Brass 12 guage, smokeless?

J

Jessegreenwood

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Douglas/shilo MB
Hey, I just got some brass 2.5” shotshells, and wondered if anyone had experience loading them with smokeless.
I’ll probably load them with pyrodex, but would like more options.

Interested to hear about others experiences , if any have some.

Thanks.
 
What brand of brass shells? Are they solid base or a balloon head design. I am using some Rocky Mtn. 10 ga. they are a heavy solid lathe turned shell. I load these with a mild charge of Red Dot. If your primer pocket sticks up into the powder area they may not be suited to smokeless.
 
They say cbc, so I belive they are maytec. So they are ‘balloon’ as you say.
But they are pretty substantial, especially compared to the stamped head of plastic shells, I can’t really see it not being strong enough for shotshell pressure, but I would even be happy with low pressure loads.
 
There is very little choice of 10 gauge wads for 2 7/8” shells. Remington makes a good plastic wad and BPI has one or more, sold in Canada by Bilozir, Track of the Wolf and others. Fibre, cork, card wads are also available from the same sources. However conventional non plastic wads are sized to fit standard paper hulls, 10 gauge brass cases, because they are thinner require 9 gauge wads to get a good gas seal fit in the case. Again, same sources. Brass cases with conventional ( non plastic) built up wads make the very best black powder loads but they also work fine with suitable smokeless powders. Long discontinued SR 4756 works great here and data is shown in 10-20 year old loading manuals.
 
Ashcroft said:
There is very little choice of 10 gauge wads for 2 7/8” shells. Remington makes a good plastic wad and BPI has one or more, sold in Canada by Bilozir, Track of the Wolf and others. Fibre, cork, card wads are also available from the same sources. However conventional non plastic wads are sized to fit standard paper hulls, 10 gauge brass cases, because they are thinner require 9 gauge wads to get a good gas seal fit in the case. Again, same sources. Brass cases with conventional ( non plastic) built up wads make the very best black powder loads but they also work fine with suitable smokeless powders. Long discontinued SR 4756 works great here and data is shown in 10-20 year old loading manuals.
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I have Parker Bros. 10 gauge brass hulls I purchased about five or six years ago from TOTW.
I use your Cycle Fly fibre wads and such for reloading.
I use in my 1901 Winchester 33.0 grains of Unique to propel eighteen 000 unplated buckshot.
 
Jessegreenwood said:
They say cbc, so I belive they are maytec. So they are ‘balloon’ as you say.
But they are pretty substantial, especially compared to the stamped head of plastic shells, I can’t really see it not being strong enough for shotshell pressure, but I would even be happy with low pressure loads.
Click to expand...
Magtech, yes I know the ones. I have heard of those being loaded with smokeless but never felt comfortable doing that myself. With light loads you may end up with a "donut" of powder around the primer rather than on top of it. I had thought of soldering a brass or copper washer into the base but never tried it. The lathe turned solid head shells are pricey but they last forever, I don't do any sizing to them and I glue in a top card so no crimping of any sort. My 10 gauge RMC shells cost roughly $20 a shell.
 
I have some Smokeless data from an older Handloader magazine for 12 gauge brass and have loaded Bismuth with Blue Dot powder and brass cases.
Mostly though I just use black powder for brass.
Cat
 
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