Rolling my own - REALLY

[Naphtali]

About two months ago I bought a case of "boutique" 00 buckshot 12 gauge 2.75-inch ammunition. Cartridges have clear plastic ribbed cases and roll crimps. I am now aware that roll crimping is universal among commercial buckshot and slug shotshell ammunition manufacturers. And I assume that most handloaders of these shotshells use some sort of powered rotary tool to complete the roll crimp. I also view online older devices - circa 1890s through 1950s?? - that resemble crank coffee grinders that are hand-powered roll crimping tools. You see, I have a bullet mold I designed for my muzzleloading rifles that, with no modifications, might make bullets that work well roll crimped into 12 gauge cases. Or with its three-diameter taper configuration mirror imaged into a new mold, it should be as efficient as it is in the muzzleloaders.

Is there any currently manufactured roll crimping device that does not rely on electrically powered rotary tools to complete the roll crimp on plastic shotshell bodies? Perhaps I'm putting the cart before the horse. How reliable and effective are hand powered roll crimping tools? If no major manufacturer offers a manually operated roll crimping tool, are such tools offered by smaller craftsmen? By whom?

[tward]

Naphtali, the only roll crimping tool I know currently avaible is sold through Ballistic Products and I believe it is designed to go on an electric drill. I suppose you could use a brace to hand power it if you don’t have access to electricity. Tim good luck with this project and keep the forum informed with updates.

[mac60]

There are some currently made hand crank roll crimp tools out there. (made in Russia)

https://www.amazon.com/Shotshell-Reloading-Crimp-12-gauge/dp/B01HL8NHU8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540672995&sr=8-3&keywords=12+gauge+crimp

It's fairly easy to find a vintage roll crimper. They do work well.

[pworley1]

Ebay usually has several roll crimpers

[Naphtali]

Thanks to your help, guys, I'm getting a handle on how to what I want to do. I have one major unknown remaining. Loading my 775-grain conical in my Big Bore rifles is not a problem of technique in any way. So far, 150 grains of Swiss [brand] FFg with RWS four-petal musket cap is what I can "take" for two shots. The rifles' capacity to accept a load is pretty much unlimited. (My purpose for having them built was/is to create a 72-caliber rifle capable of accepting a nominal 1000-grain conical for use on a cape buffalo hunt - cape buffalo being the only animal I have any desire to hunt as a trophy.)

Unfortunately, information valid for my muzzleloaders is useless for creating similarly performing smokeless powder 12 gauge slug loads for 2.75-inch chamber. James Gates of Dixie Slugs offered ammunition that was advertised as having similar "numbers" as what I seek. But Dixie no longer has ammunition available, and Mr. Gates is dead. The company might also be gone, so requesting handloading data might be difficult. I know nothing about shotshell loading beyond my 16-yard trap reloads from generations ago. Handloading slugs with smokeless powder and securing the load via roll crimping appears to be done seldom-to-never. What I have found is black powder cartridge handloads for Victorian-era single and double "bore" caliber guns. The loads are used for competitions by "hard core" hobbyists. And again, the information is not very useful.

As best you can, please identify where to look for such smokeless powder handloading information - that is, 12-gauge, 2.75-inch shotshell achieving 72/775/12-1400.