Home Forums Reloading 16 Gauge Society Herco for 16 gauge handloads?

Just wondered if Herco would work for 16 gauge? I can't find a lot of data for it. I'm asking because I have a schitt load of it. Thanks

No give it all to me……actually it works well for 1 oz and some 1-1/8 oz loads. I can’t say it’s my go to powder for either purpose, but if you want I can share some load data privately.

It's the tits for 1295fps 1 1/8oz loads especially using straight wall hulls and power piston wads...mb

I use it for .38 Spl, .357 Mag., 9mm, and .45 ACP. Just starting to get into shotgun reloading.

I have used it for 1 oz loads when I was a lot younger but I was less than thrilled with it for that purpose. The powder is a little slow burning for such purpose and it left a lot of debris in the barrel and in the receiver. It was a pain to clean out of an A-5 and even in a double the grit would start gumming up the hinge and get under the eJectors or extractors which did cause problems closing if shot much. This even more true when temps began to drop under freezing.

Herco was a much better fit for 1 1/8 oz loads at the faster end of the scale as pressures were generally higher causing a more thorough burn. A load calling for a Federal or CCI Magnum primer was best. Even then it was relatively dirty.

I have not looked online for Herco data as Alliant is rather limited in data compared to the past but the old Hercules and later Alliant freebie data books had a large amount of data for their powders. Lyman's shotshell manual probably has a fair bit but I haven't looked for Herco data there in quite some time either. I probably should just to use up the 8 pound keg I have sitting on the shelf. Someday that cardboard container is going to give up the ghost.

Yeah, its' a little slow burning. I call it a slower version of Unique.

I used it alot 40 years ago for my 16. Good powder.