Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Sixteen gauge, 2 1/2 inch data?

I recently bought some 2 1/2 inch 16 ga. Cheddite hulls from Graf & Son, so as to load some for my old short-chambered Winchester '97. I then bought the Cheddite data manual from BPI, only to discover it contained no data for 2 1/2 inch 16 ga. loads. Anyone know of a source for data for 2 1/2 inch 16 ga. loads using Cheddite hulls?

Plough, 16ga.com-Muddy

+1 on 16ga.com And you might try a thread search on the first forum on www.doublegunshop.com/BBS. Lotsa discussion of low-pressure, short-chamber 16 loads on there in the past.

I would also reccomend the 16ga society forum. http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4
I am a member there and it is a good group of guys with lots of info.

It would be helpful to know roughly the year of production for your gun. The Model 97 spanned several important mile stones in ammunition development. Now let me explain SAAMI was formed in 1926 and was first codified in 1927, I believe. When they first developed the pressure standards in the 20s, progressive powders were just starting to come out. As a result, the initial pressure ratings were slightly lower than what we have today. In 1935, SAAMI increased the pressure limits to today's standard.

So if your gun was made after 1935 any factory load or reliable reload data will work for the given shell length. If it is not then low pressure loads are in order. As for what that means in terms of pressure you would have to ask that on 16ga.com.

Strange I just looked in my BPI Advantage and 16ga manuals and did not find any 2 1/2" lead data for Cheddite hulls.
This really is not a problem with 2 1/2" shells.
As you can roll crimp many 2 3/4" loads in a 2 1/2" shell with slightly less pressure/velocity.

Thanks for the links, guys. I don't know why I didn't think of the Sixteen Gauge Society.

My '97 has the 3-screw fore-end, so I've always assumed it's an early production gun, though I've never bothered to actually check the serial number.