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I have the RCBS Cowboy die, it works great for decapping, the shell holder makes priming a snap. The ability to size is neat, except the brass hulls don’t obturate with BP loads.
I may load and crimp some hunting loads this Fall for pheasant hunting. It would have been nice if RCBS had included an expander insert that went inside the die like the crimping insert. I may find a machinist who can make one.
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I alternate between Duco cement and Deft brushing lacquer as a sealant depending on what’s available. Apply a puddle of the lacquer about the same thickness as the overshot card with an eye dropper, then rotate the case upright at a shallow angle to slosh the lacquer around the entire edge of the card. It dries pretty thin. I have carried 12 gauge brass shells sealed with the lacquer loose in a coat pocket without any problems.
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When much younger and didn't have as many options, or money, loaded all brass shotgun shells by hand and sealed then with wax. Didn't seem to matter what kind of wax, candle or bees wax. No problems.
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Ziptar, I have used the cut down / crimp removed hulls for years and left them open sealed with WHITE ELMERS GLUE, and never a hiccup!
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cowboy die set's are just the cat's meow! I use them on my brass hulls, but do not use the crimping secquence.
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Duco cement, case closed.
Been shooting brass shells for awhile, 3-1-X works fine in an old damascus SxS. I've shot #8, #4 Buck and .690" Ball with the loads with fine results. ~80 gr Swiss 1.5 FG.
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Why not roll crimp been crimping all my 357 and 44 mags with a heavy one? Starts cracks time to anneal.
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I roll crimp mine slightly with the rcbs cowboy die, then a bit of hot glue and that seals em up tight.
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Regarding water glass, I found that over time it absorbs moisture from the air and degrades. That motivated my switch to Duco cement.
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I have big problem with the BPI book on brass shells. If you believe it, the military would not have them. Also the reloaders that continued after the original powders were not available could not be. He went for an easy way out. There are guys out there that load smokeless in .577 snider, which is 24 gauge to all intents and purposes. I was looking for a 24 gauge load . Didn't find it. What turned me off was the part where he explained the velocity difference by how far his readings by chronograph was compared to factory or something. I don't have the the book to hand (think I used it for kindling), but it seemed like that at 30 yards(with his numbers) , the velocity would drop to zero. I may be wrong,but that book is rubbish and BPI should be ashamed. I will still buy from them , but from somebody who'd interests are specific, this was not useful.
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Much of the modern published information on brass shot shells is incomplete and inadequate. It takes a good deal of snooping in the older literature to piece the puzzle together. The military brass 12 gauge was designed M19, manufactured by Remington, but my copy of Cartridges of the World does not provide original load data.