How do you load brass 12-gauge ammo?

[IMtheNRA]

Do the brass 12-gauge hulls require the use of a shotshell press? Can they be loaded by hand or by the same press that is used for rifle cartridge reloading?

 

[scrat]

they can be loaded by hand. its not a hard process.

tools needed

5 inch 3/4 inch wood dowel

3 inch finishing nail

5 1/2 inch washers

5 inch long 1/2 inch wood dowl. Note on one end you need to drill a 3/8 hole about 1/2 inch deep.

ok take the washers and glue them together.

Now place the washers on a hard surface place the shell on top. use the nail and small hammer tap out the old primer.

now place a primer on a level surface place the shell on top. use the 1/2 inch dowel with cut groove down now tap on the dowel this inserts the primer.

now measure your powder charge pour in.

then place a .030 nitro card inside and use the 3/4 dowel to ram down until it is firmly against the powder. Then use 1/2 inch fibre wad blue side up ram down with 3/4 dowel. now measure and pour in your shot. now use a over shot card or nitro card. press in. Some people will use a small amount of elmers glue to seal the corners. your done.

There is a good article in januarys guns of the old west where they explain the same exact way on how to do this. you can even load regular AA plastic hulls.

a good black powder charge i use is 80 grains of bp with 1 1/8 ounce of shot 7.5 shot.


here is a step by step.

 

[Javelin]

I am very impressed scrat!

 

[scrat]

it is so easy. so so easy. especially shooting black powder loads. Dont mess with plastic wads on this. old style fibre wads are soo sooo easy. easier than loading any rifle or handgun loads. you can make up a box of shells in about 10 minutes. for plastic AA hulls go to your local range pick up the shells. right at where the crimp starts use an exacto knife and cut it off then load them the same. One word of advice black powder burns hotttttttt. so after using the plastic hulls with bp i just disgard them. but then you will find sooooo many at the range.

 

[scrat]

Foot note. for those that are fans of plastic wads. Plastic wads are good im not saying they are bad. However not adviseable for use with bp loads. As bp burns hotter. shooting with plastic wads can leave plastic residue in the inside of your barrel. With this its just so cheap to use fibre wads. Fibre wads are not that popular anymore. i picked up about 5000 of them off of ebay for 25.00. so for that price im happy with what i got. i have about 15000 nitro cards as well. they also make 3/8 fibre wads. however for 2 3/4 or 3 inch shells i just find them a little too small. you pour in the amount of powder you want then the wads and then the shot and you shell is still not all the way filled. thus just means you using the wrong load. alarcon is the maker of the wads.

 

[sargenv]

Ballistic products sells carboard wads and nitro card wads. It is where I've always purchased them. Do a search and you should find the web site pretty easily.

 

[scrat]

yep ballistic products are very good in price too heard about it on shotgun world.

 

[scrat]

yep ballistic products are very good in price too heard about it on shotgun world.

 

[Bad Penny 03]

MEC has conversion parts for their presses.

You can Email them for more info.