20 gauge 2 1/2 inch roll crimp loads

Covey Ridge

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
16   0   0
I have a Winchester Model 12 20 gauge with a 2 1/2 inch chamber. It is not a collector but is a gun that I want to shoot. I have some reloading data from Ballistic Products Ltd. For 2 1/2 inch roll crimp loads.
Lots of good data but recipe calls for hulls that I do not have in great supply and wads that I would have to buy. I have a very good supply of Winchester and Remington hulls and wads.

Can I simply cut my hulls to 2.5 inches and fill it with a low pressure wad combo that I already load in 2 3/4? Loaded 2 3/4 loads measure a bit less than 2.3 inches. That gives me .20 inch to make the roll crimp.

Anyone have any experience with this?
 
what your going to have to do is sort wads by type not just brand and use data for that type and stay with the data its could cause pressure spikes using other hulls,primers,powder,wads

you can use most 2 3/4" load data BTW only reason they are longer is because of the fold crimp as for cutting hulls id make a guide out of steel pipe to cut them down to the right length every time i load hulls down to 2" for 12ga using this
 
I used to cut down 10ga paper shells and hand load them for a short chamber on an early made 1901 (or maybe it was a 1887) Win. All worked good. When I say hand load, I mean "hand load". Using the an old drawer loader, and the wooden ball and plunger. This was 30 years ago or so, but I still remember doing it. Fun stuff. Taught myself how to do it, because there was no internet back then (for me, anyhow).
 
Last edited:
The great thing about roll crimping is that you have a lot more leeway in length, because the crimp will simply roll farther in (to a point). Star crimps have to be exact. Pick a load, put it into your chosen hulls, put a wad over the top and see how much space you still have. You could always cut down the hulls, or put wads under the shot to length the column. Easy.
 
Thanks Guys:)

I do have a few published low presuure loads and the exact components that I think may fit better in a rolled crimp load than in a star crimp.

How about the over shot wad? Will a regular card wad work or do I need something special?
 
Best thing for the over shot wad is a piece of heavy paper, because it's strong enough to hold the shot in the shell, but will break up and not interfere with the shot group as it travels down the bore. Maybe try some construction paper from the dollar stores. They sell it in large pieces for a buck (or a buck 50 now due to inflation....dollar 50 stores;)) Or cut a piece off the shotgun primmer boxes, etc. You can try google for over the shot wads, and I'm sure someone will be selling it for all bore sizes. Dixe Gun Works maybe? They might also have some loading data?
 
Last edited:
Check out circle fly wads. They have all you need for this project. I load 16 ga just like you want to load your 20. The biggest challenge will be finding a way to trim your hulls accurately. Track of the Wolf ships to Canada. Use an proper overshot card wad. The nitro cards are too thick and will mess your pattern. You will find that your model 12 is choked to work well with naked shot charges. ( no shot cup style wad) Again the internet has some good ideas on trimming cases. Warning this style of reloading is a lot of fun and you will be soon looking at other gauges and vintage doubles and ..........


Darryl
 
Back
Top Bottom