Federal Paper Shells

[Fairshake]

I've finally found some 12ga paper shells to load up with the Holy Black. I feel like a cat with his first mouse, now what do you do with it? Would like some input on what others have loaded. I load on a Mec Sizemaster.

[Dick Dastardly]

You lucky dog you.

I like to load them with FFg Holy Black, non plastic wads and do a roll crimp.  http://precisionreloading.com/Rollcrimpers.htm  Scroll down and you will find a good tool for around Twelve Bux.

DD-DLoS

[hellgate]

If the mouths are new (virgin cases) they will roll crimp nicely. The one problem with paper cases is they usually don't shuck out of the chambers like plastic empties do. The paper swells and doesn't have much rebound. Also if you shoot a several shot string the wax begins to melt out of the paper and they are not as easily extracted. I would use them for informal or non competitive shooting as they are slower. But for style points WHO CARES? Go for it.

[john boy]

The one problem with paper cases is they usually don't shuck out of the chambers like plastic empties do. The paper swells and doesn't have much rebound. Also if you shoot a several shot string the wax begins to melt out of the paper and they are not as easily extracted.

Hellgate - agree.  Is pure fact and the reason I have over 500 Remington and Federal once fired papers in a box and have never reloaded a one for CAS.  Even have 2 antique roll crimpers to use if I wanted to

I'm not a Gamer but a pain is a pain, regardless of what sport.

[Fingers McGee]

one problem with paper cases is they usually don't shuck out of the chambers like plastic empties do. The paper swells and doesn't have much rebound. Also if you shoot a several shot string the wax begins to melt out of the paper and they are not as easily extracted. I would use them for informal or non competitive shooting as they are slower. But for style points WHO CARES? Go for it.

That's the reason I only use them in my 1887 Winchester, and then only when the temp is below 70.  above 70 degrees, they get soft and have a tendency to jam in the 87.  They work slicker than owl droppings when the temp is around 40.

FM

[Fairshake]

Well pards I thank ya even iffin y'all bust my bubble. It seems as if I've been coming out pretty close to the bottom shooting these 45's so I guess I'll just go for the style points. When I was young all the shells was paper with rolled crimp and I had more than one that would'nt chamber when damp. These seem alot harder and slicker than the ones of my youth tho. But with the answers from the group above, of which I have the upmost respect I will go with the answers given thats for sure. Thank ya Gentlemen

[Fox Creek Kid]

When I find once fired paper hulls I merely use my trusty hull trimmer & cut off the crimp. I then load them w/ just a card wad betwixt powder & shot. 

[Rusty Spurless]

Ok I'll bite....

Whats the allure of paper shells??? Some pard kind enough to splain it to me?

[Sgt. Jake]

   A pard gave me a 50 gal.bag of Canuck paper hulls ,very close to Canada,here. They were in very nice shape,so I loaded them up ,OK used them at amatch,MISTAKE. As Hellgate said they tend to stick,the wax,wax heck, Canuck must have used Epoxy,at the lunch break I spent it trying to clean my chambers out. I have them for other than match use,I learned the hard way.         Adios  Sgt.Jake

[Noz]

Ok I'll bite....

Whats the allure of paper shells??? Some pard kind enough to splain it to me?

It's easy. Same as brass, STYLE POINTS.

[Rusty Spurless]

Much obliged...

I'll stick with my Magtech's. They sound like allot less hassle 

Rusty, Whoz shotgun iz wuz & will be his worst gun 

[Dick Dastardly]

Here's a clue for loading paper shells.  I  use a MEC Supersizer to hold 'em still under my bench top drill press.  The Supersizer squeezes 'em down to factory size as it holds 'em for crimping.  After I spin down the crimp, I take the shell and turn it around nose down and squeeze the other end.

My shells feed good and shuck out just fine.  I like the paper hulls cuz I like the way they load, reload and look.

Here's one thing you can do on roll crimped shells.  Take the overshot card and write the basics of the payload on 'em.  Then, when you look at the loaded shells you will be able to know what the load is from your notes on the overshot card just like they did in the old days.

DD-DLoS

[Goatlips]

I got hold of a batch of Federal Reds and an antique roll crimper, and came up with a PVC trimmer that worked better than Tom Bullock's brass washer method

http://www.tbullock.com/bpsg.html

I forget what size plastic pipe to use but just take a shell to the hardware and see what it fits in.  Cut a piece to the length you want, grind a hole in the side so you can keep the empty hull from spinning while you cut off the excess paper with a utility knife.  3/4 of an inch as I recall.

I heated my hulls in a warm oven for a couple hours, the wax redistributes itself and the moisture is driven out, which I think shrinks them a little.  A pard (here, I think) suggested using Mop N Glow floor wax to slick them up but I didn't see any difference.

I like the old timey way they feel in my hand, is all. 

Goatlips

[Dick Dastardly]

I've got a Ballistic Products hull trimmer, but I've not used it since I started shortening my shot shell hulls with my band saw.  The band saw is the quickest way to go if you have any amount of trimming to do.

DD-DLoS

[john boy]

Dick and Goatlips ... them are some excellent ideas!  Guess, I'll have to pull out the box of papers and give your suggestions a try for 2009!  Thanks for sharing

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I do what Goatlips done.  Only without the thumb aperature.  Good Idea though;  I might try it, but pressing down on a mouse pad works pretty good.

The pipe is white, o/s dia about 1 ", and inside is about 3/4 ".  It is sold in lengths in the Plumbing department.  My hardware guy found a short bit of scrap by the cut-off table.

For 16 gauge go to the Electrical display and look for the gray stuff.  There is an elbow fitting that has a straight section that is just long enough.

On the main question.  I am set up to load Federal paper, but don't do it for competition.  I took some out rabbit hunting last winter with my old Husqvarna underlever model 20.  Even when in only OK shape, they roll-crimp quite well with the drill press mounted Lyman roll head.  I rub a parrafin candle over the outside in an attempt to recondition them.  I work the wax in by hand with a dowell inside.

I reloaded on my MEC GRABBER, but had to change the decapping pin to 16 gauge.  The 12 gauge decapper has a shoulder to staighten out the folds of plastic hulls, but swells paper into a flare that softens the case mouth.

[Hoof Hearted]

Hey DD

Your a gadget guy Ever think about trying a Thermagic Hull Conditioner?

There is a write up in Rifle magazine (page 14 of this pdf):
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/PDF/HL%20245%20partial1.pdf

Warning! This will take forever on dial up...........

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Hoof,

Good looking outfit, but a mite spendy for me.  My plastic shot shells don't last real long cuz the Holy Black burns holes in 'em.  My 10ga is the worst of 'em.  The only factory hulls I've been able to find are Federals and they are not cheep.

Thanks for the suggestion.  Always can use another toy on the bench, but I'll wait on that one.

DD-DLoS

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

WOW!  Only 5 easy payments of $120 and you get the entire RIFLE series!

For the small number of paper cases I am likely to load, I`ll spend the $80 bucks + shipping + Duty + Taxes, on powder & shot.

[Hoof Hearted]

WOW!  Only 5 easy payments of $120 and you get the entire RIFLE series!

For the small number of paper cases I am likely to load, I`ll spend the $80 bucks + shipping + Duty + Taxes, on powder & shot.

Sir CdeMB

I'm not following ya here.............I was recommending the Thermagic Hull Conditioner. They say it irons out crimps and rough burnt plastic (on the inside) as well as redistributing the wax and uniforming paper hulls. If I remember it was about $80 for one gauge.