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Joined: Jan 2009
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Anyone doing this? I’ve allowed myself to fall victim to the ammo shortage. There’s no steel shot shells to be found on store shelves here, and online sources don’t have anything that isn’t $45 a box before shipping. I do however have a lee load all and a ton of powders, primers and federal hulls. My primary target is ducks on the local creek, but will also be hunting some geese over decoys at the first part of the year. What is the recommendation for shot size, and wads?If it’s of any importance, these will be fired out of an 11-87 semi auto.
Last edited by chesterwy; 11/28/21.
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Joined: Feb 2016
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I would go to the BPI website and look around for info on steel.... I have a small pile of steel shot shells I will never use.... where are you at ?
Well... we have come to the point.... where... the parasites are killing the host. It's only a matter of time now.
They only win.... when they cheat.
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Joined: Nov 2021
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New Member
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Alliant Steel powder will give the best results, but there are others that will work like longshot, 800x, 4756, and blue dot.
You'll need steel wads which you can get from BPI. The Multi Metal is an old design, so it'll be easier to find data for it with the other powders if you can't get steel. If you can get steel, I like CSD118 wads or RSI sam1 wads.
Loading steel shot isn't hard, but it is a slower process.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Federal hulls come in multiple types. A wad that works in all of the 12ga 2 3/4" is the LBC43 Then the best steel shot sizes for general waterfowl hunting are #3-#2-#1. To get started go online to Ballistic Products, buy the LBC43 wads, 20 lb of Steel #2, Beg borrow a pound of Steel powder from someone. A beam or digital scale is needed to weigh powder and shot. The load is simple. Use any 209 primer that fits your federal 2 3/4" 12ga hull, 32gr of steel powder, LBC43 wad, 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 oz of steel shot. Each hull type takes a few more or less pellets for good crimps. When you get a good tight crimp the load will be 1420-1470fps
The anti American Constitutional party (Democrat). Wants to dismantle your rights, limiting every aspect of your constitutional rights. Death by 1000 cuts is the tactic. Each cut bleeds constitutional rights to control you. Control is the goal.
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Baltz, you aren't including AA's and STS's in "all" 2-3/4" hulls are you?
I agree on the LBC43 is a good all around wad. I'll add that the CSD118 is as well.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Federal hulls come in multiple types. A wad that works in all of the 12ga 2 3/4" is the LBC43 Then the best steel shot sizes for general waterfowl hunting are #3-#2-#1. To get started go online to Ballistic Products, buy the LBC43 wads, 20 lb of Steel #2, Beg borrow a pound of Steel powder from someone. A beam or digital scale is needed to weigh powder and shot. The load is simple. Use any 209 primer that fits your federal 2 3/4" 12ga hull, 32gr of steel powder, LBC43 wad, 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 oz of steel shot. Each hull type takes a few more or less pellets for good crimps. When you get a good tight crimp the load will be 1420-1470fps Thanks everyone. Ordered these supplies yesterday, and already have some Alliant Steel powder on hand.
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Joined: Jul 2004
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Ballistic Products is THE source for steel info & components. When I've loaded them I did it the slow way - measured powder with my Uniflow and weighed the shot on a scale. Slow but they worked just fine without buying a special bar for the MEC.
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad."
----------------------------------------------
"Jimmy, some of it's magic,
Some of it's tragic,
But I had a good life all the way."
(Jimmy Buffett)
SotG
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Baltz, you aren't including AA's and STS's in "all" 2-3/4" hulls are you?
I agree on the LBC43 is a good all around wad. I'll add that the CSD118 is as well.
Federal hulls
The anti American Constitutional party (Democrat). Wants to dismantle your rights, limiting every aspect of your constitutional rights. Death by 1000 cuts is the tactic. Each cut bleeds constitutional rights to control you. Control is the goal.
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Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 42
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I used to load slot of 2 3/4” 12 gauge #3 steel in GM hulls with Sam 1 wads and steel powder. 1 1/16 oz and they were great on ducks. 1375 FPS and patterned better than my cheap Rem and WW Expert factory loads. Did it on my 600 MEC Jr and used my metallic powder thrower and dipped the shot in a cut down hull…. Worked wonderfully. I could still do it manually as stated and do 3-4 boxes an hour.
Great fun and way to kill time while having shells to shoot that performed well.
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