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Cant shuck AA shells


Free Bird 61147

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I have a Browning BSS and an SKB.  Both were worked on by top double barrel gunsmiths.  

STS's shuck flawlessly, but not Winchester AA's in both.  Guns are clean and I can find no reason.  Also, all are case checked never finding a bad STS, but about 5% of the AA's fail.  Total pain plus it's hard to find STS's and they're super expensive.

Why?  Thanks for all the replies.  I've solved the dilemma.  Bottom line, Winchester AA's will never work.

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try estate shells,,, they are .010 smaller than AAs and a whole lot cheaper than STSs or AAs

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All I shoot are new factory loads.  Never shot a reload or BP.

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Who cares why?

 

Your guns have told you their preference.  Listen to them.  Use STS hulls and worry about something else.

 

Both of my Brownings like STS, Gun Clubs, and Estate hulls.  AAs are not welcome in my guns either.

 

Feed ‘em what works.

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That sounds more harsh than I intended.

 

 I suspect the smooth sides of the AA hulls simply create too much friction in contact with the chamber wall.  STS hulls are smooth to be sure, but I suspect the crimp petals on the STS hulls may not cause as much friction in the chamber after firing.  In my experience the problems  happen at the crimp end of the hull—the extractor kicks out most of the brass base, so the base is less likely to be a problem.

 

But again that is speculation.  Experiment with the less expensive Remington Gun Club shells and the Estate brand of shotshells if you think STS are too costly.  Both are $5.99 a box at Academy.  But if your guns shuck STS best, buy those and don’t look back.

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You said "case checked", I assume full length case gauge and reloads.

 

The 1st one below will check both case length and mouth. If the mouth is just slightly expanded or has those little sharp edges as explained in the video, so that the case gauge check works but may be slightly snug, this tool will compress mouth some and smooth edges. I have the 2nd one (red) it has helped me get the few AA's that are snug in the case gauge to not be snug...

 

https://www.badmanbullets.com/OnlineStore/proddetail.php?prod=SliX-Shotshell-Checker-Sizer-Combo and 

http://www.slixprings.com/sizer.html

 

Video of the 2nd one...

 

Also, but be light on use...

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013149195

 

I've also had to occasionally use the MEC Super Sizer even after loading with MEC 9000, and many of my AA's have been loaded 2-3 times. I wipe each shell lightly with Armor All for that slick almost new look after loading.

 

RRR

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3 hours ago, Free Bird 61147 said:

plus it's hard to find STS's

 

Check your local WalMart (yeah, I know).  Often they have the best price on STS loads going.

 

AAs are well known by now at not having the quality assurance levels that they used to.   Such inattention shows up with harder-to-shuck shells in doubles.  They used to be first class shells.  Now they barely make second class loads, IMHO.

 

Good luck, GJ

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Two people I know have gone to the case checkers and resizers for AA.  The have had problems with shells that won't chamber.  They check every round before a match.  They shoot '97s.

 

I use STS reloads.  I do check them before I box them up, but don't do anything else but shoot them at a match.  I've never had a problem.  I load on a MEC jr.

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I check all my AAs with a case gauge. Get about ~4% failure rate, 1 per box on average.  Both of my Fast Eddie SKBs shuck them fine. 

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Lets just say it.

AA sucks.

Last time I bought some. Got 5 boxes for EOT. OVER HALF would not go through my checker.

OVER HALF.

I will only use them if I HAVE TO. Or if they are free. And then only for a monthly or practice.

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Sounds like a worst of both worlds.  The AA's are the lightest factory loads I can find - but everyone is saying they suck.   I have had some stick when shucking but have only had to pull them by hand a few times.   I didn't think much of it since I have not had any work done to the gun (Stoeger Coach).  Overall, I haven't had any real problems yet and I am certain that what little bit of "sticking" that I get now will improve if and when I take the gun in for some Cowboy work. 

I shot a few boxes of Federal "Metro" loads but they stuck and often had to be pulled out by hand.   I gave up on the Metro's since they my gun doesn't seen to like them.

 

I am new at the shell reloading game so I am going to keep with the AA's since I have a paint bucket full and don't want to spend money buying another paint bucket full of something else.  I do think I will start trashing the ones that stick instead of keeping them for reloading. 

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I reload my STS and get 3 to 5 reloads on a hull before they get too ragged for match use.  They they go into the practice bin where I get another 3 to 5 cycles.  I get once fired hulls from commercial suppliers 500 at a time.  You have to keep checking their sites to see when they are available. 

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Listed below is the chamber checker I like.  I have 3 SKB's.  All of them have been tuned by the top smiths in the game and none of them like (reloaded) AA's.  I do reload and nothing but Remington STS or Nitros go in my double.  My wife's 97s will eat anything so I reload AA's for her.

 

As others have mentioned.  Before I started reloading for the shotgun; Estate shells are what we used.

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101827769

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9 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

 

Check your local WalMart (yeah, I know).  Often they have the best price on STS loads going.

 

AAs are well known by now at not having the quality assurance levels that they used to.   Such inattention shows up with harder-to-shuck shells in doubles.  They used to be first class shells.  Now they barely make second class loads, IMHO.

 

Good luck, GJ

My reloader (Hubby) quit reloading AAs a few years ago due to quality issues. He will reload Remington greenies, goldies, and silvers.

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I resize all my AAs with a MEC Super Sizer, then check with a case gauge.  Do lose a few each time from being stepped on or plastic part too big.  Still have plenty to reload

 

When I get complete holes in cracks that form at the crimp area they are trashed

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Thanks to all the replies but, I have never ever shot reloads.  The Winchester AA'S stick and wont shuck reliably.  That is, on the first two fired they shuck just fine.  The second two fired, it's always the right shell that wont shuck.  (Not the case with STS's).  

I always swab my barrels between runs.

As far as finding STS's at WalMart, yes I am aware of that but I only shoot 7/8 or 1 ounce loads.

Again, I NEVER shoot reloads.  These are all factory new shells.

Thanks.

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I have been shooting AA's for 40(+) years and were my go to shell of preference.  When I started CAS I very quickly learned that AA's are no longer the same as some 1,000 old AA hulls I still have. I can't even resize a AA w/o tearing up the base most of the time. I have had separation of the base and the two part hull they now use.

 

My pard shoots new shells most of the time (as he gets STS as cheap as we can reload here) so I have an abundance of once fired. I reload recycled lead and only use reloads because my shotgun does not like the recoil (need a new shotgun soon). It is a light gun and I don't like the recoil much either. 

 

We only shoot one box of shells per match, so cost is of no concern to me.

Any uncertainty you have with equipment or ammo is detrimental to your performance. I know, I have been working through a lot of it.

 

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9 minutes ago, Free Bird 61147 said:

... The Winchester AA'S stick and wont shuck reliably.  That is, on the first two fired they shuck just fine.  The second two fired, it's always the right shell that wont shuck. ...

 

I have the same problem with my SxS and AAs.  Hangup in the right barrel.  I've polished the barrel, reamed and polished again then hosed down with silicon spray.  Full size shell check each round before using, perfect.  As soon as it's fired the petals hangup on the chamber and refuses to shuck.  My final solution was to stop using AAs.

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Yes, Winchester's quality control is not what it once was.  Remington shells are better quality, but I still generally use AA's since they are readily available.

 

With brand new shells, I too have found about 1 or 2 shells per box to need resizing.  I have a Mec resizer that works well, especially for the base.  But it does help if I do the top as well if needed.  Then they work find in essentially all cases.

 

For the nose, I went with a suggestion here on the wire for an inexpensive solution. I put a 3/4 socket on a short extension and it is the perfect size for the nose.  I don't really need it, but if in doubt, use it at a match.

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I shoot a Remington(Baikal) and a Stoeger Supreme SXS.Both have been tuned by well known  smiths.Been using AA's exclusively since I've been shooting CAS.Early on I had some shocking problems  but I now use the Slix tool and a chamber brush about every other stage and seldom have problems.Several parts have given  me lots of both red and grey AA hulls so that's what I use.Since I have a pretty good supply, I load them once and toss them.

I wipe them down with silicone  spray as they come off the press and they're good to go.

Choctaw Jack 

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AA hulls changed when they went to the new AAHS design.  The change is  a two piece design and what I believe to be a different plastic.  This has made the AA much harder to reload (used to be one of the best) and now getting a good crimp has become a crap shoot.   The softer plastic is probably what is causing them to hang up in chambers.  

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1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said:

I never have problems with these.

Federal Top Gun Extra Lite Ammunition 12 Gauge 2-3/4" 7/8 oz #8 Shot.  Buy them on sale with free shipping for %5.99 to $6.99 a box.

What is the federal part number for them?

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8 hours ago, Free Bird 61147 said:

I always swab my barrels between runs.

 

This may not help, and it could hurt.

 

Have you ever tried to pull two pieces of glass apart when they have water between them?  Smooth chamber wall and smooth hull stuck together with some kind of liquid...

 

I shoot blackpowder and never swab between stages and the empty hulls shuck out just as easily on the 6th stage as on the first. Ribbed hulls like Gun Clubs and Estates actually have less contact (and therefore less friction) with the chamber wall than the smooth hulls.

 

Stop swabbing, try some ribbed hulls, and let us know what happens.

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2 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

I will NOT reload a AA.

The ones I end up with, go into the trash.

I have seen more than few FTF with factory new AA's.

The QC is garbage:excl:

OLG

He's right. I've had factory AAs need two primer hits, on almost a third of the rounds fired.

Switched to reloads (same gun), not one failure.

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Another step I've taken with my doubles (besides swabbing with silicon) is using a good chamber brush first.  It really helps.  I love the one I've listed the link to below.  I got it from a different vender, but it's the same brush.

 

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1255119175?pid=119175

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i shoot federal premiums in my reloads - most work well some dont , i have more issues with the papers than the plastic , i think you need to use what works and abandon the rest , but i would try the cheaper gun clubs and such - they reload fine , 

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The answer to your OP is your shotgun chambers are just not honed and polished enough. Had this issue also so I re-honed and polished some more. Problem gone.  

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