[Skulldigger]

I have been reloading my shells for Skeet and Trap for about a year now with no problems. I wanted to load up some #4 buck for home defense and started looking at recipes. Which brought about a few questions.

1. What is the difference in a Fed 209 primer and a Winchester 209. All of the recipes I find recommend Winchester for the #4 buck, but I can use Fed 209 for the shot. I have a ton of Fed. Does it really matter? I'm not looking for scientific accuracy just usability.

2. What is the difference in loading 1 oz of #8 shot and 1 oz of #4 buck? It is all still one ounce right? Do I really need a different recipe for this?

If this sounds dumb to you pro's I apologize.

 

[nsb]

I've been loading shotgun shells for forty years and I have all the loading manuals. However, being a "hull vulture" (one who picks up all high quality once fired hulls when he sees them) I can tell you that a lot, if not most reloaders don't follow the exact recipes in the loading manuals. I've never seen a problem swiitching primers with different hulls. I suppose that someone in the company's laboratory may have found some minute detectable difference in uniforminty of shot pattern or less variance in velocity, but for all practical purposes it makes no differnece. An ounce is an ounce also, whether it's shot size number 7, 6, 5, etc. I've never had a problem out of at least a few hundred thousand rounds. I do not play around with powder charges though. I follow what the book says for weight of charge. I don't try to hot rod any loads. That's just me. I don't reccommend you do what I do but I can tell you I know of a LOT of shooters who do what I do and I've never seen a problem. Note: if it were me and I was looking for some home defense buckshot loads, I'd just buy them. You can buy them in boxes of five. Why even bother reloading them? How many bad guys do you plan on shooting? I've had the same box of five for twenty years and still have four left. I shot one just to see how it patterned. I still have enough left for another twenty years.

 

[Skulldigger]

Thank you for the reply. I know it's not worth the trouble and is probably more expensive, but it's just for the fun of it. I have some black Winchester cases and some #4 buckshot and thought I would make a few. I was hesitant to deviate from any of the recipe's but I just could not see the primer being that much of an issue. The weight thing was just messing with my brain about why 1 oz of one was different from 1 oz of the other. Again, thank you for taking the time to respond.

 

[Brigadeir]

passed the, nope I don't want to count that high.
Anyway.
been loading shotshells over 40 yrs. also. started with a lee kit (not recommended).
I've played with 00-buck, 4-buck and even make my own slugs (just because I can).
I agree, for all practical purposes, an ounce is an ounce.
The only primer difference I have found is in how tightly some fit the hull.
My $0.02 is stay middle of the road charge and test a load before making a ton of them.
#4 buck is great for 4-footed coyotes, rabid raccoon, etc. as well as HD.
My grandson shoots the 7/8oz. slugs I make for his 20ga. for deer.
but, that's another story.

Luck,

 

[Virginian]

Buckshot will take up a lot more room for the weight of shot than bird shot, particularly small bird shot like target loads. You'll know it won't work when you get to crimp and it won't.

 

[roseman]

That's true. An ounce is an ounce but the size of the buckshot does not allow the tight nesting that smaller shot gives you.
I use #1 buck for several loadings. In order to get the same weight payload in each shell, I use fiber wads as the shot cup will not allow the full load to be crimped. Many commercial buckshot loads do not have traditional shot cup wads also.
There may be a slight difference in the tightness of the pattern without the traditional shot cup but I'm happy with the loads I make.

 

[Irv S]

Many but not all shotshell primers are interchangeable. I usually use Winchester 209, but when I can't get them I substitute Cheddite 209. But, for example, Federal 209 and Federal 209A primers are not interchangeable and if changing from their 209 to the 209A, the powder charge needs to be reduced for comparable performance as the 209A is hotter.

I don't reload buckshot and don't consider it necessary for home defense as at the distances involved in home defense, a heavy load of smaller shot will be adequate. The problem of buckshot taking up more space than fine shot is easily solved by simply using a larger capacity wad. Like a 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 ounce wad instead of the 1 ounce wad used for smaller shot.

 

[roseman]

Using a smaller wad will work if what you desire is a light buckshot load. If you want say a 1 1/2 oz buckshot load, there may be no traditional plastic wad that will work. Fiber wads will work.

 

[jmortimer]

This is a must read if you are swapping 209 brands

Shotshell Primer Substitutions Effecting Patterns by: Tom Armbrust

 

[Michael T]

Thanks, jmortimer! That is a lot of good info.

 

[unclepaddy]

I think subbing primers in magnum loads is a no-no. Loads with longshot, blue dot and the like need a mag primer. I have witnessed the effects of substituting a 209 for a 209A and it is noticeable.

 

[Fromtheplaines]

I wouldn't sub in a primer. I would check the website of your powder manufacture, and if it's not listed call them. Better to be safe than to assume