Home Forums Reloading 16 Gauge Society Another Option for 2.5" Shells

It looks like Gamebore is now importing 2.5" shells and Clay Shooters Supply has 12ga and 20ga in stock with 16ga arriving later this month.


https://www.clayshooterssupply.com/...ps-7-5-diamond-shot-flat-10-boxes-25rds/

They only offer 7.5 shot. I like that for doves and clay birds. Probably be allright for quail too. The birds I hunt are grouse and pheasant and use bigger shot size as I like to eat my birds. I've been cutting down 12's to 2 5/8" for my old 97 and 2 9/16" for my LC Smith field grade 16..mb

Looks like the have them now.

Doves and early season quail loads...

I have been underwhelmed by them for chukar or blue grouse loads.

And that is saying something as you have good dogs getting better shots and more opportunities than most folks. A bud bought some of the rst 2 1/2" 16's for his really old A-5 16 he said their done at 35 yds. So I loaded him some 1 oz and 1 1/8 oz. Loads in cut down cheddites to a 2 9/16" fired OAL good loads that worked but were a 1 shot deal no multiple reloads with them. I used a roll crimper on them, not all plastics roll crimp worth a damn but these did but as I said 1 and done. I've since stopped roll crimping them just cut them short use a tyvek patch and card wad with regular fold crimp..mb

Bob,

I've used Remington ShurShot #6 shot in my short chambered European guns all my life with never a problem. They're actually very close in length to the original 2 9/16 loads. The Herters 16ga field loads are 2 9/16" shells labeled 2 3/4". I wish I could find some; I'm down to 1/2 a flat.

The Gamebore are good ammo within their inherent limitations.

This was the absolute best IMO and experience, but I'll be damned if I can find any now.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1002127236?pid=238524

I have had to cut down the hulls I load for my LC Smith field grade to 2 9/16" or 2.5625". The herter hulls I have all measure 2.715 to 2.725". The Remington " black beauties" that a lot of people say are short aren't that short either right at 2.735 to 2.740". When you cut down a herter hull and roll crimp it it only lasts 1 to 2 shots and it's shot no pun intended. The black beauties left full length are pretty brittle and burned on the 3rd reload. The federal hull does not give a good roll crimp in my own experience. The plastic is just not the right formula to roll crimp well with the roll crimper I have. I found that I can cut a federal hull to ~2.57" load it, put a tyvek patch on top the shot then card wad run it thru the crimp starter and over to the crimper. You get a loaded shell with a hole in the ctr of the crimp but no leakage (tyvek patch and card wad) they seem to shoot fine. They are the same loaded length as a 2 3/4" shell but after firing they are 2 9/16". These work the best for me. I have never ordered new cheddite hulls to use from shot 1 on and can't comment on them. My other 16's all have normal 2 3/4" chambers but even the best vintage ww compression formed hulls with skived 8 star crimps don't last as long as the same in 12 gauge. The herter field loads were some of the most reasonable priced 16's around pre covid era...supply of good 16 ga ammo is sure sorry compared to 12's..mb

I've been bitc...er, complaining to the B&P people about this since Aerostar went belly up. Luckily, i've a couple cases of #5s stashed away....But with three short chambered guns, they get used up rather quickly - assuming I'm seeing birds to shoot them at....