I'm quite happy with my new load: 20ga WW-HS, Fiocci Primer, 5/8oz #9, CB 1075-20 3/4oz wad, 13.2gr Green Dot, 1 cheerio (spacer)

I have not yet run these across my chrono but the on-target (skeet targets) performance is very satisfactory. These have not (yet) split or damaged my 20ga tubes.

In terms of loading, the cheerio makes up the extra space in the hull. No other modifications or changes necessary to my loader.

Purpose of the load is to design a quick/easy to reload, 5/8oz (more than enough shot for skeet targets + less shot = cheaper), using 20ga WW-HS hulls. The key issue is to be able to load these WW hulls because vs. 28ga hulls, they are cheaper, easier to load and have longer hull life.

As always, YMMV.

Since you mentioned hull life... I'd be curious to know what your getting for the 20ga vs the 28 ga?

OK, with 28 I carefully "index" each shell at the pre-crimp station. I align the crimp line on the shell, with the crimp line I have marked on the outside of the pre-crimp die. Doing this, I average 8 - 9 loading per shell.

As for 20ga, the shells are 8 vs 6 petal so no need to index. Saves time! I have counted 15 loads/hull for 20ga. The ends don't burn and the shell life is terrific. Yes, the shells do split along the sides at the top of the shell. This is of no import. These load just fine. Ignore the splits along the side, except for burn throughs (at the bottom of the shell) which don't occur until many, many firings.

Yes, many of those I shoot with say my hulls are "worn out". No, not until I get pressure splits along the side do I retire them.

Wait... not sure what you mean by "splits along the sides at the top of the shell". Can you take a pic of one, and what your crimps look like using it? Are you talking about the mouth of the shell getting spits in it?
thx

Thanks gc4895, those are pretty good numbers on the reloads. I probably get a load or so less on my 28's but thats because when I get a good number of side splits (like 15% or more) on a lot, I toss the lot.

I use WW-HS 28ga and 20ga. I find the Rem 28ga burn at the mouth and close up making them difficult to reload. I have to use the handle on a paint brush or a pair of needle nose pliars to open up the mouth. Tedious, that. For 7/8oz loads I vastly prefer the Rem 20ga hull. The WW-HS is capacity challenged so it works fine with reduced loads. However, the Rem 20ga has lots of room and loads 7/8oz beautifully!

Ok, at the points where the petals hinge at the mouth of the 20ga, first, small holes will burn through. Over time these can crack along the side of the petal (the fold line) and at the mouth of the shell. I find these generally don't effect the crimp and I keep on loading them. I load them until I get a pressure crack or burn-through along the side of the hull.

Exactly what I do, and I use 12.3 grains of Green Dot behind 11/16 oz of reclaim for my 28ga skeet load. Burns clean and targets break fine if I'm on them. If I'm 2 feet behind, not so good.

Sweet. I have 16 lbs of Green Dot arriving tomorrow, and 50lbs of reclaimed showing sometime next week. Was planning on using it for 20 ga reloads (topic of this thread). Did you actually mean "28ga skeet load" Claysmoker, or did you mean 20ga? (Asking because reloading 20ga w/ gr dot is topic). Either way will help me, as I'm loading both... Anyone with thoughts on Green Dot vs. ( Unique or 800x) for 20ga & 28ga, if you've used either of the other two?

The more Green Dot reports the better for me right now!

I've used both Unique and Green Dot in my 20 ga loads and both work well and burn pretty clean for me. Green Dot doesn't seem to be used or recommended as much for 28ga loads, so if you were to ask me of the two better, I'd probably say Unique just because there are more published recipes for both 20 and 28. However, Green dot, at least in my area can be found cheaper than Unique. alb of Green Dot = $138 vs 8lb of Unique = $156... and typically most green dot loads use the same or fewer grains so the Green Dot seems to be an excellent value choice.

I meant 28ga. gc4895 had been referring to both gauges, so I followed. I actually use Green Dot in both gauges and can't really tell any difference in performance between the two. I shoot mostly wobble skeet, and seldom use a 12ga anymore, so these 2 loads are the ones I shoot 95% of the time. I use Fiocchi primers and reclaimed shot in both. In 28ga, it is a AAHS hull, 12.3gr of Green Dot, a red Claybuster wad, and whatever weight my MEC 11/16 oz bar throws. In 20ga, I'll use any Remington hull or a WWAA hull, 13.4 gr of Green Dot, the light green Claybuster wad, and whatever weight the 3/4 bar throws.

I did a little arithmetic on my 5/8oz loads using the prices I currently source components at my local club. The cost of components, excluding any cost of the hull, works out to:
28ga: $0.131 each or $3.27/box. With hulls @ $0.03/each the all in price is $4.01/box.
20ga: $0.134 each or $3.34/box. With hulls @ $0.02/each the all in price is $3.84/box.

Including tax I pay the following for components: shot, $38.50/25 lbs; 8 lb Green Dot, $132.50; Wads, $8.92/500; Primer, $24.50/1000.

I can justify a lower price for 20ga hulls since the 20ga cost less to purchase plus I have been able to get more loads/hull over time. I think the larger diameter of the opening of the mouth of the shell promotes less burning and damage of the shell mouth.

I don't know what factory shells cost in your area but for practice, I find the numbers above a compelling reason to load both 20ga and 28ga on my machine.

A reputation that Green Dot enjoys is that of being high pressure and not to be used with tube sets. In fact, one of the shooters I know personally split his 20ga tube with 7/8oz 20ga loads and Green Dot. I don't know the specific formula used but he reported it as "out of the book, 1200 fps." I use these shells with my tube set. I have confidence that using 5/8oz payloads reduce pressure, as well as I am at the lower end of every Green Dot formula that I have been able to find. Still, this doesn't mean it won't happen!

So, as with all reloading information, buyer beware and YMMV.

I get my 20 ga hulls for free.

Whenever I am looking at a $8 purchase or economy, like deciding on a powder or some wads or hulls, here's what I do:

Next time I'm having a beer at a bar or with dinner somewhere, whether I was ACTUALLY going to have a 2nd or not I TELL MYSELF I was--then I don't. Then I immediately think, "HEY! I'll apply that towards some hulls and NOT drink the beer--dieting AND saving money and free hulls!"

Soon it becomes easy to buy various and sundry $8ish items with a quick mental "Beers I didn't drink" arithmetic, and I feel good about my purchase--it was a HEALTH decision after all!
I'm finding it hard to work myself up to a shotgun purchase via units of "Beer Not Drank", but hope that someday my mental mojo will be strong enough for even that.