777 load for shot shells

[Dutchy Rodell]

What volume loads do you use for shotgun shells loaded with 777?

[Dick Dastardly]

CARTRIDGE
   
SHOT CHARGE
   
BARREL LENGTH
   
CASE
   
PRIMER
   
POWDER
   
POWDER MEASURE SETTINGS
   
VEL (FPS)
   
PRESSURE
12 Gauge 2 3/4"
   
1 1/8 Oz. Shot
   
30"
   
Win AA.
Win.AA12R Wad
   
Win. 209
   
Triple Seven FFG
   
70.0 Gr.
   
1187
   
7,700 CUP

That's cut and pasted from the Hogden web site.  I was going to simply post the URS for Hogdens, but it took some digging to come up with this data.

You're wasting money loading that spendy powder in shot shells if it's simply to splatter on steel SASS targets.  You could do as much for about half the cost with Genuine Powder.

Good luck,

DD-DLoS

[Dakota Widowmaker]

For CAS, I just use a square load... 1oz volume of 777 FFg and a 1oz amount of #8 chilled shot.

Simple, easy, and consistent. Works in both paper/plastic hulls as well as brass hulls.

[Tequila Jim]

I use the 4.0 Lee Dipper of 777 and 1 oz. of shot from my mec loader.
My coach gun made a very wide pattern using the Circle Fly wads so had
to add a shot cup. Regards, TJ

[Grapeshot]

CARTRIDGE
   
SHOT CHARGE:  1 1/8 oz #8 shot
   
BARREL LENGTH:  20 inch Rossi
   
CASE:  Any Plastic 12 gauge. (AA; STS, Nito 27, Remington's Gun Club, etc)
   
PRIMER:  Winchester #209
   
POWDER:  777
   
POWDER MEASURE SETTINGS:  Lee 4.0cc Dipper.

WADS:  12 ga Nitro Card, Circle Fly Cushion 12 gauge wad, More often than not an overshot card

[knucklehead]

CARTRIDGE
   
SHOT CHARGE:  1 1/8 oz #8 shot
   
BARREL LENGTH:  20 inch Rossi
   
CASE:  Any Plastic 12 gauge. (AA; STS, Nito 27, Remington's Gun Club, etc)
   
PRIMER:  Winchester #209
   
POWDER:  777
   
POWDER MEASURE SETTINGS:  Lee 4.0cc Dipper.

WADS:  12 ga Nitro Card, Circle Fly Cushion 12 gauge wad, More often than not an overshot card

yep thats the same load i use.
and yes 777 is spendy but it is easier to get than the real stuff.

[John Barleycorn]

So will 70gr of Pyrodex work as well, or would I need 15% more.

[Adirondack Jack]

70 (volume)of Pyro ought to be fine.  I use 60 (volume) of 777 FFG (45 grains weight) and 1 and 1/8 of shot and it gits em dun just fine.  Mass on target is more important than velocity.  AAMOF too much powder will blow the pattern to hell.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy and Merry Christmas to y'all!

Dutchy and John Barleycorn:  ANY BP or sub can be used interchangeably with any other BP or sub load data in all but the most specialized loadings, like long range BP cartridges of special situations.

Dakota Widowmaker pointed out "Square Loads."  This is about the simplest loading formula for shotgun shells and is a great place to start.  If you want to throw a charge of 1 1/8 oz of shot, use the same measuring device (MANY of us have dippers of various makes) that you use for shot, then fill it with the same VOLUME (amount, not weight) of BP or sub.  Measuring doesn't even apply here, just use the same amount.  I have an inexpensive Lee dipper:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=246397&t=11082005

that is graduated in 1/8 oz. increments.  I open it to the right setting, dip it into the powder and bring out a level scoop full of powder and drop it into a hull, add the over-powder wad and spacer wad then compress it all; then I dip into the shot container and get a level scoop full, dump it and put an overshot wad over the whole shebang and seal it.  If doing "square loads," you can vary the powder somewhat; for instance, 1 oz (volume) of BP and 1 1/8 oz of shot.  Just don't vary it much and don't use MORE powder than shot - it tends to make donut shaped patterns with a big hole in the middle.  Whatever powder/shot combination you decide on, you'll want to "pattern" it to see how your pellet coverage is.

Here's a tiddly-bit of information I got from Steve Young, aka "Nate Kiowa Jones" who is a well-respected, nationally known Cowboy gunsmith.  I called him when I first started loading my Magtech brass 12 ga. shells for my old Stoeger.  He said that if the shotgun you're loading for has short forcing cones (where the chamber funnels down smaller to the bore size) the gun should pattern OK with only a cardboard overshot wad.  With long forcing cones, he said that a plastic cup/wad may be needed for good patterns.  I never had the opportunity to pattern my Stoeger, which had long forcing cones, but it always hit what I aimed at and knocked down what few KDs I encountered.  Since then, I've traded the old Stoeger for an OLD Tula hammer double, which has short cones.  It's still doing what I need it to do.  SOMEDAY I'll actually be somewhere to pattern it properly!