00 Buckshot Practice loads?

[shotslow]

I would like to shoot a 3 gun match this year. I got a tactical shotgun. It is a blast to shoot. Pun intened. First shotgun I owned that I could hit at 50 yards with a hunting slug. There is some info on the net about handloading 00 buckshot and slugs. It appears, that for buckshot, you can use loads for birdshot, by simply using the same weight buckshot. Turns out 9 pellets of 00 buckshot weights a little less than 1 1/8 oz. I am not trying for a self-defense load but a practice load. So here is the question:

Hornady sells 100 lead balls for black powder shooting that is .32 caliber with a diameter of .310. There is a .315 diameter. I can get these locally. Can I use them?

I may get a Lee mold for 00 buckshot or one for 000 buckshot. I want to know what the problems are???

[Coleman]

I dont see where it will hurt to try. here is a link for field grade 00.

http://www.precisionreloading.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PRE&Product_Code=SHBUCKRM00&Category_Code=BUCKSHOT

[Lonely Raven]

I would like to shoot a 3 gun match this year. I got a tactical shotgun. It is a blast to shoot. Pun intened. First shotgun I owned that I could hit at 50 yards with a hunting slug. There is some info on the net about handloading 00 buckshot and slugs. It appears, that for buckshot, you can use loads for birdshot, by simply using the same weight buckshot. Turns out 9 pellets of 00 buckshot weights a little less than 1 1/8 oz. I am not trying for a self-defense load but a practice load. So here is the question:

Hornady sells 100 lead balls for black powder shooting that is .32 caliber with a diameter of .310. There is a .315 diameter. I can get these locally. Can I use them?

I may get a Lee mold for 00 buckshot or one for 000 buckshot. I want to know what the problems are???

Here is a mold that many shotgun reloaders are using these days.

http://buckshotmold.com/

I just picked one up and I hope to try it out this weekend.

[shotslow]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That's what I'm talking about. I did the math and realized the black powder lead balls were more expensive, by far, than the 5 lbs of Hornady 00 buckshot. I ordered 5 lbs to try out. The link given by Coleman for factory buckshot is appreciated. That is a better price than Midwayusa. The second link from Lonely Raven answered a bunch of questions. The biggest being was how good was the Lee die. Plus a lot of detail on what casting lead shot is all about. If I order a mold it will be the Sharpshooter mold.

Thanks again.

[Coleman]

Shotslow, If you need help with casting, venture over to the castboolits web site, thier is a topic on casting for shotgun. Thier is alot of nice people just like on this forum. Good Luck! Coleman.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=36

[goat68]

The major difference between loading birdshot and buckshot is you need to hand plance each pellet of buck in the case and tamp in in. You will not likely fit 9 pellets of 00 buck in the shell with a birdshot wad in there. If you some how manage to get them in there, the shell will not chamber or load in your magazine tube. Loads for bird can't be used weight for weight to buck. You might want to check your shotgun reloading manual before you get too far along.

You will need to go get some new gas seal wads, filler wads such as cork, pressed paper, or felt from balisticproducts.com

The cheapest place I've found for buck is from precisionreloading.com

[Chills1994]

Lee makes an 18 cavity buckshot mould:

if you go that route, I would highly suggest tumbling the buckshot in graphite and adding some sort of (polyester) filler which acts like a buffer.

I'd highly recommend this book:

Edited March 3, 2012 by Chills1994

[shotslow]

I tried it and I have a great big smile. Yes, I could only get 8 pellets in the shell and have everything go together. I have AA hulls and pink wads for one oz of shot. I stuffed a couple of 45-70 bullets upside down into a case to tamper the shot in place. They fed in my Mosberg 930. I did not need a filler card.

A friend gave me some WAA wads, (off brand but I have used them before) and I could get 9 pellets in. They loaded easily into my SXS cowboy gun. I will shoot them next trip to the range.

This is kinda an FYI post so I'll include the facts that my MEC jr is set up for Cowboy loads. I use 1 1/8 oz or 1 oz shot. I add a couple of card wads I cut out so the 1 oz shot will fit and crimp well. The 1 1/8 oz fits & crimps well. I use a size 18 bushing with Titegroup. These birdshot loads are milder than Remington All Purpose loads and a little milder than Remington club loads.

I don't know how much buckshot loads I will be shooting. It may be cheaper to get some factory shot rather than buying a mold.

[Coleman]

shotslow, here is a link to figure cost, last year i was doing 4buck and it came to under $9 per 25rnds now that is cheap for buckshot. milage will vary, it depends on freehulls, cast your own, and supplies. it is so nice to shoot a box of buckshot and not have to count the $$$ as you pull the trigger.

http://www.trapshooters.com/reloadcalc.htm