It's been so long since I reloaded any shotgun shells, I've almost forgotten how.

We had one of those "Lee Loaders". The last shells I loaded up, when Eli was a kid, I "compressed" them too hard. They swelled and wouldn't chamber in the guns. But that was an old outfit. We didn't even have one-piece wads. Just felt and card wads. We made different shot charges by the thickness of the wads.

I do not want to take up reloading again. I do, however, have a curiosity about some obscure loads. I would like to have some 12 gauge shells loaded with 1/2 ounce of #6 shot. Don't ask why, just indulge me. How would you do that? Take a one piece wad and fill it with other wads to make up the difference?

How would I get some shells loaded like that? I'll gladly pay for it.

Hal

Does it have to be 1/2 oz????? I couldn't find any data on that. (Didn't spend a whole lot of time, there may be something out there) The site below has data on 3/4 oz loads with fairly common components.

http://data.hodgdon.com/shotshell_load.asp

Did some more searching, can't even find 1/2 oz loads for anything, other than 410. I have been reloading since high school, all the "old" info I have does not go lower than 1 oz for 12 ga.

It's a European thing. They always used much lighter shot loads than we typically do. A 1/2 oz 12 ga load wouldn't get a second glance by Britons

A lighter shot load will always produce less pressure than a heavier one with all other components being identical.

Use 3/4 oz load data

Measure the height difference between 3/4 and 1/2 oz. (Different shot sizes will give different variations)

Make up the difference with card or felt wads placed in the shot cup under the shot. Since these are lighter than lead your shot load will stay under weight.

Utilize a powder that is easy to ignite and a one piece shot cup/powder wad to eliminate other variables

When I was in my teens, I also had a "Lee Loader". Used to reload 16ga. shells with rock salt to shoot at the pidgeons in the barn without putting holes in the barn roof. Believe it or not --- it worked.

Ron