Loading 2 1/2" shells

[Four Fingers of Death]

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.

[elk hunter]

For Fingers,

I'm unaware of any shotshell press that is suitable for both brass and plastic hulls. I don't think I've ever seen a true press for brass hulls. RCBS used to make a die set that would fit the "Rockchucker" press, perhaps they would work. I've loaded many brass shotshells with black powder and if the cases will fit in your gun it is quite simple to use a hardwood dowel with a nail in the end to push primers out and another without a nail to seat primers and wads. You will need 11 guage wads for 12 gauge brass cases as the brass is much thinner than paper or plasic hulls. Those that are loading brass cases have reported good success using hot glue to hold the overshot wad in the case.

Rather than all brass and black powder, I generally load paper cases with low pressure smokeless loads, 6000 to 8000 LUP, for my damascus guns. Since I roll crimp my short case loads I use a Lee Load All press as it's easy to take the case out and set aside to finish with a roll crimp.

Hammer guns are alway fun. Good luck with your loading.

[KCSO]

If you PM me I will send you a copy of an article I did with photo's on reloading B/P shot shells with old time tools. I never resize my brass B/P shells as I can get a lot of loadig before they expand too much. I use DAP to hold in the O/S wad althought they do make a crimper for brass shells. Remember that for Brass you willl need a larger wad than plastic. I also have a thorson shell trimmer so cutting the shells to 2 1/2 is easy. I roll crimp all my 2 1/2 shells and fold crimp the 2 3/4 so i can tell at a glance.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Mick,

Mec makes a kit for the Brass Shells, I emailed them as the Brass Shells are all I use for SASS. Yon have to call them to order it. Sold my Mec and Just hand load my 450 shells.

Sam

[Four Fingers of Death]

Thanks,

"I use DAP"

Whats DAP?

[briang]

Caulk maybe?

[cajun shooter]

With the brass Magtech you can do as the others have stated. I have the RCBS die. You have to have a Rock Chucker or like press that you can unscrew the top out of as the dies are bigger than normal 7/8 x 14 size. You will need 11ga over powder wads and 11ga filler wads that are lubed with a BP lube and not wax. The wax ones are for smokeless loads. I finish mine off with a 10 ga. overshot wad as it fits tighter. I then use a small glue gun to run a bead around the edge of the wad. This makes for a good seal that not only holds but waterproofs. If you have a old decapping die that you can take out and use the center then the entire process can be done by hand. A good load that I use is 65 grs of 2F, over powder wad pressed down hard , lubed filler wad,1 oz of 71/2 followed by the over shot card. Glue in and you are finished. The case will not be full and don't worry about it. There was a story not long ago about that very thing where people were losing the shot pattern because of overfilling the hulls. If you can find some Federal paper or Fioochi paper they make some great 2 1/2 in hulls when cut back. Just trim off the old fold crimp and you will be correct. These are straight walled hulls and that makes for easy loading. Over here we have a company by the name of precision Reloading. They sell the tool for trimming and a plastic roll crimp that works great on the paper hulls. If you have a drill press this crimper will make you factory looking loads that you can do by hand. Later David

[Four Fingers of Death]

My press is an RCBS, so that looks like the way to go, Thanks guys, very helpful.

[DLCTEX]

DAP is tub and tile caulk and comes in a plastic tube like a toothpaste tube. I use it for sealing pistol shot loads.

[cajun shooter]

If you buy the RCBS dies there is a problem that happened with mine and another poster. When decapping the decapping rod would pop loose from it's position in the die. It's held with a c-clip. I used a Dremel tool and deepened the slot and stopped the problem. RCBS sent me a replacement also. I found my dies for $30 and they list for $80. I would not buy them if I had to pay retail. The only two or three stages they do are decap, reprime and crimp. I don't crimp my brass cases so they are used for the priming stage. In other words RCBS even states in the directions that alot of the loading is to be done by hand or other means. Don't know what you can purchase them for in the ROO COUNTRY. Just trying to help you hold on to more of your Queen's picture money.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

I run the Brass Shells in 3 different Chambers soon to be 4, I found that I needed to resize full length. along with my RCBS Set, I use a Mec SizeMaster to Resize the Base.

My RCBS depriming die did the same thing. I use the old Hornady Hand Primer with the adapter for Priming.

Sam

[cajun shooter]

Sam, you are correct. I'm poor and loading for one shotgun so I didn't think about the resizing part of the die. Thanks for pointing that out. Call RCBS and let them send you a new one. The new one works perfect and as I said the old one does after a little Dremel work. Good to hear from you. Later David

[Four Fingers of Death]

Sam, you are correct. I'm poor and loading for one shotgun so I didn't think about the resizing part of the die. Thanks for pointing that out. Call RCBS and let them send you a new one. The new one works perfect and as I said the old one does after a little Dremel work. Good to hear from you. Later David

Good thinking, I might use the Magtecs for Cowboy and trimmed plastic hulls for the other hammer guns, which will be mostly used for Sporting Clays, Cowboy Clays, skeet and hunting and the hulls discarded after one use. KSCO sent me a good article about it and I have a sheetload of 12Ga Circle Fly Wads.

I will have to get some 11Ga for the magtecs or cut some. What do you guys use? I haven't heard of the product you use KSCO.

Also at the risk of being a huge pain, what size cutting punch do you use? I have a heap of different ones, maybe I might find something suitable.

[northmn]

I have used plastic for all my BP shotshell reloading as they are so cheap and common. Get a roll crimper from either Ballistic Products or Precision Reloading. I made a tool to cut down to 2 1/2 " but you can get one out of Ballistic Products called a case dismantler. I used to eyeball cut with good results. With a roll crimper you do not have to be within a 1/16 inch about any length will do. Also in doubles with BP you likely will not need to resize. I have shot a lot of these with good results. One of my favorite cases is the cheap Federal case. You can shoot them once and throw them away if you like. Worked up loads with them when I shot a semiauto for that reason.

Northmn

[klcarroll]

..........One of my favorite cases is the cheap Federal case. You can shoot them once and throw them away if you like. Worked up loads with them when I shot a semiauto for that reason.

Northmn

LOL!!!!! ......I have just recently started picking up those cheap Federal cases for exactly the same reason!


Kent

[sargenv]

If you can get your hands on some of the Fiocchi Purple hulls (Usually trap hulls) I can tell you that they roll crimp nicely. I picked up 1500 pieces in a trade and they work pretty well. I've been using them as my disposable hull for loading slugs and lately some higher velocity target loads. (3 1/4 dram - 1 1/8 oz - 6). I made them up for an upcoming action shotgun match that might have some difficult to knock over steel pipes..

[KCSO]

I have a new favorite for 2 1/2 cases. A friend gave me a case of old shot shells that his dad bought from a Holliday station years ago, they were still marked 1.97 a box. Lo and behold those old Holliday cases cut and crimp perfect at 2 1/2" and all the roll crimps are perfect. I roll crimp on a hand crimper that my Grandfather used since 1910. It still works fine on plastic if you spin it a little to warm the plastic.

Here is my 2 1/2" dove gun a Husky with 90% or better original finish and appeared unfired when I got it. A model 17 made in about 1930.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Is that a 'Husky' as in Husquavarna?

I'm still curious about the wad material and cutter size.

That's good new about the Federal cases, they are the most popular shotshell being used in Australia and I should be assured of a good supply. I also have an Army sandbag full of browning hulls somewhere.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Check at http://www.circlefly.com

Sam

[KCSO]

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.