WaterfowlForum.Net

Been thinking about reloading steel. Since I only plan on loading 2 3-4" duck loads, I'll probably be using my stash of Xpert hulls I have stocked up or federal top gun hulls as they're plentiful and free. The federals woul be shoot one time and pitch. Plan on using #3 shot. I can't find much load data for federal top gun hulls for steel shot but I would think you would load the same as lead using gold medal data. From what I've read, Alliant Steel seems to be the powder of choice for steel shot but there is none locally available. Would 800x be a good powder or any other powder from IMR? How about hodgdon? Would Accurate Nitro 100 be a good steel shot powder? I have heard that its also necessary to weigh each shot charge, which doesn't bother me. What it the prefered primer? I've always thought CCI 209M would be the ideal choice. Another thing is I want to be shooting 1 1/16oz of steel shot. I'm also guessing standard target wads aren't the best for duck loads. I also understand that you have to match everything up to listed data and to not be substituting anything. Help would be appreciated.

R. Chapman wrote:Been thinking about reloading steel. Since I only plan on loading 2 3-4" duck loads, I'll probably be using my stash of Xpert hulls I have stocked up or federal top gun hulls as they're plentiful and free. The federals woul be shoot one time and pitch. Plan on using #3 shot. I can't find much load data for federal top gun hulls for steel shot but I would think you would load the same as lead using gold medal data. From what I've read, Alliant Steel seems to be the powder of choice for steel shot but there is none locally available. Would 800x be a good powder or any other powder from IMR? How about hodgdon? Would Accurate Nitro 100 be a good steel shot powder? I have heard that its also necessary to weigh each shot charge, which doesn't bother me. What it the prefered primer? I've always thought CCI 209M would be the ideal choice. Another thing is I want to be shooting 1 1/16oz of steel shot. I'm also guessing standard target wads aren't the best for duck loads. I also understand that you have to match everything up to listed data and to not be substituting anything. Help would be appreciated.

7.5 or nothing!

BPI Status of Steel manual.

capt1972 wrote:

R. Chapman wrote:Been thinking about reloading steel. Since I only plan on loading 2 3-4" duck loads, I'll probably be using my stash of Xpert hulls I have stocked up or federal top gun hulls as they're plentiful and free. The federals woul be shoot one time and pitch. Plan on using #3 shot. I can't find much load data for federal top gun hulls for steel shot but I would think you would load the same as lead using gold medal data. From what I've read, Alliant Steel seems to be the powder of choice for steel shot but there is none locally available. Would 800x be a good powder or any other powder from IMR? How about hodgdon? Would Accurate Nitro 100 be a good steel shot powder? I have heard that its also necessary to weigh each shot charge, which doesn't bother me. What it the prefered primer? I've always thought CCI 209M would be the ideal choice. Another thing is I want to be shooting 1 1/16oz of steel shot. I'm also guessing standard target wads aren't the best for duck loads. I also understand that you have to match everything up to listed data and to not be substituting anything. Help would be appreciated.

7.5 or nothing!

:lol:

capt1972 wrote:

R. Chapman wrote:Been thinking about reloading steel. Since I only plan on loading 2 3-4" duck loads, I'll probably be using my stash of Xpert hulls I have stocked up or federal top gun hulls as they're plentiful and free. The federals woul be shoot one time and pitch. Plan on using #3 shot. I can't find much load data for federal top gun hulls for steel shot but I would think you would load the same as lead using gold medal data. From what I've read, Alliant Steel seems to be the powder of choice for steel shot but there is none locally available. Would 800x be a good powder or any other powder from IMR? How about hodgdon? Would Accurate Nitro 100 be a good steel shot powder? I have heard that its also necessary to weigh each shot charge, which doesn't bother me. What it the prefered primer? I've always thought CCI 209M would be the ideal choice. Another thing is I want to be shooting 1 1/16oz of steel shot. I'm also guessing standard target wads aren't the best for duck loads. I also understand that you have to match everything up to listed data and to not be substituting anything. Help would be appreciated.

7.5 or nothing!

We're talking about steel now mother fucker! Not lead!

R. Chapman wrote:

capt1972 wrote:

R. Chapman wrote:Been thinking about reloading steel. Since I only plan on loading 2 3-4" duck loads, I'll probably be using my stash of Xpert hulls I have stocked up or federal top gun hulls as they're plentiful and free. The federals woul be shoot one time and pitch. Plan on using #3 shot. I can't find much load data for federal top gun hulls for steel shot but I would think you would load the same as lead using gold medal data. From what I've read, Alliant Steel seems to be the powder of choice for steel shot but there is none locally available. Would 800x be a good powder or any other powder from IMR? How about hodgdon? Would Accurate Nitro 100 be a good steel shot powder? I have heard that its also necessary to weigh each shot charge, which doesn't bother me. What it the prefered primer? I've always thought CCI 209M would be the ideal choice. Another thing is I want to be shooting 1 1/16oz of steel shot. I'm also guessing standard target wads aren't the best for duck loads. I also understand that you have to match everything up to listed data and to not be substituting anything. Help would be appreciated.

7.5 or nothing!

We're talking about steel now mother fucker! Not lead!

I thought that was your name? There can't very well be 2 mother fuckers on the same forum now can there.

capt1972 wrote:

R. Chapman wrote:

capt1972 wrote:

R. Chapman wrote:Been thinking about reloading steel. Since I only plan on loading 2 3-4" duck loads, I'll probably be using my stash of Xpert hulls I have stocked up or federal top gun hulls as they're plentiful and free. The federals woul be shoot one time and pitch. Plan on using #3 shot. I can't find much load data for federal top gun hulls for steel shot but I would think you would load the same as lead using gold medal data. From what I've read, Alliant Steel seems to be the powder of choice for steel shot but there is none locally available. Would 800x be a good powder or any other powder from IMR? How about hodgdon? Would Accurate Nitro 100 be a good steel shot powder? I have heard that its also necessary to weigh each shot charge, which doesn't bother me. What it the prefered primer? I've always thought CCI 209M would be the ideal choice. Another thing is I want to be shooting 1 1/16oz of steel shot. I'm also guessing standard target wads aren't the best for duck loads. I also understand that you have to match everything up to listed data and to not be substituting anything. Help would be appreciated.

7.5 or nothing!

We're talking about steel now mother fucker! Not lead!

I thought that was your name? There can't very well be 2 mother fuckers on the same forum now can there.

My middle name is mother fuckin, your name is just mother fucker, plain and simple.

Some thoughts:

You may need to expand your stated requirements some.

Do not be hung up on 1 1/16 oz of shot. 1 oz of #3 steel has only a few pellets less will likely perform quite well for you. The RSI manual has recipes for 7/8 to 1 1/8 oz loads using the Sam-1 wad in 2 3/4" 12 gauge.

Xpert hulls reload rather poorly and I do not recall many recipes using that hull.

The RSI manual from Bucks Run has recipes that use powders other than Alliant Steel. I used to load with 800x or 4756 powder before Steel Powder became available. I would not recommend that anymore. I highly really recommend finding and using Steel powder.

You do not want to be using standard lead wads with steel shot. The capacities are not appropriate and you risk barrel damage and worse.

Get a good manual like the RSI manual from Bucks Run or Status of Steel.

I would also recommend purchasing Lightning Steel from Precision Reloading: http://www.precisionreloading.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PRE&Product_Code=BKLS2&Category_Code=PUBS

Here is some information on reloading steel shot that may be helpful to you: http://www.duckhuntingchat.com/shotshell-reloading-how-to-on-shotgun-reloading-steel.php

Thanks for the links and info. John!