Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Low Recoil 12ga Handloads?

I am a complete stranger to shotshell loading, but have a need for the ability to load some low recoil pheasant loads in 2 3/4" 12 ga...

This will be a low volume affair, and I doubt that I'll ever need more than a couple hundred rounds per year, practice and all.

What equipment, components, and specific knowledge should I be seeking?

This is for an unaltered Ithaca 37 that I purchased today. It is light, with no recoil pad. I have an artificial shoulder, and I want to use it on pheasant as it is, unaltered...

I would recommend a Lee Load-All Press. The real-world price is around $50, maybe a little more. They aren't the fastest or toughest in the world, but you can easily crank out a couple hundred rounds a year--or a week. I've been using one since 1977, and while my old model has more metal parts than the newer models, I've been using the newer 20 and 16 for making specialized loads for a while now with no problems.

It's pretty easy to make up 7/8-ounce loads, which is what I often use on pheasants in my 28-gauge with high-antimony #7 shot, and it drops roosters neatly out to 40 yards. The wad depends on the shells you load, but I can send you several options, and Ballistic products has both shells and wads galore. Primers are really easy, since despite all the Obama-panic over handgun and rifle primers shotshell primers were never in short supply. Powder may be the biggest problem right now, but the loads I make use Bullseye, American Select and Red Dot.

If, in your opinion, 7/8 oz loads will do, I'm all ears...

I know that in my teen years I dropped a lot of roosters with the cheap 1 oz rabbit and squirrel loads of 6s...
And I've also had good luck with 7 1/2 shot in various loads.

And thanks...

Yeah, the 7/8 ounce loads work, and recoil less than 1-ounce loads. It just depends on how much recoil you can take.

Aside from good shooting and sufficient pattern density, the key is hard shot, which doesn't flatten like soft shot does when it hits birds, so penetrates deeper. A lot of pheasant hunters insist on using larger shot, even 4's, but that's because they buy cheap shells with soft shot.

I can get the Lee Load-All locally.
Love to hear what else to pick up and where.

I also have an older buddy that can show me the process, but he is a heavy load/large shot guy...

It all starts with the case, as the case dictates the wad and primer. Do you have any fired cases on hand?

No... I've always discarded my cases.

Was just on ballistic products site, and it looks like easy availability...

Yeah, they're easy to get, and pretty cheap. I also have a pile of fired 12-gauge cases on hand that I don't use much anymore, which I'd be happy to donate.

You need to use the exact recipe when loading shotshells, instead of varying components like you can with handgun and shotgun loading. This is mostly because the wad has to be matched to the type of case, not only because case capacity can vary considerably but because some case walls are the same diameter all the way up, and some are tapered. If you use a straight-wall wad in a tapered-wall case pressures can skyrocket. Primers can also make a big difference in pressure.

Since the exact recipe has to be used they're not hard to put together, but finding the right combination of components can be a little exasperating, one reason I depend on Ballistic Products so much. They also offer very reasonably priced loading guides with LOTS of combinations, and very good information.

Recipes abound for 1-1/8 oz. trap loads.

I have loaded many thousands of rounds using Win AA cases & wads over Win 209 primers and Clays powder - I think the charge weight is 19.2 grains but you had better double check that - it has been a long time since I felt the need to change powder bushings. Usually get 8 - 10 firings per case before the crimp goes soft and hulls start to split.

These clock at 1200 fps over my Oehler - just at max velocity for trap. Pretty easy to shoot 75 - 100 of these at a time with no strain.

MD - do you try for a velocity standard in order to keep your lead similar between loads?

Claybuster has a 3/4 oz wad for 12ga.

Never tried them but have a Lee 12ga Load-All that's been sitting on the bench for a year or so. One of those things I keep meaning to delve into. Thought I might gin up some low recoil 12ga that are roughly a heavy .410 equivalent.

If you look up Claybuster website, they have load data for the 12ga with their 3/4 oz wad, with various hulls/primers.

I understand that exact recipes must be used, but can alternate shot sizes be substituted? 6s instead of 7s?

I see that they even offer 6 1/2 shot...

Yeah, it doesn't matter what the shot size is as long as the weight of the charge is correct.

BP not only offers 6-1/2 shot but 5-1/2. I got some copper-plated 5-1/2's from them a few years ago, meaning to try them on late-season pheasants and sharptails, but have never gotten around to it!

The high antimony 7's aren't exactly common either, the reason I was somewhat flabbergasted to see a 25-pound bag of 7's at a local store recently. 7's are a really good shot size for lighter hunting loads, since the gap between 6 and 7-1/2 shot is the largest among common American shot sizes. Our 6's nominally run 225 to the ounce, while 7-1/2's are 350/ounce, a big difference. 7's usually go 290-300 per ounce, so plug the gap.

American 7's, by the way, are basically the same size as British 6's, the shot size of choice for their driven pheasant shoots.

Still exploring BPs site. In speaking of high antimony shot are you looking at the nickel plated stuff, or the Magnum Hard Lead shot?

And if you have hulls to donate, could I cover the cost of shipping?

To the OP, If you have a trap range anywhere near you, you can normally go there and buy once fired hulls. I would suggest Remington Premier either the green ones or gold.

Then a light 1oz load using Hodgdon Clays powder 17.0 grains Winchester 209 primers and Remington TGT-12 wads. This is a load that my wife & I shoot all the time either shooting sporting clays or at rooster. For sporting clays we use #8 shot & for roosters we shoot #5.

Either the plated shot or Magnum Hard Lead will work. The biggie is the hardness of the shot, not the plating.

The source of empties that WBill suggests is a good one. I used to get a lot of shells that way. If that doesn't work for you, we can work out something with some of my empties.

John:

Back in the day, copper plated 5 1/2s would have been the ticket for canvasback and blue bills over decoys! My Chessies would quiver when they'd pass. I did load a lot of copper 5s, though.

Mike

Does the shotgun have a recoil pad installed? I mean a quality recoil pad. A shooting vest (to hold shells also) and a pad will make a real difference. Or, take that pump 12 back and get a 20 gas operated shotgun. Less recoil with gas. Protecting the shoulder is number one concern, no?

When you look at the links Montana Marine provided you pick the loads featuring powders that deliver the velocity you want with the lowest pressures. Old time trap shooters shot heavy 1 1/8 oz loads for handicap but used powders like Green Dot and PB that gave them 1220+fps,good patterns with less pressure as well as low recoil because recoil is cumulative. Doesn't take a genius to spot those loads with WW AA,Fed Gold Medal,or REM STS hulls in the top 3 sections of the 2nd link. good luck Magnum Man

Its been a long time since I loaded any shot shells. Pulled my old Ponsness Warren out the other day. Love me some shotgunning.