366 12ga loads?

[JeffD]

I just acquired a 366 loader. I have an 1187 and I am looking for a decent target load. I am wondering what you have used and what loads you would recommend. The set up came with 1k+ CCI 209 primers and a ton of different wads. I have hundreds of AA hulls and some other misc hulls. Just looking for some input and ideas to start with.

Thanks,
Jeff

[benny]

I use one of three powders ,Red Dot, Green Dot or Clays with about 18 grains dropped, AA hulls, 118 Claybuster wads, and 1-1/8 ounce shot and either Winchester or Federal 209.
Now these are all interchangeable per the books and recipies I have read. The pressure varies but it is in spec od any modern shotgun. This will get you around 1200 fps or close to a standard trap load.

But I would search the manufactures web page for your preferred powder and follow their load data to be 100 % safe.

I have used other powders too with good results.

Forgot to say that the CCI and Remington primers seem to be a little larger than the rest so if you load them into hulls and reuse the hull with Winchesters the Winchester may not seat in snug.

Also be fore warned that some of the off brand primers fail often.

Benny

[crbutler]

With an auto shotgun I tend to look at the data and use whatever loads meet my criteria for type (for instance do you want 7/8th oz, 1 oz or full 1 1/8 oz target loads; do you want reduced velocity or extra high speed...) and then choose the one that shows the highest pressures of the choices.

The one thing I do with shotgun loads is I have been using a main stream older powder (lately IMR 700X) rather than the newest one, as there are all kinds of recipes out there for them to utilize. If you want to use Clay Dot as an example, there are a lot fewer recipes available.

With shotgun loads you can add space wads as needed to the recipe, but if you are trying to get target loads, you want to avoid them because it really slows down the process and is extra cash in each shell.

As an example- one of my current lot is an AA HS hull, WAA12HS wad, and 18g of 700X with 1 1/8 oz #7.5 shot. Pretty middle of the road load- reproduces the AA heavy trap factory load more or less.

[dupa]

make sure you check the wads you bought.. I picked some up at an auction a few years back.. they had sat so long the peddles of the wads were crumbling. tossed em.

I personally like doing a 1oz load for my trap/skeet/sporting.. I keep it around 1150fps.. I like the hogdon clays for powder. 7.5 seems to be what we've been able to order in bulk the last few years so that's what I've been going with.. usually I like 8's. whatever you decide load up a box and take em to the range make sure you pattern a few just to see what the load is doing for your gun/choke set up. I shoot an o/u for my clays.. so I don't have to worry about it ejecting the shell. I ended up slowing my rounds down seems to allow the pattern to develop better for me.

[smurfman]

I pick up the least expensive powder I can find. Typically, that is Alliant Promo which tends to run about 3/4 the price of Red Dot and 2/3 that of Hodgdon Clays. It only comes in 8 pound kegs but it lasts and one can use a fair bit of shotshell powder over the year. It uses the same data as Red Dot for weight but one needs a scale to determine the bushing to use as it is different than red Dot. A good rule of thumb is to start 2 sizes smaller than that called for with Red Dot and weigh. Move up or down as called for.

I run mostly 7/8 oz at roughly 1250 fps for target in my 12 ga as I am cheap and don't want to use more shot nor get kicked harder than I have to. From long use I found if I miss a clay it is much more likely my fault than the load. It works fine in the O/Us and the Beretta 391 but I suspect the 11/87 would have issues as these are lighter than what that gun may like. I recall when I used 11/87s they did not run well on Winchester Xtra-lites or their equivalents when the round count approached 100. These were field guns of 2 decades ago so Remington may have tweaked them to run better since.

Replicate the "heavy trap" loads of 1 1/8 oz of shot at 1200 fps with clays, Red Dot, Promo, Green Dot, International Clays, and the like will be pretty fool proof. Start lowering the velocity or shot load and you may begin having some issues. Generally, lower shot load first and then adjust powder drops as necessary/needed while consulting a manual. It may take a bit of playing but you will find something you like.

[JeffD]

I need to find some reloading manuals to look through. Online Alliant does not list a load for RD CCI 209 and AA hulls. I thought their website would be the most up to date. The guy I got the set up from claims he shot in a league and it is all set up. I still want to know what he was using and then go from there. I got this from a friend and he talked to the guy. My friend does not know anything about reloading so he didn't ask him many questions. I guess I could just set it up and measure the powder and see where it's at. Then get some of your opinions on the load. I will try to get some more info.

Thanks,
Jeff

[JeffD]

This is what I think it is set up for. I have CCI 209 vs the WIN 209. I have read online and some say they are interchangeable and others say no. The Allaint website does not list a recipe for CCI 209 with Red Dot. From what I have read this seems to be a fairly light load. Thoughts?

Alliant Powder_ Print Recipe.pdf

(70.04 KB) Downloaded 168 times

[crbutler]

From Lyman 4th ed. (1995)

Assuming by AA you mean the old compression formed hulls along with a CCI 209. Supposedly per Winchester the new hulls can use the same data if you use the wads made for the HS hull.

17.5 of red dot with a WAA 12 wad and 1 1/8 oz shot gives 1130 FPS
19.0 gr of red dot gives 1200 FPS with a WAA 12 wad and 1 1/8 oz.

Somewhere in there is safe. Not so sure about if its enough gas for an auto but that's in the book. That combo is out there.