I'm an experienced reloader with 40+ years of hand loading for rifle/handgun/shotgun. I've shot/reloaded modern 10 gauge ammunition, but now have a new challenge for a new-to-me Remington 1894 with damascus barrels. The gun has been checked out by my gunsmith and is in shooting condition with the right loads(2-7/8"). I've found one load recipe but the powder is currently unavailable, so am looking for and would appreciate any and all suggestions on reloading data.
There are at least two of us shooting short tens and damascus barrels on here. I also shoot a Remington 1894 10ga AE with damascus barrels. It's a great gun. What powders do you have available and we can go from there?
-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Thursday 10th of November 2016 02:18:42 PM
IMR 7625 has been discontinued so if you find any it will be new old stock. Red Dot, Green Dot, Unique and Blue Dot all work in the 2 7/8" 10ga and I have used them all. 700-x is good powder for it too.
For crow shooting I like 1 1/8 and 1 1/4. I will PM you a link to a spreadsheet of all the published loads I have found for the short ten.
Here is a video I threw together several years ago on how to load the 2 7/8" 10ga.
-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Saturday 12th of November 2016 12:04:00 AM
I like reading this-I find it comical too thinking about some crow getting blasted by these anti-aircraft goose guns!
(((((KA_BOOOMMM))))
An antique 2 7/8" 10ga is not the 3.5 monster magnum everyone thinks of. With shotguns a larger bore diameter delivers better patterns and shorter shot strings. A 2 7/8" 10ga loaded with 1 1/8 ounce of shot at 1200 fps is quite similar to what a lot of folks are shooting at crows with their 12ga guns. The only difference, the 10ga is going to shoot better patterns especially at longer range. There is also a great deal of fun and satisfaction in not just using one's own reloads but using a gauge and shell that is not readily available at the gun store. Trust me an antique short ten will punch out the real tall ones very nicely.
Do you remember any particularly favorite shots? Mine was years ago in the 70s in a little Town called Bennington(NH-morning shoot run and gun)..back then there were little cornfields or patches here and there; nothing like today. I saw an escaping crow seemingly long distance. I was shooting high brass 4s only because they were on sale is best I can tell. If it went bang when I pulled the trigger was about all I knew. I cut loose nad to my amazement the crow went down over the trees. But I had to know. I looked and there he was; a big ole' buck crow!! To this day I was amazed. The distance? I swear it was a hundred yards but I don't know. It was this type of shot I normally avoided. Even today. I used a 2 gauge old double I borrowed while my Ithaca(?) was in the gun hospital.
Still can't believe it.
__________________
Top Cat Statutes never replaced or rewrote the constitution!
IMR 7625 has been discontinued so if you find any it will be new old stock. Red Dot, Green Dot, Unique and Blue Dot all work in the 2 7/8" 10ga and I have used them all. 700-x is good powder for it too.
For crow shooting I like 1 1/8 and 1 1/4. I will PM you a link to a spreadsheet of all the published loads I have found for the short ten.
Here is a video I threw together several years ago on how to load the 2 7/8" 10ga.
I found your video on you tube and that's where I got the 7625 load I spoke of earlier.
Thanks again for all of your help. The charts are great and will short cut my load research.
Tom
-- Edited by nhcrowshooter on Saturday 12th of November 2016 12:04:00 AM
I like reading this-I find it comical too thinking about some crow getting blasted by these anti-aircraft goose guns!
(((((KA_BOOOMMM))))
I can relate, Top Cat! I bought my first 10ga for hunting coyotes, 2-1/4oz of BB's will kill coyotes quite a ways out. I also found factory 2-1/4oz loads of #4 shot that pounded crows, but also pounded me as well. I began looking for lighter loads to utilize/shoot my 10's more and become a better shot with them. My first attempts at lighter loads for the 10 were built in full length 3-1/2" hulls in hope that they'd function in the magnum guns. I'd add 20ga cardboard and fiber wads to take up some of the space in the SP10 plastic wad/shot cup. These were 1-1/4oz loads, they were used in a Browning BP10 and would even cycle my Remington SP10. They could look a little like party poppers with all of the cardboard filler in the air, but did work and killed birds! Being a lover of SxS guns, (my upland "bird gun" is a Lefever 16) I'd been looking for a SxS 10. The Remington 1894 I've come across is vey well balanced, and I look forward to shooting it. Thanks to the help of Crow Busters here.