Advice on powder for 12 gauge brass shells

[bigpete]

Pretty interesting , I might have gone that way if I hadn't bought 50 magtech cases already. Pretty sure they will last me a long time,some I would have reloaded 4 times already and there's no signs of stretching or any form of deformation yet. But as you say, I'm not trying to overload them

[bigpete]

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here's s round ball I dug out of the tree as you can see it flattened out considerably

[newsteadvic]

Great fun thread, lovely photographs bigpete.

If you want to get really silly, have a google for the 12GA FH (12gauge From Hell) and the 24ga FA (.585 calibre). An american fellow who uses turned down 50bmg brass to make his brass 12ga cases for large slugs in very strong actions:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthr ... lug-Tester
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/ ... res-81692/

Neat how he turns off the BMG rim then threads the case and screws on a rim.

[bigpete]

No I haven't tried that yet mate to be honest. I was actually thinking the other day I could just use a leather over powder wad with a hole in the centre to achieve the same thing but on a more permanent and easy to apply scale. I've run out of round ball for now though

[bigpete]

I think I may have had a good idea for a large bore rifle based on the shotgun case/round ball idea. Seeing as the internal diameter of the case is around .75"/11 gauge,hence why I'm patching my .725 RB,why not load them with 75 cal RB for the old brown Bess musket and fit a slow twist 75 cal barrel ?

[bigpete]

Better brass doesn't necessarily solve the problem of inner brass diameter vs true bore diameter,although I could make a.sizing die to shrink the case down enough to hold a .725 projectile properly

[bigpete]

Ha ha no worries mate you might be waiting a while
Another failure this morning this time 25.5gn tb and 8 balls still fizz popped so its some other issue I guess

[bigpete]

I'm using CCI 350's already. I think I'll just stick with the RB loads

[Baronvonrort]

Another failure this morning this time 25.5gn tb and 8 balls still fizz popped so its some other issue I guess

ADI have trail boss data for .223/.243/7mm-08 yet they have nothing for shotguns, it's around 16 gr max for the 7mm-08.

I would try a different powder, still enjoying this thread an pics

[bigpete]

I believe I've worked out what the problem is with my 8 ball load. To fit the extra 2 balls in the case I've had to ditch the fibre wad I was using with my 6 ball load. I reckon that was helping the powder ignite properly by providing extra pressure. All the loads that haven't worked have been lacking the fibre wad ,while every one that does have them works fine.

[bigpete]

I would try a different powder, still enjoying this thread an pics

Yeah but wouldn't it just be the ducks nuts to find one powder that would do everything.
Trail boss works in pistol and rifle, if Pete can get this sorted he's hit the trifecta

Exactly what I'm trying to achieve

[Baronvonrort]

I would try a different powder, still enjoying this thread an pics

Yeah but wouldn't it just be the ducks nuts to find one powder that would do everything.
Trail boss works in pistol and rifle, if Pete can get this sorted he's hit the trifecta

Exactly what I'm trying to achieve

I suspect ADI have tried it, I am getting too old to reinvent the wheel so I prefer to let others do all the hard work.

The pop fizzes would s**t me to tears.

[bigpete]

Alright went out this morning with a batch of test loads both had 25.5gn Trailboss,Styrofoam over powder wad,then one had 1 half inch cushion was and 505gn size 4 shot,the other had 2 half inch cushion wads then a patched round ball.
First load pop fizzed,but cleared the barrel better than previous loads. Second load shoots great ! Think I'll just stick with loading round ball in these brass cases , or use black powder for my shot loads.

[bigpete]

The sportco 81 is a good thing, apparently if you shoot slugs out of it the multi choke will come flying off lol.
Try to find a greener martini shotgun, I love mine, and I've got a heavy rifled barrel to get fitted to it once I scratch up some spare cash.

I know where one of these is for $250 if I was to unscrew the full choke section and just shoot thru the half choke do you reckon it would be alright ?

[bigpete]

Hmmm maybe I'll go put a deposit on it save you some money

[bigpete]

OK so I did a big bunch of shooting with these Tuesday with a mate and accuracy was less than stellar especially once the barrels warmed up. I managed to recover a couple of balls and there ate definite signs of them tumbling in the barrel. I've done a bit of research and found that some people use what they call donut wads to help prevent this , so I guess I'll be making a bunch of them to try out. Experimentation is the key ! ( especially when you can't really afford a rifled shotgun ).

[bigpete]

[bigpete]

On a roll !

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[bladeracer]

Gday I'm currently loading magtech 12 gauge brass shells...

Hey Pete, where can I get 12 gauge brass shells in Oz?

[bigpete]

Got mine thru Gregs guns in Murray bridge he got them from somewhere in Queensland

[bladeracer]

Gday I'm currently loading magtech 12 gauge brass shells...

Hey Pete, where can I get 12 gauge brass shells in Oz?

I got some at the West gate gun show in Altona. Not sure where you are in Victoria but your LGS should be able to get them in for you.

Thanks guys, I'll get him to order me some in.

[bigpete]

Currently investigating a rifled h&r too shoot these thru

[Oldbloke]

This has been an interesting thread, but Idiot question. What is the advantage of brass shells over plastic. Is it just longivity?

[bigpete]

Probably nothing really. I just like em better

[bigpete]

Big balls hanging out always look sexy

[bladeracer]

This has been an interesting thread, but Idiot question. What is the advantage of brass shells over plastic. Is it just longivity?

I think my only interest is because I can reload them with a simple set of dies rather than have to have another press just for shotshells. If anybody knows of a set of dies for shotshells that I can use in a standard press definitely let me know. Even something like a LeeLoader would be awesome for the small amount of use I might want from it. Birdshot ammo is cheap enough that I doubt it's worth reloading, but I always have shot on hand as I use it to cast bullets and it'd be simple to cast my own slugs and buck when required.

[bigpete]

Mate I don't even used a set of dies, just a press to seat the bullet. It's even easier making shot loads,you just need glue to hold the over shot card in place and its done ! I'll post a series of photos on how I load these soon

[bigpete]

Oh and RCBS sells cowboy action dies that will fit in a Lee press with the quick change set up , but they're pretty expensive

[bladeracer]

Mate I don't even used a set of dies, just a press to seat the bullet. It's even easier making shot loads,you just need glue to hold the over shot card in place and its done ! I'll post a series of photos on how I load these soon

Yep, the same as people reloaded them for decades in the bush, dead easy

[bladeracer]

Oh and RCBS sells cowboy action dies that will fit in a Lee press with the quick change set up , but they're pretty expensive

Yes, those are the only dies I've found so far, but they only work with brass hulls (according to RCBS at least). I'd go with these if I can source the brass hulls. With no resizing and shotgun chamber pressures I'm guessing they'd last forever.