Shotshell dismantling/salvaging tools

[Shane Not Sean]

So I finally got around to sorting through and inspecting all my shotshell reloading rejects, and found that I had quite a few that needed salvaging.  The main reason for most of my rejects was no primer (Ponsness Warren press, as the primer supply gets low, there's less weight pushing the row of primers into the catcher).  So I had lots of finished shotshells that were missing a primer (which means the powder would dribble out of these shells all over the press and table so, in reality all I could salvage was the shot and the wad and, if I was careful enough, the hull.

I've seen some tools that cut the top (crimp) off so you can salvage everything but the hull.  But in my case, I want to salvage the hull too.  I have a metal pick/hook that I can work into the middle of the 8 petal star crimp and pull out each petal little by little.  It gets the job done but is time consuming and can be a little hard on the petals (occasionally cutting into a crease). 

My first question, is there a better tool for opening up the star crimp without damaging it?

Once I've got it opened up and the shot poured out, I'll stick a punch up through the primer hole and push the wad up as far as I can.  But it always gets stuck where the crimp folds over, and I have to grab the wad petals with pliers and pull while pushing on the punch from underneath.  And sometimes the pliers damage the wad petals.

Second question, is there a better/easier way to get the wad out without risking damage to the wad petals?  Perhaps the answer to this question lies in a better tool for my first question - a tool that not only opens the crimp petals but smooths out the hull wall where the petals fold over.

[Nickel City Dude]

You might consider installing a primer and shooting the shell, this would save the hull and maybe the wad but the shot and any powder in the hull would be lost.  BTW have a rod or wad knocker handy if you do this.

[Outlaw Gambler]

consider what your time is worth, If you can buy replacement hulls for a decent price it would be faster, cheaper, and you can salvage powder, shot, and if you cut them carefully, most wads.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Hulls are really very cheap, just not as cheap as they were 3 years ago. 

 

But, no, there is no tool better than a small pick or screwdriver to try to salvage the hulls.  I cut completely through midway up the hull with plastic pipe shear type cutters from hardware store.  Very quick and you only loose the hull and wad.  

 

Loading MUST be done by watching the primer drop into the reprime station!  As you will probably now remember for a long time.

 

good luck, GJ

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

A year agao when I was about out of shotshell primers and before I managed to get some, I took apart my box of miss crimped and bent BP Sub shotgun rounds.  Opened the ends with an exacto knife and saved the shot, wads, powder, and primers.  Even though some of the plastic wads had slices in them from the exacto they still funtioned just fine when used to reload new rounds.  Forget about saving the hulls.

[Rip Snorter]

There are already very short shotshells available, why not cut off the crimp and re crimp to a short shell? Note: I load everything but shotgun.

[Captain Bill Burt]

1 hour ago, Outlaw Gambler said:

consider what your time is worth, If you can buy replacement hulls for a decent price it would be faster, cheaper, and you can salvage powder, shot, and if you cut them carefully, most wads.

This is why I toss most of my reloading mistakes. It’s not worth my time to salvage them. 

[Michigan Slim]

With the price of components, I save all rejects for salvage. Trash the hull and wad but save shot and primer.

[largo casey #19191]

When my shells start splitting I trim the end off use short wads from Ballistic & roll crimp.One last load out of them

                                                                                                                                                                                                Largo

[Lucky R. K.]

With a little effort you should be able to save all the components except the hull. If you are careful, you could even save the hull for roll crimped loads.

Lucky 

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

I don't try to save the wad.  I get a BUNCH of once fired from my pards that buy new.  Talking cowfolk shooters here.

 

All I had to do is ask

 

as to tearing apart a shotgun shell:

 

use a pvc pipe cutter and cut just above the brass along the side.  Do this over a container so the powder will be contained

 

this way powder, primer, shot and wad are all saved for another day

 

[Driftwood Dan SASS #62738L]

many dismantling tools out there here are a few

 

Unload-It Shotshell Dismantling Tool 12ga *** NEW! *** (ballisticproducts.com)

Shotshell Reloading: The Ultimate Shotshell Dismantler

 

D-Loader Shotshell Dismantler - Precision Reloading   This is what I use

 

Stay Safe  Driftwood

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

It's hard to motivate oneself to take the time to do this when you already have plenty of available components, but some day I will get to it as I have a very large amount of 20 gauge rounds that were loaded rather hot by a brother for duck and goose hunting.

[The Shoer 27979]

I unloaded a bunch of those pink breast cancer shot shell a few years back and reloaded with black powder. I think I used my pocket knife to do it with, if I split any stars I just put an over shot card on it then just crimped it again. After I shot any that had a split I through them away

[Jeb Stuart #65654]

This is how I do it.  Use a small flat screwdriver to open  up the pedals, just slid it in, place your thumb on the folds and lift up.  Then pour out shot.  Then I use a 3 inch sheet rock screw, place the point in the middle of the wad and screw it in a 1/4 of an inch.  Grab the head of the screw with a pair of pliers and pull wad out. Doesn't really hurt the wad as the plastic more or less self seals.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

7 hours ago, Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L said:

A year agao when I was about out of shotshell primers and before I managed to get some, I took apart my box of miss crimped and bent BP Sub shotgun rounds.  Opened the ends with an exacto knife and saved the shot, wads, powder, and primers.  Even though some of the plastic wads had slices in them from the exacto they still funtioned just fine when used to reload new rounds.  Forget about saving the hulls.

So did you deprime live primers?  seems intuitively scary, but I guess as long as the cap isn't dented in the process to compress the anvil, depriming  would be reasonably safe. (I guess -- ONLY).  Does anyone here know for sure?

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

I deprime shotshell hulls with my reloader.  Never a problem over many years. The steel battery cup surrounding the primer cup protects the assembly from detonating very well.  Just take easy strokes and don't have any open powder around, just in case.

 

good luck, GJ

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

45 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

So did you deprime live primers?  seems intuitively scary, but I guess as long as the cap isn't dented in the process to compress the anvil, depriming  would be reasonably safe. (I guess -- ONLY).  Does anyone here know for sure?

Over the years I have deprimed lots of live ammo and reused the primers.  Just work slowly and carefully.

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

Cowtown Scout,

Been trying to message you but says you can't receive messages.

Horace

[Eyesa Horg]

6 hours ago, Jeb Stuart #65654 said:

This is how I do it.  Use a small flat screwdriver to open  up the pedals, just slid it in, place your thumb on the folds and lift up.  Then pour out shot.  Then I use a 3 inch sheet rock screw, place the point in the middle of the wad and screw it in a 1/4 of an inch.  Grab the head of the screw with a pair of pliers and pull wad out. Doesn't really hurt the wad as the plastic more or less self seals.

I do the same to get the shot, but instead of the screw, I just grab the wad ear with a needle nose pliers that has worn serrations. They pretty much pull right out. Considering the time it takes to open it, I'm going to try just ringing the hull with a razor knife about at the waste of the wad and just pull it apart and recover everything but the hull. I mean how many do you screw up? If ya chuck a hull here or there, it's no different than stepping on em or having them start to split at the crimp. I get a lot of reloads out STS hulls so they really don't owe me anything.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

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

I deprime shotshell hulls with my reloader.  Never a problem over many years. The steel battery cup surrounding the primer cup protects the assembly from detonating very well.  Just take easy strokes and don't have any open powder around, just in case.

 

good luck, GJ

I think I'd also upgrade my eye protection. 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

4 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

I think I'd also upgrade my eye protection. 

I don't work in my reloading area without eye protection at all times.   Depriming on my shotshell loader has total containment around the hull base and primer collection tray.   Much better protection than on many cartridge presses.

 

But eye protection is always a mandate, in my opinion.

 

good luck, GJ