reloading all brass shot shells
I recently obtained a few all brass shot shells. I put two lots of them on the block (http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=25494830) but I was thinking these would be really handy things to have WTSHTF. I have a Lee handloader for 12 gauge paper shells but I don't have a clue what type of wads to look for or how the shell is closed or crimped (?) with all brass cases.
Henry (feeling too lazy to do my own research)
Semper Fi
Remember Ruby Ridge.
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
Not a member at the auction? Join Gunbroker at this link!
Henry (feeling too lazy to do my own research)
Semper Fi
Remember Ruby Ridge.
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
Not a member at the auction? Join Gunbroker at this link!
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I have a friend that really likes the black powder stuff. He didn't like the cost of the all brass shells, so since he owned a really big machine shop he just made his own. I think he just used a paper plug for the end cap. And I don't know what he used for a wad between powder and shot.
Your mileage may vary.
"If you ain't got pictures, I wasn't there."0 -
to load all brass shells you have to have a 11 ga wad over the powder and also for the over shot wad. it will all spill out if you don't. 0 -
I load all brass shot shells for Cowboy Action and for use in my Remington Model 1889 side by side.
First check to see what primer you need, some brass shells are Berdan primed and they can be a pain to work with. The shells that I use are Remington's and they use a standard .210 large rifle primer. For the shells in which I am going to use black powder, I drill the flash hole out to .090 and use Federal 215 magnum primers to better ignite the long powder column. If you are going to use smokeless powder, leave the flash holes alone and use a standard large rifle primer. For wads you need to go one gauge larger then you would for paper or plastic shells i.e., for a 12 gauge shell use 11 gauge wads. These are available from Dixie and maybe available from other suppliers.
I have never tried to load brass shells with the Lee Loader, but would try by lubeing the case just as you would a rifle case and go from there. I use the RCBS dies in a A2 press. RCBS says that you should not do this, but I find that it works for resizeing the shell. Powder charging and loading wads and shot is done by hand outside of the die.
For black powder I load 82-85 grains of FF by weight, place an over powder wad on top of the powder and use a wooden dowel rod that just fits the case to compress the power, then load 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 oz. of shot and close with a thin cardboard over shot wad. Adjust the sizeing die down just enough to just slightly turn in the mouth of the case to hold the over shot wad in place. Some shooters put white glue on the over shot wad to waterproof it. Write the load and shot size on the overshot wad.
For smokeless powder find a load that matches the shot load and wad that you are going to use, then load as you normally would. Close the shell just as you would for the black powder load. One nice thing, if the shot load does not completely fill the case, just push the over shot wad down on top of the shot and seal. No crimp to fool with!
PS. Shells must be deprimed by hand. Killed a 18 pound turkey last week with the Remington 1889 useing black powder loads.
Hope that this is of some help to you.
All the best,
Scout0 -
Henry: Yes, I reload both 10 and 12 ga all brass shells. As brass
are thinner than the paper or plastic shells, a 11 ga wad (?) is used
for the over the powder, filler, and over shot wads. Dixie Gun Works
sells these. On the 10 ga (being a double barrel) I just seal the over
shot wad with Elmers wood glue. For the 12 ga (being a 1887 lever action repeater) I do give a light crimp (not a roll crimp) for good
feeding and also seal the over powder wad again with Elmers wood glue.
I did have to machine a crimper for the 12 ga for the repeater.
Primers in these are large rifle type. For powder I use FFG black powder and keep the loads light .0 -
Hello "HenryOReilly"[:)]
Being considerably older that most of the people on this forum, I still hunt with SXS shotguns, using solid brass shotshell casing loaded with black powder. I have reloading equipment from Hollywood Gun Shop that most of you have never heard about much less seen.
May I suggest that you look at the following:http://www.tbullock.com/bpsg.html
My Best Regards To You And Yours[:)]0 -
Adams quail hunter: Good web site you posted. Copied it and will file it for future reference. A new one on me. I guess Hollywood, Potter,
Star, Herters and other old loading tools are phased out, but they were
still/are good ones.0 -
With Respects To HenryORiley[:)]
I don't mean to "hijack" your thread, but I do wish to answer "joeaf1911a1".
Yes, I have "Herter's", "Hollywood", even "RCBS", and best of all "Val-Scott" 12 gauge dies.
If you or anyone else has "Val-Scott" (preferably) or "Herter's" or "Hollywood" or "Star" dies in 16 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge, I am definitely interested in them, if they are at the right price. I am not a "collector", I use these dies and I hunt with old SXS with solid brass black powder shotshells.
Again "HenryORiley" --- my appologies for "hijacking" your thread.
Best Regards To You All[:)]
AdamsQuailHunter0
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