Home Forums Reloading Shotshells redneck science- hypothetical question

fellas question about substituting shot sizes in already loaded shells. Aka if primers, powder and hulls dry up and all someone had was factory birdshot laying about and they wanted to empty them out and replace with BB or buck of the same weight is this possible and easiest way to do it? I never got into shotgun reloading so not sure about crimps or overshot cards. I have ammo supplies but the way the world is going some redneck science may be useful at some point.

Larger shot will take up more space. Opening crimps and re-crimping is a pain. I use the same data for same weight loads from BB's to 9's. I will say that all my loads are as low pressure as will reliably fire in my sxs's. I don't load Buckshot so no help there but know that there is usually different data for buckshot loads.

I agree with this. Loading manuals do not care what size shot is being used, it is the oz. of shot for a given charge weight. The manuals specify hull, powder, charge weight of powder, primer, wad, and oz.'s of shot (not size).
I have not loaded buckshot or slugs so there maybe a difference there, I don't know.

Good point fellas. Didnt think of that for buckshot, bigger sizes will have a lot of gaps and are often stacked to a pattern to maximum space

For buckshot I use the same powder charge and wads as bird shot, I'm not looking for magnum charges, just something my wife can handle.

I guess if you can open the loaded ammo and recrimp, just put as much in as can be recrimped, may be a bit light but should shoot fine and a bit faster.

9 00 pellets weight just over an oz, 8 would be just under.

Kent

As others have suggested, substituting small shot with larger shot can be done, and you won't end up with an unsafe load, but achieving an acceptable crimp will limit the success of the project.