Inline FabricationLoad DataRepackboxMidSouth Shooters Supply
Reloading EverythingTitan ReloadingWidenersLee Precision
RotoMetals2
Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Loading Manual wanted pre-plastic wads

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Indy
    Posts
    537

    Loading Manual wanted pre-plastic wads

    I posted this in CASTING & RELOADING for SHOTGUNS not thinking. I am looking for a Loading manual that was published before the "plastic wads". Is there such a manual to start looking for. I would just like one in my collection. I need to know which one is old enough. I have found a hydraulic MEC reloader the guy said he used in his younger days. I would like to set up a display with the loader, manual, shot cards, wads and etc in my man space. The powder can and wads should be the hardest to find I would think. Could even load some black powder paper shells with 1 oz shot.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    458
    Some of the older Lyman manuals, like the number 40, list loads for shotshells. Also the older Alcan "brochures" listed a lot of different loads.

    Loading with card wads was totally different than plastic. A powder charge was listed for either high base or low base paper hulls with a specific shot weight, and the wad column was sort of up to you. The rule was at least one .135 card wad combined with at least one 3/8" fiber wad. Depending on whether you were fold crimping or roll crimping, the distance from the mouth of the case to the shot or to the overshot card wad was listed. From there you could change thicknesses of the wads or add additional wads to get the proper height of the wad column for the crimp to work. But, sometimes Alcan in particular would list a specific load with their hulls along with a specific wad column. The wad pressure would also be listed. Some powders like AL5, AL7, AL8, or AL120 required a certain amount of wad pressure to burn completely.

    I still have a lot of old card and fiber wads that I enjoy loading in old paper hulls and roll crimping just to play around with in a couple of old single shots. Notice all the references to old in the previous sentence. Tells my age. The 30 and younger crowd mostly have never seen or even heard of a paper hull with a roll crimp and factory overshot card wad stamped with the shot size. Good conversation starter at local trap shoots.

    I still have a partial can of Super M Ballistite that I haven't quite worked up the courage to use yet. Last summer during the stay at home orders I dug out a bunch of primer cups and reprimed a couple of hundred shotshell primers. Tedious work but kind of like getting free primers. Love those old Fiocci metal cans. Very neat looking.
    Last edited by curiousgeorge; 05-02-2021 at 10:37 AM.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    39.7594° N, 84.1917° W
    Posts
    850
    Here is some information from the Ideal Hand Book from 1948



    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

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