I worked up the perfect 12ga. Steel Shot load with Alliant Unique!

[bluesea112]

After searching near and far for a 12ga Steel Shot recipe that used Alliant "Unique" powder, I did not have much luck.
I have to give credit to NuJudge for giving me an idea of where to start. Well, I tinkered with his load data for a while and came up with a load that works very well.
I just finished firing a series of two different Unique recipes through my chrony that work great! Both of these recipes crimp very tight and do not bulge the shell. Best of all, you don't have to use a 3 part wad....just the standard windjammer 8 pedal.

Recipe #1:
12 gauge
Remington STS 2 3/4 hulls (low brass)
Winchester 209 Primer
23.5 Grains of Alliant "Unique" powder
Windjammer 8 pedal 1-1/8 oz wad * (THE 1-1/8 OZ IS FOR ORDERING PURPOSES ONLY! THIS RECIPE CALLS FOR 7/8 OF STEEL SHOT)
7/8 oz. of #3 non coated steel shot
Average FPS: 1457

Recipe #2:
12 gauge
Remington STS 2 3/4 hulls (low brass)
Winchester 209 Primer
23.0 Grains of Alliant "Unique" powder
Windjammer 8 pedal 1-1/8 oz wad * (THE 1-1/8 OZ IS FOR ORDERING PURPOSES ONLY! THIS RECIPE CALLS FOR 7/8 OF STEEL SHOT)
7/8 oz. of #3 non coated steel shot
Average FPS: 1351

Note 1: Steel is not as dense as lead, so 7/8 oz of steel shot takes up the same amount of space in the wad cup as 1-1/8 oz of lead.

Note 2: If you are using a digital scale, 7/8 oz = .875 oz

I hope that information helps somebody out.

- Bluesea112

[bluesea112]

By the way, I forgot to mention that Winchester 209 primers are a tight fit in my Remington hulls. I really have to work at getting them to seat flush.

[Terry_P]

Are the winjammer wads designed for steel or for lead shot? There is a difference and using a lead wad for steel can do damage to your BBL.

[bluesea112]

That is a good point Terry P. The windjammer wads I am using are made for lead shot. However, I use hardened choke tubes in my shotgun. I never shoot steel shot in a shotgun that does not have choke tubes; commercial shells or reloads.

[UplandBri]

Blue Sea.. any idea what the pressures were?

[JLA]

I have a load very similar to that using a Federal one piece 2.75" shell with remington sts primers, 21.5gr greendot under a rem figure 8 with 1 1/8 oz (by volume) of copperhead BBs. Velocity is just over 1200 fps and pressures around 7500 psi. I use them for strays and target work. The only hazard with loading these is hearing my boy complain because I used all of his BBs for his BB gun