Loading 2 1/2" shells

[muleequestrian]

I have a pair of old hammer guns and want to reload for them. One is a damascused Bbl and will be used with black powder and the other is nitro proofed and I will probably stick to smokless with that one. To confound the issue, I have 250 brass Magtec cases for cowboy action. I think I will load all of the BP in the Magtec cases and shorten plastic hulls for the other.

I believe Mec or someone puts out a press for the brass cases, is that so? Can I get it to do double duty on the shortened plastic hulls?

I have done some shotshell reloading, but the motivation hasn't been there in the past due to the cheapness of factory stuff.

Thanks.

I use two different Damascus 12 ga shot guns for bird hunting.

Try a smokeless load in yours if you want. I load the following....

Federal plastic hull w/ paper base wad. Fed 209A primer. 23.5 grains SR 7625. Wad is Claybuster Windjammer style #CB 4100-12-B, made by C & D Special Products, 309 Sequoya Drive Hopkinsville KY 42240

Shot charge is 7/8 to 1 ounce of # 7 1/2. fold crimp. Pressure is about 4800 psi. Normally smokeless is a NO - NO in Damascus double shotguns. The steel is brittle and will shatter right at the handguard with most modern loads. Makes you lose a few fingers on the non shooting hand. Check the bore of your gun to make sure there are no rust pits from the old black powder shells. I've used the above load for MANY years and still have all my fingers.

[Four Fingers of Death]

If you cut your own wads the top card wad material of choice use to be old waxed milk cartons. I currently use shirt cardboards. The bottom or hard card wad is of dense 1/4" thick cardboard and the filler wad or cushion wad is of cellotex (what we use to side houses, it use to be called black board). As to wad size that depends on wether you are filling brass cases that take a larger .730 wad or a plastic or paper case that can take a .715 wad. My wad cutters are made from old gun barrels and are made to work in a drill press, but I still have the old arch punches that grampa use to use with a rawhide mallet and a chunk of oak wood. In any case your wad should be a fairly snug push fit in the case. I lubricate my cushion wad by liightly dipping them in melted lube ( bees wax and bear oil, or tallow) this keeps me shooting for a long time with B/P and doesn't seem to hurt the smokless loads any. I don't soak or saturate the wads just a quick in and out.

Yes the gun is a Husqvarna and this is about the nicest one I have ever had, the case is complete even to the buttstock screws.

Now that I have the sizes, I am pretty much good to go, apart from the fact that I am in China for another month. I can't wait to rummage through all of the old arch punches that I have (I willl have to find them first ).

Nice old gun!