Roll Crimping Star Crimped Shot Shells

[deltaenterprizes]

I have some sabot slugs that I want to load and the only shells that I have here been star crimped.
Is there any way to soften the mouth so that I can get a good roll crimp?

[swamp]

When I use them for roll crimping I remove the star crimp. Have not had much luck trying to roll the old star crimp. Easy to make a gauge to remove the star crimp with 3/4 id pvc.
swamp

[deltaenterprizes]

When I use them for roll crimping I remove the star crimp. Have not had much luck trying to roll the old star crimp. Easy to make a gauge to remove the star crimp with 3/4 id pvc.
swamp

Do you remove the whole star crimp?

[longbow]

You can also use a hull skiver and Spin Doctor from BPI:

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Hu.../products/130/

Or even better, in my opinion, a "Randy Mandrel":

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...ne-place/page8''

Scroll to the bottom, post #160.

I made a copy of the Spin Doctor but found that Randy's idea works better for me so I made a Randy Mandrel to suit 12 ga. hulls and it works very well.

You may want to cut some or all of the star crimp off due to wad column length but reconditioning the hull mouth will still be of benefit and the Randy Mandrel does remove the star crimp memory if you don't shorten the hull or don't remove all of the old star crimp.

Longbow

[swamp]

Do you remove the whole star crimp?

Yes. Right at the fold. I also agree with reconditioning the mouth. Makes for a good looking crimp.
swamp

[Agent1187]

My personal method is a piece of 3/4" steel stock with a taper chucked up in the lathe. I hit the end with a heat gun to soften the plastic, and use a bearing to squish out the folds on the spinning shell and mandrel.

It sounds like (and sort of is) a PITA, but once set up I'll knock out 3-4/minute. And they work fairly well by my standards.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Longbow showed my technique for reviving the hulls. It will straiten out Folded Crimps so you can get a proper Roll Crimp out of them as well. The hulls are all made of plastic so all you have to do is heat them slightly and push them onto a mandrel to reshape them.

Randy

[firefly1957]

I remove the star crimp in both paper and plastic shells by using a snug fitting dowel in the case mouth and spinning it fast until the friction heats up the material . 3/4 inch dowel works well for 12 Gauge For dowel materials I have used Nylon, wood and metal .