Looking for 7/8 12 gauge load data.

[M27]

I am haveing trouble finding 7/8 oz load data for 12 gauge with versalite wads.

I have access to a few powders but would prefer to use herco. But any data for any powder may be usable.

Is it safe to use data for a herco 1 1/8 load? Everything is the same becides the shot weight. I am thinking it should just give extra velocity, and posibly lower pressures.

Thanks in advance.

[Bill Steele]

I am haveing trouble finding 7/8 oz load data for 12 gauge with versalite wads.

I have access to a few powders but would prefer to use herco. But any data for any powder may be usable.

Is it safe to use data for a herco 1 1/8 load? Everything is the same becides the shot weight. I am thinking it should just give extra velocity, and posibly lower pressures.

Thanks in advance.

You can definitely load less shot safely, everything else being equal. In my experience the "higher velocity" claim made when downloading shot usually doesn't amount to much. Maybe if you are using a faster powder you will get more velocity on a light load, but I doubt Herco will deliver much more.

The shot column will need some help with spacing/cards.

[M27]

You can definitely load less shot safely, everything else being equal. In my experience the "higher velocity" claim made when downloading shot usually doesn't amount to much. Maybe if you are using a faster powder you will get more velocity on a light load, but I doubt Herco will deliver much more.

The shot column will need some help with spacing/cards.

I am loading O-buck with a 1/8th nitro card In the bottom of the cup.

[Bill Steele]

I am loading O-buck with a 1/8th nitro card In the bottom of the cup.

You can do that no problem. Herco might actually work fairly well in that pursuit. I found the faster (target) and intermediate (medium field loads) burn rate powders work pretty well at squeezing a little more velocity out of lighter buck loads using deeper shot wads (i.e. just what you are doing, using 7/8oz of buck in a 1 1/8 - 1 1/4oz wad.)

When loading buck in lighter weights the classic big field and magnum load powders just don't deliver much more velocity. I experimented with Blue Dot, Longshot, etc. and never really got the 7/8oz loads going very fast. I think the lighter load keeps the pressure down and the lack of pressure limits the upside of the slower powders in a given recipe.

Right now, International Clays, Universal Clays, Unique and WSF are my favorites when loading a lighter buck load in a deeper cup wad. You likely won't get the 1400fps you might imagine such a setup should deliver, but 1300's might be in the cards.

If you get into the 1400's, make sure you come back and tell us, I will buy some Herco!

PS - You might be able to get a little closer to the original shot weight in a given cup by going down some in shot size. I load #1.5 (.310" dia.) buck in 12ga wads in stacks of 3's, it might be able to get you a little closer to the original shot weight, produce a little more pressure and get a little more velocity out of a given heavier bird shot recipe.)

[JagerDog]

The first post doesn't reference buckshot. So my first answer is it would be a waste of Herco and likely quite dirty. 7/8 target loads scream for fast powder. Also, to get the increased velocity of reduced payloads requires more powder. Basic stuff. But safe to simply reduce payload from published? Yeah.

Buckshot is a stripe of a different color. For one, there's gonna be a lot of gaps between pellets even when stacked well. How many of what size buckshot?

[M27]

The first post doesn't reference buckshot. So my first answer is it would be a waste of Herco and likely quite dirty. 7/8 target loads scream for fast powder. Also, to get the increased velocity of reduced payloads requires more powder. Basic stuff. But safe to simply reduce payload from published? Yeah.

Buckshot is a stripe of a different color. For one, there's gonna be a lot of gaps between pellets even when stacked well. How many of what size buckshot?

It's 9 O-buck, that's why I want to use the 1-1/8 versalite wads for only 7/8