Shotshell pressures.
 

I loaded some 20 ga shells on the weekend ,first time I have loaded shotshells since non toxic became a rule.
I took them out for a test shoot today and all seems fine except the primer is black where the primer strikes it and it almost looks like I am close to a pierced primer.

I followed a recipe from my Lyman book carefully using HS6 powder WAA20 wads and Winchester hulls the only deviation I made was Cheddite 209 primers instead of Winchester 209 .
I weighed each shot charge to 7/8oz as called for. I used a Lee scoop for powder and checked it on the scale several times to make sure I was consistent . If anything I was 1/2 a grain light on the powder charge. I am shooting these from a break action single shot.

Could the Cheddite primers cause pressure issues? I also have a lot of powder residue in the barrel after the shot.

Cheddite are slightly hotter than Winchester, but Cheddite were brittle, and known to pierce. I saw about 20% piercing, in two of my shotguns if I used Cheddite primers.

This was an older sleeve of Cheddite primers. About 6+ years. Maybe that’s part of the issue. Hope the new ones are better as I have a 1000 of em :thinking-006:

I had issues with Challenger target loads piercing (and actually gas cutting the frame a bit) in my Citori trap gun. I’m wondering now if they used Cheddite primers…

They still use Cheddite primers, although recent cheddite primers are supposed to be a little softer now, and less likely to pierce.

Elk.. any thoughts on the excessive powder residue in the barrel? is this just that HS6 is a dirty powder? I had this issue once before with some Winchester factory 28 ga loads

Powders vary greatly, I use Universal in my 28 gauge target loads, and the barrels look clean after 1000 rounds. The factory Fiocchi loads using the same hull and primer, are filthy by comparison.

power in the 28ga
 

IMR 800X is a dirty powder as well I use in Win AA and AAHS hulls with Win 209. With Cheditte hulls I am using BPI HV28 long range wads 7/8 oz lead and 30gr of H110 velocity 1320 with an overshot card.Pheasant killer. BPI data book claims that Nobel ,CCI, + Win 209 primers can be substituted for Cheditte primers. NOT the FED 209A as they are hotter.