern tight. I've cast some from pure lead and they don't do as well. I used to by the smaller sizes, T through #1, but the price is so high now that I quit loading what I can't cast.

I started playing with Buckshot just to keep myself occupied some 40 years ago. I'm still at it. Buck, Ball & Buck, Slug & Buck, I can have fun with 'most any load.

DC