polyformed vs. compression formed

[brutus56]

Trying to start reloading my own hunting loads.
Practically all of the winchester shells I've accumulated over the years have a plastic basewad including the heavy field loads. I've never seen a compression formed case. In the Lyman manual most of the loading data is for compression formed. What gives?

 

[rcmodel]

You've been looking at cheap Wally-World Winchester promo ammo?

Seriously, All Winchester Super-X field & Mag load & AA target load hulls have been compression formed since about 1960 something.

I can't even recall seeing one with a base-wad for years & years.

Course, I haven't bought a box of factory loads for years & years either.

rcmodel

 

[Milkmaster]

Here is a link to another thread with similar discussion. I posted pictures of the cheap and expensive loads for comparison.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=369656

 

[brutus56]

I guess this is where the confusion begins. AA and Super X are the only Winchester loads I've ever purchased. Since my MEC reloader was setup for Reddot target loads I never really paid that much attention, just load em & shoot em, worked just fine, but I could'nt leave well enough alone and when I decided to start making my own reloads for hunting I started by reading the Lyman manual and thats where the trouble started. According to Lyman compression formed cases have an integerally formed basewad as opposed to polyformed which have a seperate white plastic basewad. Now I have at my desk a sample of Super X heavy field load 3 1/4 dram equivelent (1250fps)
and a AA super sport (1300fps) both have the seperate white plastic basewad. Guess I should have never read the manual.

 

[Pete409]

The only Winchester shell I would reload is the AA target shell. They have a brass head.

Perhaps 7 or 8 years ago, Winchester changed the AA to having a separate basewad instead of the integral base wad.

There has been much debate over whether the AA with the separate basewad is safe to reload. Winchester says they are safe. The overwhelming majority of reloaders say they are safe. Yet some shooters won't reload the AA's with the separate basewad because they know of or have heard of someone who had a bad experience with one.

I've reloaded thousands of AA's with separate basewads and never had a problem. It's your decision.

As to the other Winchester shells such as Super X or Universal, throw them in the trash can after the initial firing.

 

[rbernie]

As to the other Winchester shells such as Super X or Universal, throw them in the trash can after the initial firing.

Why? They seem to reload just fine, at least a few times.

 

[Pete409]

If they reload well for you, then use them. Most reloaders I know won't use them, but whatever works for you is OK as long as it's safe.

 

[Steve C]

AA and Super X are the same hull just low brass for trap loads and high brass for hunting loads. Both these cases may be loaded with the same data, wads and powder regardless of the brass height though the crimp on the Super X hunting loads is usually a 5 star.

I've loaded plenty of 2-3/4" 1-5/8 oz "baby magnum" and 1-1/4 oz pheasant hunting loads using AA cases as well as a few trap loads in Super X cases that my find their way into my possession.

Cheap poly formed field load cases usually get one load maximum before they split. That's why there's little data for them.

 

[machinisttx]

Since winchester changed the AA hull to a multi piece design, I'll not be buying any more AA loads or hulls. I'm not overly impressed with the new style hulls.

Sorta odd how winchester "can't afford to rebuild the machinery", but Remington uses a compression formed hull on their game loads.