Need a black powder shots shell solution-- brass hulls are back ordered.

[G.W. Strong]

I used red AA shells my son brought home for no apparent reason after shooting them at the last match. We have always left our shells for reloaders. Apparently he knew something I did not.

I am using the same dipper for shot and lead so my load will be square. 

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

TJ, Are you "squaring" your loads? That basically means equal amounts of powder and shot by weight.

PR

Equal volumes of powder & shot is a very much simplified use of the term "Square load".  It is a rule that more powder than shot exceeds the law of diminished returns.  From there, powder loads can be dropped as much as 30%.  As MV drops, patterns generally tighten. 

In English usage SQUARE LOAD means the the height of the shot column is the same dimension as the bore. It has been found that the best patterns happen at about that ratio. It translates to a commonly available light load of shot for the gauge. For 12 ga. it is about 1 1/16 oz., but 1 to 1 1/8 oz. are close enough.

[Tascosa Joe]

Pony:
I use an antique adjustable powder and shot measure.  I use the same setting for both powder and shot.  I think my problem came from my interpretation of Square Load, because I tried to use as much wad between the powder and shot, to equal the height of them.   I also use an antique hand cranked roll crimper on shortened plastic shells, which worked where the brass did not.   I am reasonably sure the excess wad was blowing holes in my pattern.
I have not shot a SASS match in 2 or 3 years, I have been shooting Working Cowboy in NCOWS which does not require a shotgun.
T-Joe

[Pony Racer]

TJ, roger that - thanks for the further info.

One thing I have seen is people buying same gauge size as the hull wads and over shot and over powder cards.

This will affect the seal and accuracy.  I don't think it is that bad if the wad lides in easily but if the overpowder or overshot cards fit loosely - the seal may not be good enough for that goodly amount of compression and seal.

But sounds like from your post that your self diagnosed wad issue is right on point.

I have a brass hull roll crimping tool that just needs kintetic energy from a mallet to do its job well - I find that I only need to do it maybe everything 4th firing of the hull.

PR

[G.W. Strong]

Alright 28 shells loaded with the 1 ounce dipper for both powder and shot. My load there is as close to square as I can make it. Some of the shells were a bit "bulgy" after being loaded and did not drop in with a "click" as described above. I carefully polished the outside of the plastic cases with 320 grit paper and a buffing wheel. Now they all click. I am sure I have shortened the life of these AA hulls but I do not care since I will probably have the brass hulls a month from now for the next match. Just to be on the safe side I will pick up my son's AA hulls for the next few matches so I have a surplus.

Thanks for all the help.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Hoppie; You can never have too many AAs or RXPs.  The newer AAs are different than the old.  The old ones are the prizes.

[Driftwood Johnson]

@DJ - I completely agree with Pony Racer. People don't use brass for speed, they use them because they are COOL!!  Cool
I get at least one comment per match from someone admiring those big brass cases.

Cookie, I got cool coming out of my ears. I shoot a Henry, a pair of 2nd Gen Colts, and a Stevens SXS made in 1906. Sometimes I shoot an original S&W New Model Number Three made in 1882. Sometimes a S&W Double Action 44 made in 1881. Just got a Bisley Colt made in 1908. I shoot nothing but Black Powder. I get all the comments I need about my guns and my powder, I don't need to be loading brass shotgun shells for the cool factor. I don't even like loading Black Powder shotgun shells, it's much slower and more tedious than loading BP metallic cartridges on my progressive press. So I would much rather pump out as many as I can using modern plastic hulls on my MEC Jr and be done with it. More power to you if you want to spend time loading them, but I am already cool enough.

[litl rooster]

Alright 28 shells loaded with the 1 ounce dipper for both powder and shot. My load there is as close to square as I can make it. Some of the shells were a bit "bulgy" after being loaded and did not drop in with a "click" as described above. I carefully polished the outside of the plastic cases with 320 grit paper and a buffing wheel. Now they all click. I am sure I have shortened the life of these AA hulls but I do not care since I will probably have the brass hulls a month from now for the next match. Just to be on the safe side I will pick up my son's AA hulls for the next few matches so I have a surplus.

Thanks for all the help.

Give your hulls a nice coat of spray on furiture wax like lemon pledge. Something with a little silacone. They will slide in and out of the chambers   easier, at least till the chambers get fouled up. This works on brass and paper hulls also.

Cookie, I got cool coming out of my ears. .

I shoot brass and paper and plastic and a bunch of different guns including a Henry.  I don't know if I am "Cool" but the "Most Intersesting Man in the World" calls me  "Sir Rooster"


drink responsibly my friends

[Wildcat Will]

I've been following this thread with great interest.  I've been shooting brass shotshells for about 8 years now and while I had a learning curve initially <took a bit to figure out that MagTec 12 ga needed over sized wads>I've had almost not problems.   I load all my shotshells by hand and the only tools used are a modified Lee single stage to set the primers (large pistol for the MagTec) and a wood dowel with a wood ball (doll head from craft store) to compressing powder, wads and shot.  I use a hot glue gun seal the over shot card (I use two to be sure it is sealed).   

As for shot patterns I've always been able to take down shotgun targets and shatter clays without issue.  I'm not up on all the technical mumbo jumbo but using a "square load"  has worked for me.  I currently use 4.3 cc (about 60gn by vol) of powder and shot.  I reduced it from 5.2 cc (about 75 gn) due to back problems.  The heavier load made copious amounts of smoke and fire and there was not doubt I was shooting.  I use 7.4 cc in the 10 ga (about 120 gn) but that will also be reduced when I get back to shooting it again.  

As for "looking cool"  if you show up to a match and all the projectiles go in a safe direction, your cool in my book no matter what your shooting.        I will say though brass 10g shotshells to attract a great deal of attention.  

[G.W. Strong]

I shoot my first all black powder match "Frontier Cartridge" in the morning. I will report back on the results. I know I will be slower but I will be much cooler!