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Frontier Cartdrige


Sheriff Sam

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when shooting frontier in any category I know that the rifle and pistol are done with black powder, does the shotgun have to be black powder as well? I can't seem to find 12 gauge shells made in black powder, and don't have the ability to reload shotgun shell yet

 

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Yes. Page 9:

Blackpowder category contestants are expected to understand they will contend with smoke 
obscured targets. To ensure this, all shotgun, revolver, and rifle powder charges must 
produce smoke at least equivalent to a baseline load of 15 grains by volume (1 cc) of 
blackpowder
(see Blackpowder – Testing section for additional requirements).

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Buffalo arms sells some, but boy it's expensive.

 

https://www.buffaloarms.com/obsolete-hard-to-find-ammunition/shotgun-ammo

 

Ask someone at your local club if they can help you out. I'm sure someone will share either loaded shells or stuff to load your own. 

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You can use duelist1954's nail and dowel method.  However, loading on a single stage shotgun press is very preferable.  A small bottle of BP sub is enough for at least 100 shells.  Welcome to the Darkside!  You will soon be assimilated.

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If you have a Sportsmans Warehouse Store in your area, pick up some Black MZ (a black powder substitute).  It’s under $10/pound.  

 

Its hard to to save money loading shotshells for clayshooting but as you have seen, black powder factory shotshells are very dear.

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Pick-up a used MEC Jr. usually under 50 bucks , primers, Shot, wads, a Lee dipper set and some Goex Black Power and you're good to go forever .....

I use  Goex 3f with either 4 cc . or 4.3 cc depending on hull used , I use either Wind-jammer or Winchester Plastic wads the ones for 1 1/8 / 1 1/4 oz. of shot ....

I use a 4.3 cc of Shot , a lee 4.3 dipper can be used for both powder and shot ....

I use an adjustable charge bar for shot , and the Dipper for powder...

 

Jabez Cowboy

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I second the Mec jr.... i bought mine at a garage sale for 20$.... you can buy charge bars and powder bushings or buy the adjustable one that adjusts on both ends. I buy reclaimed shot, waxed cardboard wads and cut a thin piece of paper or cardboard to put over my shot for final crimp. Chedditte primers. Goex FF black powder or plenty of substitutes... 

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I use an inexpensive Lee Loadall II, use it for everything except the powder for which I use a dipper.

 

You can always shoot BP in your pistols and/or rifles in any of the non-Frontier categories along with smokeless shotgun, until you get the BP shotshells figured out.

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I used a Lee Loader (whackamole) for several years before finding a used MEC 600 Jr.

 

random example from eBay:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-GAUGE-LEE-LOADER-COMPLETE-RELOADING-TOOL/293104183744?hash=item443e5ee9c0:g:vRIAAOSwrxFc6-Bc

 

 

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I too am looking at FC (gunfighter), so I have not loaded shotshells.  So I got brass shells.  Found a 600 jr and bought brass shell kit from MEC.  Loaded up some shells and they went boom nicely.

Used American loading recommendations.  10g plastic wad (they fit nice and tight) though I found 11g nitro with 12g plastic wad was alright.  10g overshot cards.  Done. 

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I'm running all brass hulls. In the beginning the only tools I used were: a nail, wooden mallet, and a dow rod. All things I already had laying around. It's not fast but for all the more shot shells I need I didnt see the point in making a large investment. I've advanced a little. now have a single stage press with the rcbs 12ga shell holder, lee ram prime, and a makeshift decapper die. almost doubled my output per hour lol. 

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5 minutes ago, Turkey Flats Jack said:

I'm running all brass hulls. In the beginning the only tools I used were: a nail, wooden mallet, and a dow rod. All things I already had laying around. It's not fast but for all the more shot shells I need I didnt see the point in making a large investment. I've advanced a little. now have a single stage press with the rcbs 12ga shell holder, lee ram prime, and a makeshift decapper die. almost doubled my output per hour lol. 

 

5a8c7fc67371e_BrasshullprimerpunchFeb2018.jpg.97931ef71ad54ba17cc526aab7335c2f.jpg5a8c7fe27bb7e_Prime12gaugebrasshullsFeb2018.jpg.d4569f1d8625a86e8d8c6b1890b8e914.jpg

 

Sounds like my setup!

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For a starter shotshel loader you cannot beat the MEC 600 jr with an adjustable charge bar. I have loaded more shells than I care to count on one.  Second place would be the LEE loadall.

 

Let us know where you are located and maybe someone will be willing to load a few boxes for you until you can find a loader. 

 

My favirite load is

12 Ga Rem Gun Club or Federal Top Gun hull

Primer of choice

Claybuster CB0178-12 Wad

35 grains by WEIGHT of 3F APP

7/8 oz of shot

 

Or  

12 Ga Rem Gun Club or Federal Top Gun hull

Primer of choice

Claybuster CB1100-12 Wad

40 grains by WEIGHT of 2F APP

7/8 oz of shot

 

Shot weights are approximate. I have the adjustable charge bar and adjust the shot charge to give me the perfect stack height.

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I have two MEC 600s,  one 12 and one 10.  And a Lee Loadall II.  And I don't use any of them to load brass hulls.  I use Lee dippers for powder and an antique adjustable powder/shot dipper for shot.   What is most handy is a loading block.   

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If you try the nail and dowel method, you can obtain Fiocchi brand shells already primed from Midway at a pretty reasonable price. This saves the priming step and the need to obtain shotgun primers. 

 

Seamus

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I shot FCGF before it was an official category and wasn't reloading my own shotgun shells yet. I would usually get my shells from a buddy of mine. Since it wasn't an official category, I would be signed up for gunfighter and just use black powder. That gave me the leeway to use smokeless shotgun shells if I ever ran out of black powder shells. Once FCGF became an official category, I saved my BP shells for the big matches, and used smokeless for the club monthlies. That's an option for you until you can get setup for loading BP shotgun shells. I now use a mec jr and can crank out a box in about 20 minutes so I can shoot FCGF at al matches instead of just the big ones.

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With plastic hulls, I shorten and roll crimp all my black powder/ BlackMZ loads.   We're retired and taking it seriously.   So I have time to take a simple route.  I have a lot of inside time in the winter so I'll set up and load 50 rounds a morning (my loading block holds 50) until I think I have enough for the season.  I use the MEC 600 to deprime, size the bases and prime as the used hulls are scrounged or bought and as such have been fired in other guns and I may fire them in any one of a dozen 12 gauge shotguns.   Hulls are fired and discarded. 

 

Something else to think about when considering black powder shotgun loads.  Plastic hulls have a short life expectancy.  As I mentioned,  I shoot once and pitch.  

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So, just shoot black powder in a regular category until you get a shotshell loader.

Have fun

--Dawg 

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The smoke and soot (and attention) is worth the trouble.  Commit to the Darkside and don’t look back.  :)

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4 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

The smoke and soot (and attention) is worth the trouble.  Commit to the Darkside and don’t look back.  :)

 

+1000

 

The Dark Side is a lot more fun. :)

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Loading good BP shot shells is very easy. I use a MEC Sizemaster with a 1oz charge bar. Winchester AA Hull with a Fed 209A primer. Use a Lee 4cc dipper to load GOEX 2F or Pyrodex Select through a funnel and set a Claybuster CB1138-12 wad on the powder with about 30# pressure. Drop the shot in the shell and close with a standard crimp. Takes longer to describe than to do and the performance is great. 

Use the hulls no more than twice and clean your gun at the end of the day.

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11 hours ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

So, just shoot black powder in a regular category until you get a shotshell loader.

Have fun

--Dawg 

What he ^^^^^ said!!

 

Get a Lee Load All for about $50-60 bucks, I just picked up one on the SASS Classified for $35.00! Easy to load!!

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When I started, I did not have access to a shotshell loader, either.

 

So, I shot in a smokeless category with BP in my pistols and rigle, bought SG shells off the shelf. Most of the time, I was shooting in Classic Cowboy.

 

Did that for several months until I found a deal on a 600 Jr.

 

Loaded BP on that for a while. First, with a fiber wad column, and then with plastic shot cups.

 

Now, I load on a RCBS Grand.

 

I have also loaded shells for pards who were needing a box or two for a match here and there. They would be shooting a side match or BP match somewhere and knew I shot it and would ask me If I would load some shotshells for them.  How could I refuse? Any time we can get more folks to the range having a great time....I am going to try and do what I can to help!
 

 

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