MidSouth Shooters SupplyLoad DataReloading EverythingLee Precision
WidenersRepackboxInline FabricationTitan Reloading
RotoMetals2
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Swaging brass shotshells?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318

    Swaging brass shotshells?

    Do you think it's possible to swage 12ga brass shotshells down to 14ga?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Bozoland Mt.
    Posts
    1,698
    What is the difference in size diameter? Did you have a plan for the rim?
    To lazy to chase arrows.
    Clodhopper

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Alabama
    Posts
    8
    It would probably be easier to make a insert to fit chamber to shoot a smaller gauge. I do that for some of my old damascus barrel doubles.

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    I thought I'd make a tapered hole in a plate and press it to the rim, turn it over and press it out. The rim would need to be cut to size.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Bozoland Mt.
    Posts
    1,698
    If you have a hydraulic press and a lathe, that shouldn't be too hard to give it a try.
    You should plan on re cutting the primer pocket. Any reduced internal volume could be fixed with a shorter wad.
    I'm guessing 14 ga wads have few choices in plastic.

    Looking forward to the results, even if it does not work.
    To lazy to chase arrows.
    Clodhopper

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Hudson Valley NY
    Posts
    1,475
    IDK but at $90 for 10 or $400 for 50 it's worth a try.

    I'm with using a barrel adapter 14ga to .410 Something like this https://www.ozgunmart.com.au/14-gaug...el-adapter-red

    https://www.rccbrass.com/product/14-gauge-2/

    https://www.rockymountaincartridge.c...oad%20Kits.pdf

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eureka MT
    Posts
    2,513
    I don't know what the head web area is like in a 12ga brass shell but if solid or thick like a rifle case, it will take some serious swaging. You will probably have to swage twice, once with a tapered die and then again with a straight die as the tapered die won't swage down close to the rim. Or you may get away with swaging with a taper die with the top of the taper finish 14ga size and the bottom just large enough to start over the 12ga shell. Press the brass in until you have started to swage the head slightly. Then lathe turn the head and rim down to 14ga size.
    I'm working on something similar and am having some success. The main issue I'm having is some of the cases don't swage down evenly from mouth to base so when I turn the base to size one side of the case just in front of the web is collapsed in a bit. They fire form out ok but it's quite a bit of work.
    My project is a Tarus in 32S&W long that someone apparently opened the front of the cylinders out to .321 and the barrel is .312. .315 is as big as I can load in a 32S&W case and still get it in the chambers. My fix was to ream the cylinders all the way through to 32S&W chamber size and make some cases from 223 that go all the way to the front of the cylinders similar to the Nagant revolver brass.
    Anyway I open the mouth of the 223 to .315, size the case down to about .336 to the web, turn the web down to.337, trim the case to cyl length, load and fire form.
    When I got the gun I couldn't hit a gallon milk jug at 30' more than about 50% and now if I miss a pop can at 30' it's my fault.
    This method may work for your 12ga to 14ga but I think trying to swage the case all the way to the rim would be very difficult as I think it will scrape brass off the web area rather than swaging it inward probably destroying the rim in the process. It also would close up the flash hole and close the primer pocket to some degree which could be fixed. Anyway good luck with whatever you try.
    If I was going the barrel adapter, I would try the 28ga if there is enough barrel wall with it. I think 20ga would be very thin.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Goffstown, NH
    Posts
    318
    I appreciate all the thoughts and suggestions. My plan is to make the punch with a pin the diameter and length of the primer pocket. I figured my best shot would be to accomplish this task in two steps: 1st, reduce neck diameter to 14ga dimensions and reduce total length slightly to base. 2nd, swage to final dimension, or as far as I can go without damage to case. Remove case, turn rim and base to proper dimensions. By the way, I wasn't sure if I should post this project in "swaging" or "case conversion". I think this is the best place as viewers in "swaging" have alot of experience with the pressures involved in this project. Hopefully viewers in ''case conversion" will find this.
    Last edited by Danth; 09-03-2020 at 10:08 AM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check