R.H. VanDenburg, Jr. n the study of shotshells, per- haps the least understood seg- ment of this most interesting I subject is that of the all-metal RELOADING shell. While our modern plastic- tubed shells were preceded by paper-tubed shells, it is not true that all-metal or brass shells preceded those with paper tubes. Early on in the development of breech-loading arms, self-contained ammunition Brass was bound in paper or linen. In shotguns, the earliest shell that the modern shooter would instantly recognize had a brass head, a paper- tubed body and an external primer. At the same time – the latter half of the nineteenth century – well-traveled sportsmen were taking to the field with 12, 10, 8 and even larger bore rifles that used brass shells. These self-contained shells were sturdy, easily transported and waterproof. “Why?” asked many a waterfowling hunter, “can’t we have a brass shell, too?” Waterfowlers, to a greater extent than most others, felt the need for a waterproof shell. Actually, the paper shells of the day were intentionally moisture-resistant to varying degrees. The absorption of moisture into the shell was a very real concern, as it could dilute the effec- tiveness of the black powder, and the paper shells could swell to the extent they could not be cham- bered. Still, the waterfowlers had a point and while manufacturers continued to develop more mois- ture-resistant paper shells, attention was turned to the development of all-metal shells as well. There are components galore for loading brass shells with either black or smokeless powder. The earliest attempts simply substituted drawn brass tubes for the paper tubes, affixed them to the brass heads and turned them in to secure the over- shot wads. Wax or shellac was typically used to wa- terproof the shell mouth. Drawn, one-piece shells followed as did the use of other metals such as zinc, aluminum and to a lesser extent steel. One particularly interesting attempt employed a thin paper shell with a zinc liner actually longer than the paper. The zinc liner was then crimped in a pie or star crimp that we would recognize today. All these shells, however interesting and effective, had their 48 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 266 PART I: Practical Tips for Versatility Shotshells This Model 1897 Baker external hammer gun is fairly typical of its ilk. June-July 2010 www.handloadermagazine.com 49 RELOADING Brass Shotshells drawbacks. The brass shells had a larger interior capacity than paper shells and required larger wads. True pie-crimping could only be accomplished by the am- munition factories, and the ever- increasing cost of metals would eventually make the price pro- Historical hibitive. information regarding The concept of the all-brass brass shot- shell attracted the attention in shells is England of Dr. Charles J. Heath, found in a at one time president of the variety of British Waterfowlers’ Associa- older books tion. Dr. Heath developed two and catalogs. precepts of shotgunning science that, in differing forms, are still powder and shot. At the same shells, Dr. Heath was able to push with us today. One was a “cham- time such loads would not be as much as 2 ounces of BBs at berless gun” that might be suitable, perhaps even unsafe, for 800 fps with what he claimed to thought of as an early attempt at use in a gun of standard dimen- be astonishing results. backboring. Dr. Heath reasoned sions. Few chamberless guns, as that with the thin brass tube All the above, admittedly a Dr. Heath envisioned, were ever shotshell there was no need for skimming of the highlights of the built. the heavy forcing cone required era, took place in England and of a gun shooting the paper The second development of Dr. Europe. In the U.S. similar activi- shells of the day and that it could Heath was what today we think ties flourished but with a decid- be essentially removed and the of as the “high density-low veloc- edly American flavor. bore enlarged to much the same ity” principle in which more and size as the interior of the brass larger shot were paired with a In the 1878 E. Remington & Sons shell. Of course, such a shell lower-than-normal velocity for a catalog of breechloading rifles, would require much larger wads very effective and useful load. shotguns, pistols and ammuni- 1 tion, the company had this to say: and, for waterfowlers, hold more In the 12-gauge, 2 ⁄2-inch brass “Of late years, the reloading brass shells for shotguns have Old published reports highlighted all-metal shells, this one from a come much into use, and we rec- reprint of the “ALCAN Shotshell Reloader’s Manual, No. X” in the first Handloader’s Digest. ommend every sportsman to have some of them on hand, as they can always be loaded in places where it might be difficult to obtain paper shells. They are also better at taking a larger wad in the same size chamber, and giving more penetration, and are less liable to injury by wet. We are prepared to furnish metal shells that we know are suitable for our guns. They are made with a solid head, or flange, and fitted with a steel cone, upon which the primer is placed, and exploded by the firing-pin of the gun. These shells are put up in boxes containing twenty-four shells, with primer extractor . for re- Handloader 266 VICKERMAN Inline Seating Die GMW, Inc. Tel: 509-382-4159 www.gmwvickerman.com Quality hand-cast bullets for reloaders, competitors & recreational shooters! Extensive selection of pistol, rifle, big bore & paper-patched bullets. Website: www.MontanaBulletWorks.com 7730 Hesper Rd. • Billings, MT 59106 • Tel: 406-655-8163 Above left, the CBC shell is drawn brass and accepts a large pistol primer. Right, the RMC shell is turned from solid brass and cut for a High Plains 209 battery cup primer. Reboring & Barrels, L.L.C. Offering Button and moving exploded caps; also in Charles Askins, in his Modern Cut-Rifled Barrels. Most calibers and twist rates. boxes containing ten shells, with- Shotguns and Loads, was rather out extractor.” dismissive of both chamberless Contact: Norman Johnson Phone: 701-448-9188 guns and brass shells: “Whatever E-Mail: [email protected] In comparing the above, in Eng- the chamberless gun may or may 243 14th Avenue NW - Turtle Lake, ND 58575 land and western Europe, shot- not do in the way of patterns, it is shells were typically purchased not a practical arm. We are not from an ammunition manufac- going back to black powder nor King Shooters Supply Inc. turer or from one’s gunmaker. In to brass cases, which must be the latter instance, the gunmaker hand-loaded and carefully han- Roger’s purchased empty shells, paper or dled as was true fifty years ago.” metal, and loaded them for his Better Bullets customers, often to the cus- In spite of such feelings, which tomers’ specifications. In the less were no doubt shared by many, IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED settled America, the need to be the all-metal shell held on. In the ...RELOAD™ able to load, or reload, one’s own first annual edition of Hand- loader’s Digest, edited by John T. shells far from any settlement Amber of Gun Digest fame and was of paramount concern. 124 W. Church Road published in 1962, are depicted King of Prussia, PA 19406 Fifty years later, in 1928, Maj. tools for loading brass shells. The (610) 491-9901 www.kingshooters.com Hours: The RCBS Cowboy Shotshell Die set Tues - Fri: Noon to 9 p.m. is designed to handle the CBC shells. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Firearms Buy • Sell • Trade Class 3 Dealer Bullets Roger’s Better Bullets Zero • Frontier • Sierra Hornady • Winchester Reloading June-July 2010 www.handloadermagazine.com 51 RELOADING Brass Shotshells book also contains the “ALCAN Shotshell Reloader’s Manual, No. X.” In it are several pages de- voted to all-metal shells and the reloading of them. These include the Alcan-Metal shotshell, which was a four-piece shell: a steel head, aluminum tube, basewad and a metal overlay cup that served to reinforce the tube in the powder area. Also listed were a solid brass shell for use with smokeless powder with The C-H tool is a two-die set with a full-length sizing die and a seating/ Remington-type 57 primers and a crimping die. Berdan-type solid shell for use with black or smokeless powder shotshells in 12, 16, 20 and 28 All well and good, you say, but and Berdan primers. Each was gauges and .410 bore. All but the surely this is still the dim past. 1 available in gauges from 10 to .410 used No. 2 ⁄2 large pistol Not quite. Today there are at 1 .410, including 24 and 32 gauge. primers. The .410 used No. 1 ⁄2 least two sources of brass shot- All-Metal shotshell reloading kits small pistol primers. Our military shells for U.S. reloaders and two were available in 12 gauge. In the used these in 12 gauge as guard sets of reloading dies. There also book’s section on Remington shells with buckshot. Winchester are components galore for load- components were listed all-brass provided a similar product. ing brass shells with either black or smokeless powder. The first all-brass shotshells are headstamped “CBC (and the Tired of Run Out? gauge)” and are manufactured by Companhia Brazileira De Cartu- Tired of Over Sizing? chos in Brazil and imported into Want to Extend the U.S.