12 gauge hulls how many times can you reload them?

[Adam604]

Hi Folks,

Adam604 here with a few questions...

I am somewhat new at shotgun shell reloading and all I reload are Lee 7/8 oz slugs in 12 gauge. I reload using a old 12 Gauge Lee Loader kit.

I've noticed that after reloading my hulls 3-4 times the primers are starting to show "blow by or gas leakage" around the primer pocket/primer joint and the primers are very easy to push out. So far I am not reusing the hulls that show "blow by".

My question is... I've seen a tool that is used to tighten up shotgun primer pockets so you can get more use out of them. Anyone use one of them?

You can see one here http://www.precisionreloading.com/specialtytools.htm

Precision Reloading Shotshell Primer Pocket Correction Tool™


Question #2 Roll Crimping ... Can you reload 12 gauge hulls that you have roll crimped? Can you roll crimp hulls that have been star crimped?

I am thinking of getting a roll crimper to try out. the STI version...

You can see one here http://www.precisionreloading.com/Rollcrimpers.htm



The reason for the questions... I do not have a source of once fired 12 gauge hulls and none of the shops around me carry much in the way of shotgun reloading supplies. Buying 100 packs of 12 gauge shells just to get the hulls is getting expensive... And shipping rates to order hulls online is not much of a savings over buying loaded shells at Walmart

[missionary5155]

I reload mine until the folded area begins to crack apart in the folds... about 4 reloads using my crowload.
Black powder (90 grains FF) seems to eat my hulls up faster and I get 3 reloads.

[oneokie]

No experience with the primer pocket correction tool.

Hulls that have been roll crimped can be reloaded. As to roll crimping star crimped hulls, it is a trial and error thing. Some will roll crimp well, others will not. One can trim the star crimp part off of the hull, use an over slug card wad and then roll crimp.

[crowbeaner]

Hey Adam, if you look on gunbroker you can usually find 1x 12 gauge hulls for reasonable; much less then PR or BPI's prices. I haven't used the primer pocket correction tool but it looks pretty simple and reliable. Hammers have been around since the crucifiction anyway. I paid $32.40 for 1000 RP gun clubs delivered. Even if I only get 3-4 loadings they'll work. They are basically the same as the old Premier hull according to IMR and Remington, they just aren't as flashy or long lasting as the Nitro 27s or STS. Loading data is the same for all of them. I traded a guy some stuff for 1000 AAs so I'm good to go for mine anyway.

[DLCTEX]

How many times you can reload can depend on the powder you use. The Win. powders require a better crimp to create enough pressure to burn the powder. Red or Green Dot will burn well with less pressure. I have loaded shells with the crimp split and had good results with GD. I have never used the primer pocket restorer, but the concept works. DALE

[shotman]

the primer pocket tool will work on some shells better than others it dont work well on the paper base wad -- most of the shells any more about 4 loads is max - i would think loading slugs that you could cut the ends off and make shells shorter if you wanted rick

[DanishM1Garand]

https://youtu.be/JLT8jFNMoXM

He got five before the primer pocket got loose. BPI sells a tool to size the pockets to standard again.

[trapper9260]

As for me I keep use them till they start to split down the side and cut them and use for the short shells I came up with. As for the primer pocket size tool I use it for some hulls that have Euro primers in them and it takes care of it. I see it works like it needs to and as for the star crimp if it dose not close right I normal put a over shot card I make out of cracker boxes. I punch them out with a set of gasket hole punch set I got years ago from Snap on . It works for me on all the 4 ga I load for and also for the shot shells I make out of the some cases .

[Shawlerbrook]

I have loaded shotgun shells since the mid 70’s and have used the primer pocket tool occasionally. That said, if I can get 4 or 5 reloads out of the hulls, I consider that I got my money’s worth and toss them. It might change if shotgun hulls become scarce and pricey like many other reloading components.

[farmbif]

ive found that the smooth Remington hulls will get 4 or 5 reloads no problem they are as good or better than the old winchester AA's , some of the hulls with ribbed plastic are only good for maybe 3 loads before the edges start to split. ive got fiocchi that I bought from ballistic products with 4 reloads on them and some of them might get 1 more reloading. I don't have one of those fancy new roll crimpers, mine is at least 80 years old with hand crank and works best on plastic hulls that were originally roll crimped. I don't mess with trying to reload paper hulls. if you take a round punch that fits in the bottom of a shell, put shell on solid table and whack punch with hammer and if the primer pocket can be tightened up this will most likely do it

[CastingFool]

I remember reading an article in Guns &Ammo, about the longevity of waa hulls. Started out with a full box, eventually reduced the quantity to 5 shell. The author got like 37 reloads out of those 5 shells. Of course, I can't recall the load he used. I've reloaded some of my waa hulls 5-6 times without apparent wear, other than slightly darkened case mouths.

[W.R.Buchanan]

All depends on the Hulls . I have old style Winchester AA's that I have loaded 8-10 times. they eventually split in the crimp folds. My new style AA's are lucky to get 3-4 loads before they split. The plastic is much stiffer on the new hulls. so it cracks easier.

You can close primer pockets by putting a 3/8 or 1/2"ball bearing in the hole and hitting it with a hammer. I don't mess with them as I have probably 3000 hulls in house. No need to mess with bad ones.

I have found that previously Fold Crimped Hulls don't Roll Crimp very well. So they all get folded back in place. These are normally trap or skeet loads so that's fine. I just did the three Red ones yesterday with my Lee Loader to show it could be done.

Most of my Buckshot and Slug loads get Roll Crimped in Blue Federal Hulls, however my Lyman Slug Loads get Folded into Green STS hulls so I can tell them from all the others.

Randy

[Brassmonkey]

Be nice to move the stuff I have collecting dust.
a few 5 gal buckets of 1x fired 12ga starline hulls 6pt crimp
half full bucket of 1x fired 12ga federal blue previously roll crimped slug rounds
half empty bucket of 1x fired 12 ga winchester ranger gray previously roll crimped hulls


nickle a piece plus the ride.

[6pt-sika]

I’ve never kept track of the number of loading on any hulls except possibly the first 100 8 gauge hulls I acquired . Typically I think I get plenty loading from the 10 , 12 , 16 , 20 and 410 hulls . The 28’s I’ve sometimes fired factory loads pulled them out the gun and they were split down the side . For the 12 , 20 , 28 and 410 I use STS , old AA and new AA-HS hulls and they all work well for me . In the 10 I buy new unfired REM cut them down and with my loads I’d say they’re good for a lot of loading . The 16 hulls I have are old AA style , new WIN and new REM with a few Federals thrown in for good measure and again they all do fine . I’m sure some will say I’m incorrect , but that’s been my experience just as I said it .

[Harter66]

I used to get 2-3 out of most of the field/game cases .
5-6 on RP high brass game cases like the Nitro Steel .
6-7 on Active and AA Win the Dry Loks about 3 .
I could get 6 on 8 point Fiocchi clear and 5 on 6 point .
All of the above was with 10-12 kpsi loads of 4756 under 1-1/16oz steel shot pushing 1500 fps
Even the old Mohawk RP seemed like they lasted forever with 12-1300 fps 1-1/8-1/4 lead and Unique .

Blue Dot and Steel were a little easier on the cases but the crimps took a beating .

[fecmech]

If you have a skeet ,trap or sporting clays club local to you simply go and ask for hulls. Remington gun clubs get tossed and are great for reloading. Fellows on Shotgunworld sell hulls reasonably also.

[John Boy]

.... depending on strength load .... until the primers won’t stay in the pocket and the mouths are shredded due to over crimping

[bcp477]

Two solutions to the hull (wear out) problem...

1) Use the BP (or similar) primer pocket tool to tighten the primer pockets, so that loose pockets become a non-issue.

2) Stop the silly practice of destroying your hulls by crimping... and seal your finished shells with wax, which eliminates the wear and tear issue on the hull mouths.

I can't attest to exactly how many loadings you might get after adopting these solutions (obviously, that will vary) ...but I can say, without fear of contradiction, that you WILL get LOTS more life than by doing things the conventional way.

[W.R.Buchanan]

With the price of new 12 ga. hulls at about .13-16 cents each and O/F AA and STS hulls at .05 each I don't really see the purpose of infinite hull life?

I have 2500 AA hulls I paid $100 for. some time back. I will never shoot all of them up. and if any of them die in the reloading process BFD.

Randy

[bcp477]

Valid point, W.R. Buchanan. Everyone must make his/her own call on issues such as this. As for myself, I simply DESPISE waste...as well as the problem with non-recyclable plastics. Shot shell hulls are NOT considered recyclable, so they just end up in a landfill (or worse, as litter). If I know that I can get lots of loadings from a hull, without problems with the loads (which IS quite true), then I will ALWAYS opt for the path leading to less waste. Besides, regardless to the cost of hulls, why waste the money, if you don't have to ? Just my take on it. As I said, everyone must make his/her OWN decision on matters such as this.

[W.R.Buchanan]

bcp: I live in CA and a few shotshells is not going to hurt our landfills, considering they find dead people in plastics bags in them all the time. I just threw away a dead Pedestal Fan two days ago, but I put it in the Recycle Barrel so maybe it got recycled.

I don't like waste either and if you heard my wife yelling at me for taking stuff she threw away out of the trash you'd know it was true. However there's a difference between saving good serviceable things of value and dead .05 cent hulls. Life is too short to waste time on trash. That said,,, I have old style AA hulls I have loaded 8-10 times and they are still serviceable. When they split in the crimp, I load them one more time and use them at 3 gun shoots where I can't pick up empties. I figure I'm not losing anything of value there. They go bang just fine and who cares if the don't look perfect, never going to see them again.

I figure you have just got to know your limitations when it comes to reloading, and learning what is good to go and what is trash is just part of the exercise.

Randy

[bcp477]

bcp: I live in CA and a few shotshells is not going to hurt our landfills, considering they find dead people in plastics bags in them all the time. I just threw away a dead Pedestal Fan two days ago, but I put it in the Recycle Barrel so maybe it got recycled.

I don't like waste either and if you heard my wife yelling at me for taking stuff she threw away out of the trash you'd know it was true. However there's a difference between saving good serviceable things of value and dead .05 cent hulls. Life is too short to waste time on trash. That said,,, I have old style AA hulls I have loaded 8-10 times and they are still serviceable. When they split in the crimp, I load them one more time and use them at 3 gun shoots where I can't pick up empties. I figure I'm not losing anything of value there. They go bang just fine and who cares if the don't look perfect, never going to see them again.

I figure you have just got to know your limitations when it comes to reloading, and learning what is good to go and what is trash is just part of the exercise.

Randy


Not to get into an argument, Randy, but "a few shotshells" ??? Try BILLIONS. Discarded shotshells are, in fact, a HUGE problem in the area of plastic waste. Don't mean to get preachy, but, people not caring (or simply rationalizing the problem away)...is the ROOT of the problem.

Anyway, enough said. As I said before, everyone has to make his own call on this kind of thing.

[6pt-sika]

With the price of new 12 ga. hulls at about .13-16 cents each and O/F AA and STS hulls at .05 each I don't really see the purpose of infinite hull life?

I have 2500 AA hulls I paid $100 for. some time back. I will never shoot all of them up. and if any of them die in the reloading process BFD.

Randy

Christ if I don’t have close to 100,000 hulls total between the 7 gauges I load I don’t have any . I doubt if I ever run out of any gauge before I meet my demise and I’m darn sure way closer to the end than I am to the beginning . As to discarding the ones that are of no use any longer , well let’s just say I’ll dispose of them as I see fit . As to refreshing primer pocket sand sealing with wax or some such nonsense I have no intention of doing either . The amount of shells I load snd or shoot in a calendar year make that whole scheme of things not plausible .