Antiquated Shot Shell Queries

[Come On Christmas]

First Brass Shells - I am thinking I will open up the flash hole a might, but what is the poor boy way to deprime the large pistol primer. I am thinking somehow put a Lee Decap pin in a dowel to tap out? Southern Engineers where you be?

 

I noticed the pricier (not MagTech) shells use 209 primers. What is authentic?

 

I bought a RCBS Shell Holder to cap them with using a Lee Ram Prime equivalent.

 

Paper Shot Shells - I found new paper shells on the BPI site. What kind of antique roll crimper do I look for? The Ebay sellers musta found out we be looking for them.

 

Do the drill mounted crimpers work well? The site sez they work on paper and plastic shells.

 

Thanks in advance for your informed input,

 

Shameless

[Chantry]

I use a nail punch of the appropriate diameter to tap out the fired primers. Put nail punch in the flash hole, tap and out comes the primer. When I stop procrastining, I'll probably use the dowel.

 

As for which primer is period correct, probably neither. Older brass shells (pre Magtech & Rocky Mountain) used a #57 primer which is no longer made, but is sometimes found at gunshows.

 

I've used the drill mounted crimper on plastic shells and it works quite well.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Hey Shameless:

Have you been to Tom Bullock's Webpage?

bullock

I am fond of antique shotshell reloading tools.

The deprimer is essentially a dowel with a decapping pin at one end.

I use an old set from the 19th century to do mine.

Here is a nice set on Ebay:

Eaby tools

I have and occasionally use all the tools in the picture.

roll crimper

I own & use many variations of these.

I also use the BPI drill-mounted tool -- works very well

BPI

Federal make paper hulls too--I buy 'em off gunbroker.

federal hulls

Have you seen Mike Beliveau's video on loading with antique tools?

 

 

Hope this helps.

Have fun!

--Dawg

[Tequila Jim #14501]

So okay I have and use the big Lee decaping pin, shell holder from RCBS, and the Lee ram prime.

In my Magtecs an over powder wad, veggie wad, but I also use a regular plastic shot cup, then the

10 ga over shot card. Works for me. Regards, TJ

[Lefty Dude, SASS # 51223]

For the Magtec brass you can use a 1/16" steel pin punch for decaping. I have a MEC conversion for my one 600 JR. Mec makes thid conversion for about $35.00, it includes the de-capping conversion punch and a new capping adaptor for setting the primers. This replaces the 209 capper plunger & spring. This conversion can be used for both 12 & 16 ga.

This is a non-catalog item and will require a phone call for ordering. I also have the RCBS 12 ga. shell holder. For shell holders try Buffalo Arms. I bought my 16 ga. shell holder from BA.

 

For seation the wads, we use a 3/4" wooden dowel rod for the 12 ga. For the seating of the 16 ga. wads we use a 3/8" drive 1/2" deep socket.

 

BTW; A brass shell reloader best friend is a vintage Lee Shotshell Reloader. These can be found on E-bay for usually under $20.00. I have one in both 12 ga. & 16 ga.

The vintage Lee Loader can be used for re-sizing & doing a slight roll on the mouth of the shell. This requires a vise to hold the Lee tool & a plastic mallet for the operation. Once the case is sized and the roll preformed to the desired amount, this will last for many reloadings.The roll is such that you can still insert the wads & cards in the case mouth side ways.

 

We load both 12 ga. & 16 ga. with Smokless & Black powder 3F.

[Come On Christmas]

Ewww Look! I started using my noodle. I thought to my self, "Self, all the large pistol primer Lee Hand Loaders have to have some kind of primer decap tool." This are the one for 45 Colt.

 

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/-374-DECAPPER.html

 

Thanks for your input,

 

Shameless

[John Boy]

I am thinking somehow put a Lee Decap pin in a dowel to tap out?

Works just fine with the decapper pin and shell holder for a 45 caliber

 

What kind of antique roll crimper do I look for?

The cheapest antique roll crimper you can find in the correct caliber

 

Do the drill mounted crimpers work well?

Not as well as the antique ones IMO

[Oddnews SASS# 24779]

Hey Shameless:

Have you been to Tom Bullock's Webpage?

bullock

I am fond of antique shotshell reloading tools.

The deprimer is essentially a dowel with a decapping pin at one end.

I use an old set from the 19th century to do mine.

Here is a nice set on Ebay:

Eaby tools

I have and occasionally use all the tools in the picture.

roll crimper

I own & use many variations of these.

I also use the BPI drill-mounted tool -- works very well

BPI

Federal make paper hulls too--I buy 'em off gunbroker.

federal hulls

Have you seen Mike Beliveau's video on loading with antique tools?

 

 

Hope this helps.

Have fun!

--Dawg

 

Thank you for the link, especially to Bottom Dealin' Mike's video (somehow I'd missed that one). I could never mentally picture how the roll crimper worked, seeing it in action really helped (but it means, of course, I have to find and buy one -- anyone got a line on some extra cash? <grin>).

[Grizhicks]

I have an antique roll crimper (Brush Creek Armory, division of The Winchester Sutler), but have only used it on previously roll crimped shells. Everything I've read says the paper hulls will last longer that plastic, and most of mine have been shot 4 or 5 times, and are ready to reload. I have a Lee Load-All (purchased in the late '70's, only $19.99); use it to de-cap, prime and shot shot. Load powder by dipper and hand insert the wads. Since the shells have been used before, it onloy takes 4-5 cranks to roll the crimp. Hope this helps, Grizhicks

[DOCBRAZOS, SASS#18033L]

got my Roll crimper for my drill and a cutter from Ballistic Products.

Roll Crimper works OK but the Cutter is a not user frindly.

[Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440]

To decap I use a spare pin from a universal decap die (Lee), and a piece of dowel drilled down the middle to accept it. The pin is held by rubber bands so it stays in the dowel, and the dowel acts as a fast centering guide..... Place the shell on a piece of lumber with a hole in it, set the decapper in place, and whack with small hammer....

[Come On Christmas]

To decap I use a spare pin from a universal decap die (Lee), and a piece of dowel drilled down the middle to accept it. The pin is held by rubber bands so it stays in the dowel, and the dowel acts as a fast centering guide..... Place the shell on a piece of lumber with a hole in it, set the decapper in place, and whack with small hammer....

 

That is one thought I had Jack, put into words.

 

My paper hulls and roll crimper jest came to the the house today! Whew Hew!

 

Shameless

[Fairshake]

Doc Brazos, The trimmer that works perfect is the one sold by Precision Reloading. It is called the D-Loader. It by itself is designed as a shot shell dismantler thus the D-loader name. But they sell another piece that is the adapter that is fully adjustable and makes hull trimming so easy. I have been trimming my Federal and Fiocchi paper hulls for at least three years with it. They also sell a plastic roll crimper for about $12 that works on the paper hulls as well or better than the steel ones. I mount mine in the bench top drill press and don't turn it off until I'm finished with at least 100 hulls. My plastic crimper is over three and still going. I even used it for some plastic.

The trimmer sold by BPI is no where near as good. I bought one of those about four years ago and it is made of a white plastic. They said they made a improvement with a adapter piece but I like the D-Loader better. It is a all wood box.

I have about four of the antique hand operated roll crimpers but the drill works much faster and cleaner. If I was out some where and needed to load then I would use the hand one.

To those loading the brass hulls you may do it two ways. One is to purchase the RCBS die and load them on your press or buy one of the old Lee hand models that came in the box from flea -bay. Depending on how many (I WILL NOT BE BEAT) attitudes are bidding you may get one from $27 to $75. If you want to use a plastic wad then both Precision and BPI sell the ones made in Italy that are made for the

2 1/2 inch English guns. A lot of people don't realize that a 2 3/4 hull or a 3 inch hull are only that length in the fired state and much shorter in a loaded condition. To clean the plastic snake skin out if you are shooting BP takes only a bottle of Windex/Vinegar and then follow with your normal cleaning process. Later David

[Come On Christmas]

Thanks Fairshake! I ordered a DeLoader!

 

Shameless