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Reloading Shotshells


Bourbon Butch

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Hey all -

 

Just getting into shotshell reloading. More for the fun than saving $$$. I'm using the formula on the Winchester AA Lite Powder cannister:

 

2-3/4" hulls (I've got a number of once-fired Win AA Lite hulls I'm using) - trimmed down to the star-crimp line.

12.0 gr Win AA Lite powder

Win 209 primers

Win AA12SL wads

1-oz #8 lead shot

 

I'm using a BPI overshot card and then roll crimping (with BPI roll crimper in handheld drill).

 

Seems to be working great, but haven't had a chance to shoot them yet.

 

The overall length of my shotshells after reloading and crimping is just barely over 2" total. When I measure the factory loads they are at or just greater than 2-1/4".

 

Question . . . does this make any difference?

 

Thanks, pards.

 

-BB

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As far as shooting not too much.

 

But the shorter the hull is the harder it seems to be to handle when loading your shotgun on the clock. I find the shorter the rounds, the hard it is to turn the round in my hands as I go to drop them in the breech when they get turned sideways.

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for shooting the lenght doesn't matter

 

but as cliffhanger mentioned for loading it matters a great deal

when you shoot a 97 you don't want them to short

 

but when you shoot a hammer S&S with BP like i do, it seems the shorter the hull the better they come out of the gun.

i often shoot shels that are just over 1.5inch long an they work just fine.

but to load the shorter shells on the clock wil take some practice,

shorter than the 1.5inch ones and I can't get them out of my shotgunbelt anymore(or at least it will cost me extra time)

 

just try what works the best for you

 

Dutch Bear

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I sort of follow the same formul except I don't trim and I use a variety of hulls. I got the after market hulls and use the 12L set for 7/8 ounce and I pack them with 7 1/2 shot but I drop a full ounce with my charging bar. So far they are great. Goes about 950 fps and have a real mild recoil. I like them and for Cowboy shooting they seem just right. Heck, even my wife will shoot these shells.

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The Length of shot shells are in a fired state. In other words a 2 3/4 in shell as stated on the box only measures that after being fired. The loaded length is only 2 1/4 as you posted. The length does matter if firing a old English gun with only 2 1/2 inch chambers. If you shoot a standard shell then it will not have the room to open up and cause very high or dangerous pressures to occur. Some shotguns are made with a longer than normal chamber which helps lower recoil and produce better groups.

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I'm using a BPI overshot card and then roll crimping (with BPI roll crimper in handheld drill).

 

Howdy

 

Since you are using plastic hulls anyway, if you invest in an inexpensive shotshell press like a MEC Jr you can crimp your hulls the way they were meant to be crimped. Roll crimping is for paper shells. Plastic shells have been crimped in a star pattern for a long time, that is how they are designed. You will save yourself a lot of time in the long run if you crimp the hulls they way they are designed to be crimped.

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Yeah, but he said it was for fun as well. He'll be looking for a better way if he tires of the process ;) Should be good for a few style points!

 

CR

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Roll crimping allows you to shoot hulls that have been trimmed because the case mouth was worn out and would not crimp anymore. It also allows you to put more shot in as you don't even need half the case that is required to use a fold crimp. If you have a 3 in hull and load it a few times you may cut it down and roll crimp that final 1/8 of a inch. You may trim it again and roll crimp that hull. This can't be done with the fold crimp as it requires too much of the case to be used. Roll crimping not only allows more loads from one hull but it produces less recoil and some say even better accuracy. The style points are not even close and will add to the pleasure of the reloading. If you are like the rest of the world and expect every day things to be done at the speed of a drive through then fold crimping is the choice and not the more fun and historical correct roll crimp.

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Thanks for all the input. I had a chance to shoot my first batch of reloads. My WinLite AA hulls worked flawlessly. I'd also loaded some (about a dozen) old hulls w/ high brass. They seemed to be harder to "seat". The gun had a bit of difficulty closing on them and then they seemed to bind up the break action. Maybe the high brass had "expanded" after being fired that first time.

 

Like I said, the WinLite hulls worked flawlessly and were really mild. Seemed to pattern well, too. Looks like I'll stick with just reloading the WinLite hulls.

 

Thanks again.

 

Edited for typos and clarity.

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Stay away from all high brass as I have found out the hard way. They swell and don't just fall out like the low brass. All the ones that I have tried had to be pulled out with my fingers. They work fine in a 87 or 97 but not the SXS.

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