Shotgun Dummy Shells

Northaways

Northaways

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All the Shotgun and 3 Gun threads and talk of upcoming matches has inspired me to do some shotgun loading practice in the off season ...instead of the night before a match like I usually do.

Really liked the dummy rounds I bought at Brownells a few yrs back, but they are pretty beat up these days and are getting hung up when I feed them into the tube and are not ejecting from tube easily either. So time to replace them. Other than making my own, as I don’t load shotgun or know anyone that does, has anyone found a good quality less expensive alternative to Brownells dummy rounds?

Understand the concept of economies of scale, but price differential between what I can buy a box of live SG shells and dummy rounds seems totally out of whack.
 
Do you know any shotshell reloaders? They might be able to make you some dummy rounds as long as they were clearly distinguishable from live rounds., ie., no primer.
 
That would be ideal Rugerman, but unfortunately as mentioned, I don’t.

I well mark all my dummy rounds and never allow live rounds in the same room i’m dry firing or practicing in, so reload dummy rounds would work nicely.
 
If you can, try and find a Mec Junior 12 gauge reloading press...probably find one for way less than $100.
I take live rounds, uncrimp them, remove shot, wad, powder, then fire off the primer, and put the wad and shot back in, recrimp on the Mec Junior....can make as many dummy rounds that you need, and I even run the dummy's back through the crimping stage after they get beat up a bit.

I put a dab of red paint on the case head so I know they are dummy shells.
 
I've got a pair of A Zoom as well. It would be expensive to buy a full load outs worth though. How many do you want to buy?

A WTB ad in the EE should yield you what you want for a fair price I would think.
 
I use these, they’re inexpensive and being bright orange they’re easily distinguishable from live ammo. They are hollow, so I fill them with copper bb’s from my bb pistol and silicon the end shut. This gives them a more realistic weight, my only gripe is they are 2.5” long. I’d prefer them to be 2 3/4” but it’s not a deal breaker.

https://www.reliablegun.com/en/st-action-pro-action-trainer-dummy-rounds-12ga-orange
 
Thanks for all the feedback guys!

Apparently I do have friends that reload shotgun. Who knew. A shooting friend has reached out and will be making me up some dummy shells.

Of the above options think in the future my best bet may be 7.62mm suggestion to keep and eye out for a MEC Junior 12g press, which I think I will do.

A-Zooms I found expensive - given I use about 25-30 in SG loading practice - and the rims on the two I bought yrs ago are both now chewed off.
 
thegrandpoohbah said:
I use the Snappy's too. Definitely the best I have found so far.
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Sweet jebus, when you add shipping these work out to $6.35 EACH. They're TWENTY FIVE TIMES more expensive than actual shells! Lol

I'm gonna buy a hole saw just under the OD of a shell, drill the crimp out, pour out the shot, pull out the shot cup, fire the primer, put everything back in, hot glue the end, and voila! Properly weighted dummy!



No idea if this will actually work. Lol.
 
I’ve looked at the shotgun dummy shell options suggested above and best cost effective quality alternative to making your own - or better yet having someone else make for you :) - still seems to be the Brownells dummy loads at $30 USD for a box of 25.

I reload HG and .223 but never gave SG reloading much thought until 7.62 mm suggestion to look to pick up an inexpensive MEC junior 12G press. Have looked at a couple SG reloading videos and now thinking I’d like to reload SG as well ... and I should have made my cottage reloading bench bigger.
 
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making your own dummy rounds for any kind of ammo is always a bad idea, unless you have a verifiable, no mistake solution that guarantees won't mix up live rounds with the dummies. I can list off dozens and dozens of people I've heard stories from where live rounds were mistaken for homemade dummy rounds and some sort of tragedy resulted. From shot TVs and hot water tanks, dogs and cats being shot, to near misses on spouses. Buying blaze orange dummy rounds is a cheap insurance against tragedy.
 
Slavex said:
making your own dummy rounds for any kind of ammo is always a bad idea, unless you have a verifiable, no mistake solution that guarantees won't mix up live rounds with the dummies. I can list off dozens and dozens of people I've heard stories from where live rounds were mistaken for homemade dummy rounds and some sort of tragedy resulted. From shot TVs and hot water tanks, dogs and cats being shot, to near misses on spouses. Buying blaze orange dummy rounds is a cheap insurance against tragedy.
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Dozens and dozens eh? You must hang around a different set of folks. If people are foolish enough to keep live ammo anywhere remotely near dummy ammo AND not clearly mark them then I don’t think blaze orange is going to save them from tragedy. Making your own dummy rounds is a terrific idea unless you are stupid. Stupid hurts.
 
It cost me 17 TVs, 4 cats, 3 fish and 2 neighbours before I figured out a verifiable no mistake solution to guarantee I didn't mix up live ammo with dummies...
 
pauls said:
It cost me 17 TVs, 4 cats, 3 fish and 2 neighbours before I figured out a verifiable no mistake solution to guarantee I didn't mix up live ammo with dummies...
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And here I thought you were just naturally gifted....little did I know the sacrifices you, your pets, your neighbours, and the electronic industry have made.

Now that I think of it, maybe Elvis was just practicing for ppc? Hmmmmm.
 
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