Reloading Brass Shotshells Pt 2.Pdf

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R.H. VanDenburg, Jr. Continued from Handloader No. 266 ext is the loading proce- ELOADING dure. One of the things un- R covered in all this is that Nbrass shells can generate higher velocities than paper or plastic, all other things being equal. So 1 if you plan to create a 3-dram, 1 ⁄8- ounce, 12-gauge load of 1,200 fps, for example, Brass you might not need any- where near the called for amount of powder.

38 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 267 PART II: Technical Tips Shotshells

A lot of things factor into such events, such as barrel length and diameter, chamber length, atmos- pheric conditions, powder brand and grade, wad column and so forth. Waterfowlers might rejoice, but if you are competing in a timed event where re- covery between shots is important, this is a good thing to know. Typically, this occurs in the CBC shell only with black powder. With smokeless powder, performance is degraded. In the RMC shell, higher velocity occurs with both types of powder. The actual loading of brass shotshells differs from that which we are accustomed to with either metallic cartridges or modern shotshells. We have the luxury of loading one shell at a time as we typically load shotshells on a single-stage press or batch pro- cessing, i.e., completing one step on all the shells to be loaded before beginning the next step, as we usually load metallic cartridges. Either way the first aid we should obtain is a loading block. It is indis- pensable. We’ve already reviewed the complexities of the priming and depriming process. Charging with smokeless powder can be done by weighing each charge or setting up the powder measure or dispenser to drop the required charge. We also can use a regular shotshell reloader for this purpose if we wish. Black powder can be weighed, dispensed by a measure specifically designed for black powder or even dipped with a suitable dipper of the correct size and proper technique. Plastic wads (in the RMC shells) can be seated with a standard shotshell loader or by hand with a dowel. Wad pressure is not an issue, as it will be re- leased when we relax the seating effort, but wads must be fully seated on the powder. Brass shotshells are most at home in double Card wads, in either shell, must be securely seated barrel guns, such as this W & C Scott. with up to 100 pounds of pressure. This can be done on a shotshell loader or by hand with a dowel

August-September 2010 www.handloadermagazine.com 39 Reloading Right the two brass shells available are the Brass Shotshells RMC shell (left) and the CBC.

of the appropriate size. If a dowel is used, a cap of some sort on the dowel will be helpful. A bath- room scale will help in consis- tently seating wads to the same pressure. The old Lee Loader hand tool for shotshells is an ex- cellent tool for loading brass shotshells. It can decap the RMC shells, assist in seating primers in both shells and has its own seating ram. They haven’t been Left, the RMC shell can be made in years but are frequently loaded with mod- found at gun shows. Card wads ern components, are seated one at a time: the over- such as the BPI powder wad or wads, each filler Obturator (left wad and finally, the over-shot center) or one- wad or wads. piece plastic Shot is weighed or dipped or wads. Paper dispensed from a shotshell re- over-shot wads loader. Any protective shot are still required. sleeve is inserted into the shell around the edge of the wad and over-shot wads can be 11 or 10 on top of the last filler wad and seating it on top of the shot with gauge. The 11-gauge wads must before dropping the shot. moderate force. The second is be epoxied; the 10-gauge wads Over-shot wads allow for some similarly seated on the first. In should be. The latter do not make flexibility. My preference is to RMC shells, wads must be of the quite so neat an appearance. use two, .025-inch wads. The first proper size. With the CBC shell, When using two-part epoxy that is epoxied by running a bead in the 12 gauge, for example, the dries in five minutes, only five or six shells can be completed before the epoxy sets up. This is assuming that all the loading except for the over-shot wad is completed on all the shells and the wads are all laid out. With 30- minute epoxy, a full box of 25 shells could be completed assuming the same conditions, but it’s best to work in small batches at first. Other adhesives will require similar techniques and planning. The over-shot wad also is useful for identification. Especially if several different component mixes are being tried, a simple lettering system can prevent un- wanted mix-ups. In the loads that follow, the typical built-up, card wad column 1 consists of a ⁄8-inch over-powder 1 wad, a ⁄2-inch filler wad and two .025-inch over-shot wads. When

40 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 267 Left, mid-twentieth century Remington components included brass shotshells with large pistol primers for all gauges. The .410 bore used small pistol primers. Right, the primer pocket in the CBC shell (left) protrudes into the shell interior. The RMC shell (right) has a solid head.

using black powder, pressure is no laboratory-tested pressure sufficiently low to allow for con- data available, as all modern labs siderable experimentation. Two are set up for paper or plastic tic wad and dropping it in a brass over-powder wads, or a thin card shells. That said, there are sev- shell with a built-up card wad wad under and over the filler eral smokeless powder loads in- column will produce conflicting wad or even two filler wads are cluded herein. results. The brass shell will result all options. Some shooters put a Generally speaking, assuming in higher pressure and velocity; Tyvek® disk under the shot to the same shot weight, selecting a the card wad system will result in prevent any pellets from being powder charge published for a less. The net result may be a imbedded in the filler wad upon plastic shell and one-piece plas- wash, but not necessarily. In the firing. The filler wads employed here are fiber. Felt wads are considered best but are very hard to find. Cork wads are also available and perhaps should be sandwiched between two card SHOOTINGSHOOTING CHRONYCHRONY wads of moderate thickness. The TheThe GreatestGreatest BangBang forfor YourYour Buck!Buck! choice is yours and should be •• For For PrecisePrecise AmmoAmmo dictated by need – either to im- Velocity Measurement prove patterns or shot-to-shot Velocity Measurement consistency. Because we are not •• For For Rifles,Rifles, Handguns,Handguns, crimping the shell, wad column Archery,Archery, Shotguns,Shotguns, height is generally not important. AirgunsAirguns && PaintballsPaintballs •• Choose Choose fromfrom 1010 ModelsModels If it In the process of developing If it •• MSPR: MSPR: $89.95$89.95 toto $205.95$205.95 this piece, I asked Steve Coach of doesn’t RCBS’s engineering department unfold ... •• We We Accept Accept Trade-insTrade-ins it’s not a what the company’s response it’s not a Chrony! was to those who asked about shooting smokeless powder in these (CBC) shells. He responded that no one had ever asked the question. This says that most of us interested in loading brass shotshells view them as a black- powder component only, although this is not historically correct. Have a Indeed, there is nothing inher - look at our ent in the design of either shell that would preclude the use of Shooting Chrony SHOOTING CHRONY, INC. smokeless powder, assuming the Ballistics Program 1-800-385-3161 gun the shells were to be fired in on our Web Page: 3840 E. Robinson Rd. PMB #298 on our Web Page: Amherst, NY 14228 was proofed for smokeless pow- www.shootingchrony.com e-mail: [email protected] der. The only problem is there is

August-September 2010 www.handloadermagazine.com 41 Reloading

Brass Shotshells A typical black-powder load includes (from left): a primed shell, powder, CBC shells, the smokeless pow- over-powder wad, filler wad, shot and der charges produce considerably two over-shot wads epoxied in place. reduced performance because, in effect, we’re dumping a 12-gauge powder charge in an 11-gauge Over-shot wads allow for some flexibility. shell. The increased volume as the wad column moves forward keeps pressure and velocity low. Black powder, on the other hand, companied by higher pressures, cept for the over-shot wads. Here with its greater volume of gases reloaders must be prepared to pressure certainly would be simply overcomes the shell vol- make adjustments in the powder higher than experienced with a ume, and velocities tend to be charge based on velocities ob- plastic shell, and powder charges higher. In the RMC shell, being of tained, making allowances for would have to be cut accordingly. barrel length, etc. the same interior volume as If we are shooting brass shells in paper and straight-walled plastic If we are using the RMC shell, guns with chambers longer than 1 5 hulls, both smokeless and black of course, we could even use one- the shells – 2 ⁄2- or 2 ⁄8-inch shells powder produce higher veloci- piece plastic wads, duplicating in 3-inch chambers, for example – ties. As higher velocities are ac- a published smokeless load, ex- results might not be satisfactory.

42 www.handloadermagazine.com Handloader 267 It is imperative that the top of the load (1,200 fps) of 19.7 grains of The 82 grains of powder rep - wad column be well started into Red Dot was chronographed at resent a full 3 drams, but in my the forcing cone before the bot- 1,179 fps. In all chronographing, gun produce somewhat less tom leaves the shell mouth. In the the midpoint of the start/stop than the projected velocity. In end, for the majority of us using screens was 6 feet from the muz- fact, the results are essentially a brass shotshells, black powder or 3 zle. The results suggest near, but 2 ⁄4-dram load. At that, much of a replica is the way to go, both slightly under, projected per- the success of the load is due to aesthetically and practically. formance. the BPI Obturator, a soft plastic Now let’s take a look at some When a plastic hull was used, over-powder wad that flexes to actual load data. I began by es- results were very similar. This is seal the bore, pits and all, against tablishing bench- marks for my how the load was assembled: the powder gases. If a standard gun and conditions with paper 3 over-powder card wad is used, 12 gauge, 2 ⁄4 inch and plastic shells. The gun, a velocities drop all the way to Model 1897 Baker 12 gauge, has Federal plastic hull with about 1,100 fps. Poor perform- exposed hammers and is paper basewad ance, indeed. a delight to use in the field. The Federal 209A primer bores are a bit rough with some Federal 12S3 wad I also employ a Mylar sleeve to 1 pitting near the breech. With a fa- 1 ⁄8 ounces of lead shot protect the shot from the rough vorite black- powder load in 18.0 grains of Red Dot bores. It rests on the filler wad paper cases, the more open right Velocity: 1,125 fps and functions as a modern shot barrel will pattern 70 percent; the cup. The sleeves are sold by BPI This is good performance with tighter left barrel, 76 percent. and work well in 12 gauge and With a standard built-up card the 12S3 wad providing a bit more pressure. When the 19.7- underbores. When used in the wad column, patterning drops to CBC shells with their 11-gauge 68 and 61 percent, respectively. grain load was tried, velocity was 1,162 fps – slightly unexpected interiors, however, the sleeves do My first benchmark load used a but still quite close to the paper not quite encircle the shell inte- paper shell and smokeless pow- load. When the load was changed rior, necessitating the use of two der. It looked like this: to the Federal Gold Metal hull

3 with 19.5 grains of Red Dot, the 12 gauge, 2 ⁄4 inch shot slid over the screens at Federal paper hull 1,192 fps. The conclusion to be King Shooters Supply Inc. Federal 209A primer drawn is that the paper and plas- Federal 12C1 wad tic hulls produce very similar re- Roger’s 1 1 ⁄8 ounces of lead shot sults with smokeless powder. 18.0 grains of Red Dot Continuing with the modern Better Bullets Velocity: 1,117 fps hulls, I switched to black pow- IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED The powder charge is a bit under der. Here both GOEX FFg and ...RELOAD™ 3 the standard 2 ⁄4 dram equivalent Schuetzen FFg powders were 1,145 fps, and it showed in the re- used. In the U.S., we tend to con- sults. A full 3-dram equivalent sider GOEX the powder by which 124 W. Church Road all others are judged. It is a fine King of Prussia, PA 19406 powder and against it Schuetzen The most important accessory (610) 491-9901 rates very highly. Schuetzen is a for loading brass shotshells is www.kingshooters.com a loading block. German powder, previously im- Hours: ported as Wano powder. Tues - Fri: Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For several years it has been my pleasure to take the Baker gun afield in the fall after grouse or Firearms small game. My favorite load Buy • Sell • Trade came to be this one: Class 3 Dealer 3 12 gauge, 2 ⁄4 inch Bullets Federal paper hull Roger’s Better Bullets Federal 209A primer 3 Zero • Frontier • Sierra BPI Obturator + ⁄8-inch filler 1 1 ⁄8 ounces of lead shot Hornady • Winchester 82.0 grains of FFg Velocity: 1,143 fps Reloading

August-September 2010 www.handloadermagazine.com 43 1 12 gauge, 2 ⁄2 inch pressive 1,267 fps with an ex- Reloading treme spread of 13 fps. This is a CBC brass shell good load for many uses. One Federal 150 Large Pistol primer could even drop the powder Brass Shotshells 1 1 ⁄8-inch O/P wad + ⁄2-inch filler 3 charge to the 2 ⁄4-dram level of 75 + two .025-inch O/S wads grains and expect 1,200 fps or so. or the cutting of one’s own. In 1 1 ⁄8 ounces of lead shot Either way, with black powder, rough bores such as mine, pat- 18.0 grains of Red Dot this is a very good load. terning is seriously degraded Velocity: 936 fps We can load other shot weights, without the sleeves and the diffi- This load would be considered culty of cleaning magnified. If I of course. For waterfowling, I a failure on most counts, princi- 1 were to substitute the Federal loaded 1 ⁄4 ounces of bismuth 2s pally because the powder charge 3 with a 3 ⁄4-dram load of 102 grains plastic hull with paper basewad is too low for such a large shell. for the Federal paper hull, the re- of FFg for a nice load for ducks Also contributing to the low ve- over decoys. sults are, for all intents and pur- locity are the condition of my poses, the same. bores and my inability to use the When I set out to test the crimp- BPI Obturator to contain the ing capability of the RCBS tool, I Turning now to the brass cases, powder gases. It might be ideal, used this load: let’s begin with the CBC shells. though, for some competitive sit- 1 12 gauge, 2 ⁄2 inch Being the thin-walled shells men- uations. Increasing the powder tioned previously, they require charge to the 19.5- to 19.7-grain CBC brass shell larger-than-normal wadding. In level published for modern cases Federal 150 Large Pistol primer 1 1 the 12-gauge shells, we use 11- would certainly be safe, but we’re 2 ⁄8-inch O/P wads + ⁄2-inch filler gauge over-powder and filler getting back to the lack of pub- + two .025-inch O/S wads 1 wads and 10-gauge over-shot lished smokeless powder data 1 ⁄8 ounces of lead shot wads. The 11-gauge wads are a for brass shells. In this same 82 grains of FFg Velocity: 1,332 fps perfect fit. A typical load can be load, when I substituted 82 grains assembled thusly: of FFg black, velocity was an im- When assembling this load, we must be certain the powder- wanted, the powder charge inch filler along with two .025- wads-shot column fills the shell would have to be reduced. The inch over-shot wads epoxied in and that the over-shot wads are standard interior dimensions and place proved to be erratic – due, held in place as the crimp is ap- rigidity of the RMC shells are the no doubt, to my bores and the plied. Even with the impressive reason for the increase in veloc- required use of 12-gauge compo- velocity, to me, the load is unsat- ity over the paper or plastic hulls nents. Better barrels will no doubt isfactory because the crimp in and the CBC shells. produce results approaching those with the 12S4 plastic wad. the shell mouth remains after fir- When black powder is substi- ing, making inserting the next tuted for smokeless, I had to go Another iteration of the same load’s wads somewhat problem- to a wad with a shorter cushion- load looks like this: atic. With a reduced powder ing section. The load was assem- 5 12 gauge, 2 ⁄8 inch charge for lower velocity, the sit- bled in this manner: uation would only be aggravated. RMC brass shell 5 12 gauge, 2 ⁄8 inch When we get to the RMC shells, Federal 209A primer 1 RMC brass shell BPI Obturator + ⁄2-inch filler things change dramatically. Here 1 is a modern load in the RMC Federal 209A primer 1 ⁄8 ounces of lead shot 82 grains of FFg shell: Federal 12S4 wad with .050 inch removed from petals Velocity: 1,270 fps 5 1 12 gauge, 2 ⁄8 inch 8 1 ⁄ ounces of lead shot Again, the BPI Obturator wad RMC brass shell 82 grains of FFg overcame the deficiencies of my Federal 209A primer Velocity: 1,339 fps bores and produced higher than Federal 12S3 plastic wad Obviously, we could have cut projected velocities. While for 1 1 ⁄8 ounces of lead shot the powder charge to perhaps 75 most uses I might cut the powder 18.0 grains of Red Dot grains and left the wad alone. charge to, perhaps, 75 grains, this Velocity: 1,180 fps was a fine load with an extreme The same load employing a 1 spread for five shots of 5 fps! This is a fine load as is, but if a built-up card wad column of a ⁄8- 3 1 2 ⁄4-dram or lower load had been inch over-powder wad and a ⁄2- (Continued on page 93) Reloading Shotshells 1 (Continued from page 45) The 45-120-3 ⁄4 Wineland A Guide to Reloading and Reloading brass shotshells is an Shooting the Mighty 45-120 Walnut extremely interesting process. Claro and Whether competing in modern Find us online at: English games with a nostalgic flavor www.getagripgunbooks.com Walnut or simply hunting “the old way,” Address your questions to Gun Stock In control of the process Blanks from tree to finished blank! it can be great fun. Fortunately, the author Steve Carpenter Blanks Highly Figured and Plain Grain components are readily available Phone: 920-833-2282 9009 River Road, Chico, CA 95928 from any of several mail-order E-Mail: Tel: 530-345-4012 Fax: 530-345-0990 www.wineland-walnut.com firms specializing in reloading. [email protected] [email protected] My continued mention of Ballis- tic Products, Inc. is due to my familiarity with the company and its extensive line of shotshell reloading components. It also car- ries the CBC shells. Tools are limited to those discussed, as far as is known, but the entire process can be completed with easily made hand tools plus a powder scale, as long as crimping is not contemplated. Since guns – mine are working on their second century – and barrels differ, your velocities will differ from mine. But because we can’t measure pressure in brass shells very well, the way to as- sess our efforts is to measure velocity. If we are getting higher- than-expected velocities, we also are getting higher-than-expected pressures. It is best – and safest – to tailor velocities to our needs rather than be a slave to powder charges that were developed with and for entirely different components. However, experi- menting with smokeless powder charges in the CBC shell is not recommended. When using black powder, as in black powder cartridge shooting, the brass shells should be im- mersed in warm, soapy water as soon after firing as is practical. Cleaning the shells is easily done with a bore or chamber brush and then dried. They also can be tumbled to regain their original luster. Barrel cleaning also must be attended to, as soon as is practical, as black-powder residue will absorb moisture and surely damage barrels if left unattended for long. • August-September 2010 www.handloadermagazine.com 93