brass case 12 ga. buckshot?

[Jim]

Is there such a thing and if so, where could I find it? I know the gummint usta use it decades ago.

[DLCTEX]

Brass cases are available from Midway. I can give you load data if you want. Dale

[Jim]

Dale,
I would expect that I'd hafta full length resize those, wouldn't I? That being said, howda 'ell am I s'posta do dat? Lee makes a very economical shotshell reloading press. Will that work?

[Leftoverdj]

Jim, it's my understanding that you can get several shots before needing to resize. If you do need to resize, you don't need the whole press. Lee sells the sizing ring as a replacement part. You can also look around for one of the older Lee mallet operated kits.

I know I'm cheap.

[DLCTEX]

If you are not loading too hot it will not be necessary to resize for a number of firings. +1 on the Lee size ring, it is available as a part to the Load All for cheap. A hole in a piece of hardwood to let the shell pass through, plastic mallet, and a wood dowel will do the resizing duties and also doubles as a wad seater. grind down the end of a 1/4 inch rod for a decapper. DALE

[JIMinPHX]

I believe that the brass shotgun shells were for black powder, like the old Demascus barrels used to use.

[Bullshop Junior]

Mag-tec makes brass 12ga.
BIC/Daniel/BS Jr.

[Scrounger]

The military used buckshot loads in brass cases as late as the Viet Nam debacle. I had some but they are long gone. Without doubt there are still some floating around in a warehouse somewhere and in garages, etc.

[Ed Barrett]

The Military liked using them since they wouldn't deform in large capacity (read big spring) pump shotguns like the paper and plastic ones would. Many years ago I used to carry a riot gun or a .45 taking the Navy dispersing Officer around. Those same all brass cases spent a lot of time in those mags for prisoner movment too.

[Scrounger]

And they wouldn't swell or disintegrate in hot wet places like Viet Nam.

[DLCTEX]

Cowboy Action Shooters have increased the demand for brass shotshells and they are now more available. Dale

[omgb]

If you need to resize the Lee ring works but man-o-man, are you gonna wince when you have to drive those puppies in and out again. No amount of anyone's lube makes that easy. The problem is the huge ginormous amount of surface contact. I finally bought a Lachmiller die set (I have a spare set if you're interested) and had Buckshot open it up and hone it to the right size for sizing brass hulls. I then had him open up one of the holes on my Redding turret to take the die (I now have an original Lachmiller press so if you really get into this, I can sell you that lachmiller press too) and sizing became very easy indeed. I got 5 BP loads out of the hulls (Korean Surplus Win 00 Buck) before I had to size them.

Standard 31/4 dram load is 96 grains of 2F by weight and then your shot charge. Win hulls require large pistol primers, rifle primers will not go off in most guns. I use super glue around the rim of the shot card to hold every thing in place.

[klw]

Is there such a thing and if so, where could I find it? I know the gummint usta use it decades ago.


Double Hammer sells a complete reloading setup for brass shotgun shells as does Rocky Mountain Cartridge. RCBS has a full length resizing die though you'll need a Rock Chucker press to use it. Nothing could be easier.

This has been covered several times in mind numbing detail at SASS. But the instructions that come with either the Double Hammer or Rocky Mountain Cartridge kits is more than enough. Of these two, Double Hammer's stuff is considerably less expensive and just as good.

[fecmech]

The brass hulls were used in prisons etc where shotguns were loaded and unloaded on a daily basis as part of the normal duty cycle. I had a couple laying around here for years that an old Attica Prison guard gave me.

[beagle]

Yep! Those were guard cartridges where a lot of handling was involved. I've shot R-P and WCC versions. Most were 00 Buck.

I've reloaded about 25 that I had for a while. They reload all right. I was shooting them in a double 12 and no resizing was necessary.

I used Large Pistol primers and you'll need 11 guage wads both card and felt.

I used sodium silicate for a sealer. Water glass...available at a drugstore.

I think with the advent of plastic cases, the military went to them. That's all I've seen lately.

I sure got some funny looks in the dove field when I slid a pair of "brassies" into the old 12 guage./beag;e

[omgb]

The RCBS sizing die like the Lyman dies will not FL size brass hulls unless the upper portion of the die is opened up. By the time you buy an RCBS die (easily $80 or more) and get it opened up you will have spent over $120 with shipping etc.

For just a lark, use the Lee tool and hammer away when sizing becomes necessary. If you get serious though, get a Lachmiller die set and have them opened up.

I also had an old Lyman Straightline tool that I had opened as well. This is just about the perfect deal for BO brass hulls. It doesn't size but it does hold the shell steady and it has a fitted ram and wad fingers to faciltate loading. The set comes with a capper/decapper tool that will need the decapping pin modified but once it's done, you'ved got a very prtable and functioning tool.

[omgb]

Some photos