What makes cheap SG Shells stick?

[Waimea]

I bought a hammered double from fellow Outlaw Kid Rich and I love it.

But, and we talked about this before I laid money down, cheap Walmart shells just don't shuck out like AA or STS.

The chambers are beveled and honed.

This doesn't seem to be a gun issue as I have seen other double barrels doing the same thing.

Jace the Ace runs an SKB that drops the "right" shells out easily but put a couple of cheap shells in there and it's the "cheap shell double dance".

I saw years ago where you could get a "Quikshot" tapered die for reloading and I was wondering if a person got a hold of something like that could a cheap shell be "fixed"?

 

Your kind response is much appreciated.

 

Edited November 4 by Waimea

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

15 minutes ago, Waimea said:

I bought a hammered double from fellow Outlaw Kid Rich and I love it.

But, and we talked about this before I laid money down, cheap Walmart shells just don't shuck out like AA or STS.

The chambers are beveled and honed.

This doesn't seem to be a gun issue as I have seen other double barrels doing the same thing.

Jace the Ace runs an SKB that drops the "right" shells out easily but put a couple of cheap shells in there and it's the "cheap shell double dance".

I saw years ago where you could get a "Quikshot" tapered die for reloading and I was wondering if a person got a hold of something like that could a cheap shell be "fixed"?

 

Your kind response is much appreciated.

 

The brass heads on STS and AA shells is why they shuck and other don’t. The brass expands but then contracts back, steel heads on cheap shells expand but don’t contract. 
 

Just my opinion. 
 

Randy

[Waimea]

1 minute ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

The brass heads on STS and AA shells is why they shuck and other don’t. The brass expands but then contracts back, steel heads on cheap shells expand but don’t contract. 
 

Just my opinion. 
 

Randy

 

Howdy Randy

Thanks for your response.

Could be right but I've seen shells come halfway out and get stuck.

Also the extractors on doubles push the shells out some. It doesn't seem like what's left in the chamber would hang on that tight.

 

Your opinion is worth a lot.

Waimea 

[Tarheel Doc]

This is what I do with my shotgun shells. I use Remington STS for matches. I use the Cowboy Edge shotshell taper tool and then check every round before I shoot with a Slix shotshell checker.  If they don't gauge I don't use them in my double barrel. I have not found that an empty shell won't shuck if I follow this method.  

[Chickamauga Slim]

+1 for the Average Joe Taper tool. Add Snake Oil John's shotgun chamber lube (Buffalo Snot) and you'll see a difference. (Scarlett sells Snake Oil John's elixir).

[Waimea]

13 minutes ago, Tarheel Doc said:

This is what I do with my shotgun shells. I use Remington STS for matches. I use the Cowboy Edge shotshell taper tool and then check every round before I shoot with a Slix shotshell checker.  If they don't gauge I don't use them in my double barrel. I have not found that an empty shell won't shuck if I follow this method.  

 

From the Cowboy Edge website:

"Shooters have seen improvement in both ease of loading and shucking shells." Bolding is mine.

 

This is kind of where I was heading.

Have you ever tried anything other than SKS?

Edited November 4 by Waimea

[SGT. ELI 35882 GUNFIGHTER]

The taper die won't help cheap shells shuck any better. I imagine if you put some in a shell checker they are out of spec and that's why they hang.

     I can run steel base Remington Gun Clubs or Estates in my SKB's and they shuck out great. STS and Nitro and old Winchester AA one piece are also great. My guns both hate new Winchester AA's.

[Boomstick Bruce]

I run Estate supersport 1oz 1180fps 2 1/2 Dram Eq shells in my SKB, cheap (in comparison to STS and AA), faily soft and shuck out no trouble. I use cheap winchester or federals from Wally world in my Model 12 for Wild Bunch, that pig doesn't care what I feed it...

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Get a 10 ga mop and coat it with Fritz.

Put the mop in a drill motor and on medium speed work it back and forth for about 30-45 seconds in each chamber.

Clean the chamber and try if out.....

[Sedalia Dave]

Take and weigh empty hulls. AA and STS hulls weight more than cheap hulls. The heavier hull is easier to shuck because it has more mass.

 

The composition of the plastic used also matters. Some plastic blends are more elastic and resist permanent deformation from firing. The better the hull is are returning to it's original dimensions the better it will come out of the chamber.

 

Speaking of chambers, if they are too large they may allow even good hulls to expand to the point where the deformation during firing is permanent making them harder to shuck.

 

As for ribs or no ribs being better my personal opinion is that the composition of the plastic matters more.

 

Cheap hulls have ribs because it allows the manufacturer to use less plastic while maintaining the required inner  and overall outer diameter of the hull.

[Eyesa Horg]

45 minutes ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

The brass heads on STS and AA shells is why they shuck and other don’t. The brass expands but then contracts back, steel heads on cheap shells expand but don’t contract. 
 

Just my opinion. 
 

Randy

+1,  they are the only hulls that hung in mine. I've fired 4 and had to break the gun over my knee to open. Never, ever an issue with brass headed hulls 

[Tarheel Doc]

I have used Winchester grey AA and Remington Gun clubs with my Cowboy Edge device and they work fine as well. 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

The "cheap" Walmart shells are cheap for a reason.  Cheap steel head, cheap plastic in the hull, cheap shot and low QC.  I posted this on another question about cheap shells in an SKB.  If you donot already have these tools you need them.

 

 

[Cemetery]

I have found that when the shell opens up, the crimp is the issue.  Shell just opens up and hangs there.  Even when the brass base has cleared the chamber/extractor, and it hangs in the chamber, the crimp area holds onto the chamber walls.  Sometimes I think the shell checkers/resizers should be like those little pencil sharpeners you kept at your desk in grade school.   Just shave the excess off instead of trying to resize.

[Frontier Lone Rider]

I would think it is the softer metal at the base of the hull.  I used to use Federals which had a dull gray base and shucked just fine.  When Federal changed to the brighter brass looking base, they started sticking in my SXS.  Federal had changed to a softer metal for the base which definitely was not an improvement, and I quit buying federals.

[Buckeye Pete, SASS # 29941]

Waimea, I reload all of my shotgun shells with Winchester AAs that are in good condition, (read  once or twice fired hulls).  I use the cowboy edge taper tool and the last thing I do is wipe the plastic hulls down with WD-40.  Rarely do I have a hull that sticks.  I agree with the comments above that mention brass vs. tin bases weight and expansion properties.  Also, I make sure that the extractor in my Stoegers move freely and my chambers are polished and wiped between stages.  Good luck!

 

Buckeye Pete

[Snakebite Dust SASS 75484]

I clean my barrels after each stage with a 16 gauge nylon brush with a gun cleaning wipe wrapped around it. I don’t clean the whole barrel. Just about 3-4” where the shell goes in.I also size after loading,I shoot BP, with the quik sizer shown in the post up above and check each sheet with a case gauge. I use AA exclusively and SELDOM have one not come out easily.

 

i bought some of the Snake oil lubricant, but haven’t tried it out yet.

 

good luck!

[Waimea]

Many thanks for your responses, Pards.

All of these are much appreciated.

It always amazes me the depth of knowledge on the Wire.

I expect to be easing into this gun slowly. Maybe a couple of stages per match to become familiar with it.

Hope to see you on the trail!

Waimea 

 

[SouthwestShooter]

7 hours ago, Waimea said:

 

From the Cowboy Edge website:

"Shooters have seen improvement in both ease of loading and shucking shells." Bolding is mine.

 

This is kind of where I was heading.

Have you ever tried anything other than SKS?

I wipe my shells with Armerall before I  put them in my belt.

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

Just my two cents and worth what you paid for it.

I run one of three SKB's set up by Johnny Meadows. 

I use only STS or Nitro 27 hulls. Started with one piece AA but when they switched to two piece and I couldn't find one piece easily made the change and don't regret it at all.

I haven't used factory shells in close to 9 years (which was when I learned to load SG shells)

Originally MEC Sizemaster, now MEC 9000 as they came from the factory. I do have the Slixchecker thing but generally use a solid steel case gauge instead. I figure if it needs reformed I have brought enough to pass that one up and get shells that gauge correctly.

Every shell goes through the MEC Super Sizer then into a box for when I get around to reloading. Double effort I know as it is just the collet of a reloader but I can set it to get the shell to near minimum size which makes the collet on the 9000 easier on the arm when pulling the handle.

Load is 7/8 oz shot, grey claybuster wad (3/4 and bright pink wad in my practice loads), STS or Nitro hulls, 15.3 grains Clays and Remington STS 209 primer. Per several loading manuals that primer is the lowest pressure version out there and is noticably "softer" than some other primers I have tried. I generally get 4-5 reloads to green and 5-6 for the gold (when I have them), and any burning, crystalizing on the body or loose looking crimps go into the practice box. Every shell is gauged as they are reboxed, any "stickyness" or tightness goes into pracice box. They are gauged again when I put them in the belt at a match. I do NOT use any lubricant (armorall or wd-40) as they simply don't need it, IMO, and it makes them slippery to grab and load (for me). Last EOT in February I had my first stuck hull in nearly three years, and haven't had one since. I believe that one was due to dirty chambers rather than shell but don't know. As in all things YMMV.

Regards

    

Gateway Kid

PS if you want to try the green STS hulls let me know, a pard gave me most of a storage tote of them (50/50 once fired and second firing) and I will send you some. not for sale just getting you a good start.

[Eyesa Horg]

13 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

The "cheap" Walmart shells are cheap for a reason.  Cheap steel head, cheap plastic in the hull, cheap shot and low QC.  I posted this on another question about cheap shells in an SKB.  If you donot already have these tools you need them.

 

 

The Quickloader works excellent and fixed new AA's if needed.

I reload STS hulls and use the Quickloader. Have never had an issue in my Stoeger.

 

[Kid Vic]

Cheap shells often stick because the hulls are made from softer, lower-grade plastic and the bases can be thin plated steel instead of brass. Steel doesn’t expand and contract the same way, so after firing it can “grab” the chamber walls instead of shrinking back like brass does.

AA and STS hulls are higher quality plastic with real brass bases, so they eject much cleaner.

Even if your chambers are honed, the exit can still hang up if the chamber is a tight cut or slightly rough. A light polish with a proper chamber hone can help, but it won’t completely fix the steel-base hull issue.

If you want to keep using the cheaper shells, a couple things can make life easier:

• Make sure chambers are polished smooth, not just bevelled
• Wipe the chambers before you start a stage to remove carbon build-up
• Try different brands of “cheap” shells — some stick more than others
• If reloading, the “tapered” resize dies do help the hull feed/eject better

But in general, if clean and polished chambers still stick, it’s mostly just the nature of steel-based bargain shells. That’s why so many folks in SASS stick to AA, STS, or good reloads for doubles.

[Waimea]

9 hours ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Just my two cents and worth what you paid for it.

I run one of three SKB's set up by Johnny Meadows. 

I use only STS or Nitro 27 hulls. Started with one piece AA but when they switched to two piece and I couldn't find one piece easily made the change and don't regret it at all.

I haven't used factory shells in close to 9 years (which was when I learned to load SG shells)

Originally MEC Sizemaster, now MEC 9000 as they came from the factory. I do have the Slixchecker thing but generally use a solid steel case gauge instead. I figure if it needs reformed I have brought enough to pass that one up and get shells that gauge correctly.

Every shell goes through the MEC Super Sizer then into a box for when I get around to reloading. Double effort I know as it is just the collet of a reloader but I can set it to get the shell to near minimum size which makes the collet on the 9000 easier on the arm when pulling the handle.

Load is 7/8 oz shot, grey claybuster wad (3/4 and bright pink wad in my practice loads), STS or Nitro hulls, 15.3 grains Clays and Remington STS 209 primer. Per several loading manuals that primer is the lowest pressure version out there and is noticably "softer" than some other primers I have tried. I generally get 4-5 reloads to green and 5-6 for the gold (when I have them), and any burning, crystalizing on the body or loose looking crimps go into the practice box. Every shell is gauged as they are reboxed, any "stickyness" or tightness goes into pracice box. They are gauged again when I put them in the belt at a match. I do NOT use any lubricant (armorall or wd-40) as they simply don't need it, IMO, and it makes them slippery to grab and load (for me). Last EOT in February I had my first stuck hull in nearly three years, and haven't had one since. I believe that one was due to dirty chambers rather than shell but don't know. As in all things YMMV.

Regards

    

Gateway Kid

PS if you want to try the green STS hulls let me know, a pard gave me most of a storage tote of them (50/50 once fired and second firing) and I will send you some. not for sale just getting you a good start.

Howdy GK

So far I have successfully resisted reloading SG shells.

Not only does it seem like a lot of w*rk, gathering the components (hulls, powder, primers, wads and shot) just looks like a pita that I can alleviate by buying the right box of shells.

I semi-like loading metallic rounds bc I can see the benefit. 

I certainly appreciate your kind offer.

Maybe we will bump into each other at EOT. It will be my first.

Take care,

Waimea 

[Mezcal Charlie]

19 hours ago, Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 said:

The brass heads on STS and AA shells is why they shuck and other don’t. The brass expands but then contracts back, steel heads on cheap shells expand but don’t contract. 
 

Just my opinion. 
 

Randy

What he said/amen. 

[Rough 'N Ready Rob]

I have found that Remington Game Loads the black one come out of most all side by side with out trouble. I carrie a box in my cart and when I see a pard having trouble, I give him enough rounds for the next stage, they're a happy cowboy after that, wanting to know were to get them. I get them from Sportsmans Wearhouse but you have to order them and have them sent to the store for pickup.

  Try them you'll like them.

Rob

[watab kid]

if you reload - use of remington STS andwinchester AA as well as federal premiums hulls makes a world of difference , IMHO [very humble] buying cheap shotgun shells is not the route to go except when your in a pinch , reloading good hulls with light loads is the way to go 

["Big Boston"]

Not much to add. I think the main issues have been covered. 

 

I've also noticed on lighter target loads, one grade up from the cheaper promo ones, is that the pressure is near max. This expands the steel heads a bit more than they should be, and as steel does not have the spring back of brass, they stick. This can be a real issue in a two piece chamber like the 1897 and Model 12. 

 

Theoretically, a tapered compression formed hull transfers less pressure to the head. The thicker plastic at the base acts like a shock absorber or sorts. A hull like the ones Federal use, have a wound paper base wad that absorbs pressure, and IMHO the head then has to withstand slightly more pressure. I've used a ton of Federal Top Guns, and they usually are not an issue, but in some shotguns, they don't work well. 

 

Winchester Low Noise, Low Recoil ammo is the answer for those that do not reload. I'm not aware of anyone having issues with them, if someone has, please let us know. And if you reload, as long as the velocity is at 1,100 or less the pressure seems to be less than say a 1 or 1 1/8 oz target load. Data for 1 oz loads at 1,100 fps are numerous. I've tried several book recipes with 700X and Clays, they all worked nice. Recently I went to Perfect Pattern, and loaded at 1,000 fps, they do make a good Cowboy load. I have noticed that at 1,000 the pattern is a bit more open and the targets don't dance as much either. 

 

I have a lot of older hulls, RXP, Blue Magic, AA, and some newer brass headed Remington hulls, and I haven't noticed a lot of difference between any of them, other than the powder/wad/shot height varies a bit and I have to re-adjust the crimp. The 1,100 fps Clays load does burn the cleanest. 700X and PP are a bit dirtier. 

 

BB

[Griff]

While most of the answers above are either in part, or in full, correct (s far as they go)... the fact remains, that your question,

Quote

What makes cheap SG Shells stick?

Answers itself.

 

39 & ¾ years ago I bought an IGA Stoeger Coachgun.  (I stupidly fought with a Riverside Arms double, {think Stevens 311}, for a few months, before accepting the conventional wisdom that format wasn't well suited to cowboy action shooting).  The advice I was given on slickin' the Stoeger up was to buy an automotive brake cylinder hone, chuck it up in a hand drill, and with honing oil,  remove as much of the machining marks from both chambers as possible.  It will look pretty dern smooth... but it ain't.  Then with an new mop, wrap on a layer or two of cleaning patches and using my favorite metal polishing compound, make each chamber mirror bright.  Then remove the extractors and remove any burrs from the edges where the extractor comes in contact with the chamber, or shell.  Polish all surfaces of the extractor.  What you want are slightly rounded or beveled edges, not severely, just enough to remove the burr that makes it a sharp corner.   Reassemble and practice firing, utilizing a quick jerk backward, sudden stop, and grabbing two new shells and reloading...  Do it in sets of reloading 2, 4, 6 & 8.  Do that 10 or 15 thousand times  a year, & your sticky hulls will go away.   When I do my part... (which ain't easy, since I quit practicing about 25 years ago, sinful activity that it is)... that cheap, poorly built, junk ol' Stoeger still shucks empties like it has ejectors.   But, it only sees 3 types of ammo, Winchester AA LNLR, my BP reloads in once fired Winchester LNLR hulls, or my smokeless reloads in Peters' "Blue Magic" hulls.  (The shotshell hull that all others only WISH they could be). 

Edited November 6 by Griff

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

2 hours ago, "Big Boston" said:

 

Winchester Low Noise, Low Recoil ammo is the answer for those that do not reload. I'm not aware of anyone having issues with them, if someone has, please let us know. 

 

BB

Last summer (2024) i bought three flats of LNLR Winchester AA, ordered through LGS. Was intending to work with a nephew on his new to him Stoger. Had on average 10% garbage rate. 2 sometimes 3 goobers per box. Splits in the side of the hull, primers fell out in the box, crimps that were layered over each other and wouldn’t stay shut, (BB’s in the box), mouth of the hull damaged (squished in). Got ahold of the distributor (who was a pleasure to work with) gave him the two lot numbers. He sent postage for return, kicked in a couple hats and cards for replacement shells. Gave the cards away! After talking to several cowboys this quality level is worse than some have seen and not as bad as others. Don’t know why but the QC has definitely fallen off!

Regards

    
Gateway Kid

[Eyesa Horg]

23 minutes ago, Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life said:

Last summer (2024) i bought three flats of LNLR Winchester AA, ordered through LGS. Was intending to work with a nephew on his new to him Stoger. Had on average 10% garbage rate. 2 sometimes 3 goobers per box. Splits in the side of the hull, primers fell out in the box, crimps that were layered over each other and wouldn’t stay shut, (BB’s in the box), mouth of the hull damaged (squished in). Got ahold of the distributor (who was a pleasure to work with) gave him the two lot numbers. He sent postage for return, kicked in a couple hats and cards for replacement shells. Gave the cards away! After talking to several cowboys this quality level is worse than some have seen and not as bad as others. Don’t know why but the QC has definitely fallen off!

Regards

    
Gateway Kid

I won a couple boxes in a raffle and found a few in each box that wouldn't fit in my checker, my Quickloader fixed them,but your the experience is amazing!

[Longfoot]

Admittedly, I haven't read all the responses.

 

?But, 6 VS 8 petal crimps on 2 3/4" shells?  It makes a difference on my SKB's.  If I run cheap 6 petal crimps shells they hang up.  8 petal not so much.

 

Roll crimped 2 1/2" are even better.

 

[Sixgun Seamus]

5 hours ago, "Big Boston" said:

 

Winchester Low Noise, Low Recoil ammo is the answer for those that do not reload. I'm not aware of anyone having issues with them, if someone has, please let us know.

 

BB

Let me first say that I have always reloaded only AA hulls. I buy new Winchester LNLR when I can and had 4 cases in my stock. I have and shoot 2 TTN's. The last gunsmith to have his hands on both of them was Johnny Meadows so we can be assured that the guns are not the problem. They shuck my reloads without a problem. I have an occasional hull stick but it is rare. I load on a MEC that was recently rebuilt by them and loads almost perfect shells. Due to my occasional incompetence, I will have a bad shell due to low powder or other form of my stupidity. For this reason I decided to take a factory fresh case of LNLR to Land Run for my wife and I to shoot and to get some fresh hulls in rotation. I figured this would eliminate any problems with shotshells. BIG MISTAKE!! My wife shoots an 87 so shucking is a non issue with her. I had heard horror stories here on the wire and from others about quality control being poor with those shells. I have a Slix gauge that I check every shell as I put them in my belt. On the first day of Land Run, I had to pull 13 hulls out of the 16 that I shot. They would not shuck. I gave it a good scrubbing of the chambers that afternoon and they were spotless. The problem persisted the second day. I gauge checked every one, ran them through a buddy's Taper tool on his cart and they still continued to stick. I bought a bottle of "Buffalo Snot" from Scarlett that afternoon. That did no good. End story is that I had only 2 stages out of the 12 that I didn't have to pull the hulls out. Do you think that might have hurt my time? I brought home the hulls and reloaded a few to see what would happen. Every one I reloaded shucked just fine. Go Figure! Needless to say. I won't use factory LNLR at a big match again. I can't explain what happened but it was extremely frustrating to say the least. I have shot 3 matches since Land Run with my reloads and they all shucked as if I had ejectors. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

22 minutes ago, Sixgun Seamus said:

Let me first say that I have always reloaded only AA hulls. I buy new Winchester LNLR when I can and had 4 cases in my stock. I have and shoot 2 TTN's. The last gunsmith to have his hands on both of them was Johnny Meadows so we can be assured that the guns are not the problem. They shuck my reloads without a problem. I have an occasional hull stick but it is rare. I load on a MEC that was recently rebuilt by them and loads almost perfect shells. Due to my occasional incompetence, I will have a bad shell due to low powder or other form of my stupidity. For this reason I decided to take a factory fresh case of LNLR to Land Run for my wife and I to shoot and to get some fresh hulls in rotation. I figured this would eliminate any problems with shotshells. BIG MISTAKE!! My wife shoots an 87 so shucking is a non issue with her. I had heard horror stories here on the wire and from others about quality control being poor with those shells. I have a Slix gauge that I check every shell as I put them in my belt. On the first day of Land Run, I had to pull 13 hulls out of the 16 that I shot. They would not shuck. I gave it a good scrubbing of the chambers that afternoon and they were spotless. The problem persisted the second day. I gauge checked every one, ran them through a buddy's Taper tool on his cart and they still continued to stick. I bought a bottle of "Buffalo Snot" from Scarlett that afternoon. That did no good. End story is that I had only 2 stages out of the 12 that I didn't have to pull the hulls out. Do you think that might have hurt my time? I brought home the hulls and reloaded a few to see what would happen. Every one I reloaded shucked just fine. Go Figure! Needless to say. I won't use factory LNLR at a big match again. I can't explain what happened but it was extremely frustrating to say the least. I have shot 3 matches since Land Run with my reloads and they all shucked as if I had ejectors. 

Sounds like the factory loads develop more chamber pressure than the reloads do. 

[SGT. ELI 35882 GUNFIGHTER]

7 hours ago, "Big Boston" said:

Not much to add. I think the main issues have been covered. 

 

I've also noticed on lighter target loads, one grade up from the cheaper promo ones, is that the pressure is near max. This expands the steel heads a bit more than they should be, and as steel does not have the spring back of brass, they stick. This can be a real issue in a two piece chamber like the 1897 and Model 12. 

 

Theoretically, a tapered compression formed hull transfers less pressure to the head. The thicker plastic at the base acts like a shock absorber or sorts. A hull like the ones Federal use, have a wound paper base wad that absorbs pressure, and IMHO the head then has to withstand slightly more pressure. I've used a ton of Federal Top Guns, and they usually are not an issue, but in some shotguns, they don't work well. 

 

Winchester Low Noise, Low Recoil ammo is the answer for those that do not reload. I'm not aware of anyone having issues with them, if someone has, please let us know. And if you reload, as long as the velocity is at 1,100 or less the pressure seems to be less than say a 1 or 1 1/8 oz target load. Data for 1 oz loads at 1,100 fps are numerous. I've tried several book recipes with 700X and Clays, they all worked nice. Recently I went to Perfect Pattern, and loaded at 1,000 fps, they do make a good Cowboy load. I have noticed that at 1,000 the pattern is a bit more open and the targets don't dance as much either. 

 

I have a lot of older hulls, RXP, Blue Magic, AA, and some newer brass headed Remington hulls, and I haven't noticed a lot of difference between any of them, other than the powder/wad/shot height varies a bit and I have to re-adjust the crimp. The 1,100 fps Clays load does burn the cleanest. 700X and PP are a bit dirtier. 

 

BB

As I posted above, neither of my SKB's like LNLR AA's.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

1 hour ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Sounds like the factory loads develop more chamber pressure than the reloads do. 

Chamber pressure is not the issue, Winchester has either changed something in their components or QC has gone south! Lots of folks had problems with them in multiple shotguns but Remington STS 1oz. 1185fps, 1 1/8oz. 1145fps and   1 1/8oz Low Recoil 1100fps shuck just fine.

 

Randy