10 gauge reloading

[Gambit88]

A neighbor of mine has a old starting gun from the macinac(if i spelt that right) boat races. Its a cannon that fires 10 gauge blanks. Now the shells it takes are 3in and all he can find for reloading is 3.5in shells and dies. Can anyone direct me to somewhere to get reloading equipment for 3in 10 gauge shells? At 35-40 bucks a box he wants to start reloading them.

Thanks

Gambit

 

[mdoerner]

There is a conversion kit for the MEC 600 jr to load 2-7/8" long 10 Ga shells. You buy the kit (along with a 10 Ga loader, or the gauge conversion kit if your MEC is set up for something other than 10 ga) and it comes with a small platform to raise up the deck that the shells sit on for crimping. You can shorten shells with a utility knife, Xacto/hobby knife, or buy a fancy shell trimmer if you want.

Mike D

 

[rcmodel]

You don't need a MEC reloader to load black powder blanks.
All the "reloading necessary can be done with a punch to knock the old primers out, and a dowel rod big enough to set down in the case and push it over a new #209 primer.

For a blank cannon, all he needs to do is cut off some 3 1/2" hulls to 2 7/8"".
Re-prime them, and load with 200 - 225 grains of black powder & newspaper wadding tamped down tightly.
Seal with candle wax to keep the wad in place.

http://www.thecannonstore.com/details.asp?prodID=W10GB

rc

 

[smkummer]

Winchester cannon?

If it is the one made since 1975 by the bellmore johnson company, they are actually chambered for the 3 1/2 shell. I was cutting mine then I noticed it has the long chamber. Try to find the fiber wads if you can and put about 3 of them on top of the powder to help develope pressure and you will get a rich loud bang!