As the title implies, several years ago I bought a case of Rio brand 16 gauge 1-1/8 oz factory loads

I was curious if they are decent enough to use to reload? All the data that I am seeing are 7/8 and 1oz. I'm not seeing any 1-1/8 oz.

Truth is, I haven't even opened the case and have been sitting on them for while thinking that I would use them for backup for when/if domestic stuff ran out though there has been a slight resurgence where Federal is concerned since Stevens is importing their double barrel and Browning currently has their lines of sixteens.

If you have any data for the heavier loads with this hull, I would love to find out more about them and to try to hear your load data so I don't have to reinvent the wheel if I don't have to.

Thank you in advance.

You need Rio primers but the 12 ga RIO I have load are as good as any...mb

Thank you very much for the reply.

I've been researching that all evening, and the fact they need their own unique primers is disheartening since there are no rio primers to be found at any of my regular haunts.

I guess I'll sit on the shells for a while and hope that eventually the primers come back at some point. I emailed the company to ask, but as one would expect, I haven't gotten an answer. At least not yet anyway. And I'm sure they've probably been asked that a thousand times over by now.

If I can't find some eventually, maybe I can trade some winchester or federal primers for some to someone needing some or something?

At any rate, thank you again for the time to answer my question.

I seen this coming and bought a 1000. I like the 16 RIO hull to load. In fact I bought some new empties from balictic products. They were clear. They are a tough hull. Several reloads from one. As said before the primer is a draw back. If the primes were plentiful that would make a different story. By the way I bought mine at the grand in the shell house. Believe me you didn't get no special price. All in all they are a good hull.

I've been wanting to try Rios in my 16, heard they reload longer than the Cheddite that I normally use. Question about the primers. Are they the same as the other Euro primers size wise? I've got a brick of Fiocchi that measure about .001-.002 larger than my US primers.

When you reload Rio hulls, you must use Rio primers, even Fiocchi are too small and will fall out. I have heard the Nobel Sport primers may be as large as Rio but have not confirmed that.

I had that problem and tried the tool Ballistic Products sells for resizing primer holes and it has worked very well for me. It is a punch and mandrel type thing just put the hull on the mandrel and insert punch and tap. I tried hand fitting first to see the difference and after resizing the non-Rio primers fit tightly.

I'd be interested in considering that product.

Do you have a link to it? I'm unable to find it on their website with a generic search for it.

Sorry to take so long to get back:
https://www.ballisticproducts.com/searchprods.asp
It is item Item #: 0740010 for about $20. You only need to use it once unless you change primer type again.

Doubt you’ll check this after so long, but here goes. Yep, I’m reloading them, there’s a number of great loads ( although my better ones all have a lot of recoil). Getting primers is the issue. I saw some last year and bought a couple thousand.

But what I read is that they’ve been discontinued. Like real bummer. If you shoot them and want to unload the hulls I’ll give you a few bucks and pay for shipping. Or when I’ve reached the end of life on my remaining hulls, I’ll probably have like 500 primers left with nothing left to do.

I seen it coming also and bought some up. Last response is their not going to have anymore 16 hulls..if you find different please let me no. Good 16 hull.

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. I dont' know why I hardly never get notifications when someone replies. I'll likely get the primer pocket resizer and go that route.

I have a couple of cases of remington and federals before I get down to this case of rio's anyway. That may take me a while to shoot up considering that I generally just do some rabbit and squirrel hunting Occasionally Turkey.

Been trying to put back hulls and wads and primers for a few years now. I bought all 5 bags (250) of the Remington factory wads when they went on clearance at midway when remington went through the bankruptcy. Not counting several bags of other wads from ballistics products too, so now that I can just resize the primers pockets of the rio's, that's probably what I'll do. I'll put them back for hard times.

I had decided to get the primer peener, but looks like ballisticsproducts has rio primers in stock now. About $100/1000, which is about standard these days, but the peener tool that Frank K linked above seems to be working well.

Here's the rio primers if anyone is looking for them.

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Rio-209-Shotshell-Primers-1000_box/productinfo/RIO209/

When I had Rio primers. Load once and toss. Mb

You didn't like rio hulls then?

I 'd rather shoot fed top gun..mb