Questions From Newb Shotshell Reloader

[B]

I finally decided to try out an older MEC press I came upon some way or another a few years ago. After figuring out how it worked I got started with a couple recipes I got off of Hodgdon's website.

Federal 3" FB hull
1 7/8oz shot
Remington SP12
27.1 grains longshot
Fed 209A primer

And

Federal 3" FB hull
1 5/8oz shot
Winchester waa12
29.1 grains longshot
Fed 209A Primer

I'd say everything looks acceptable but two things are bugging me...

Despite trying to be very consistent when I am cycling the press about 1/3 of the finished shells has a large opening almost big enough for the shot to leak out.


I am also getting grains of powder leaking past the wad after loading with both SP12 and WAA12 cups. This is happening to pretty much all 20 I loaded.


Any ideas? I assume either I am doing something wrong or my recipes suck.

 

[tomestone]

you can buy a paper disk to go on top of the shot , mine did the same ,wipe the press to get rid of static .

 

[RePete]

Where did your data come from?

 

[B]

Hodgdon's website.

 

[RePete]

What were the hulls loaded with originally? Are you sure you have the right hull for the load?

 

[B]

They are new, the hulls are correct. Federal 3" 7/16 basewad as listed on Hodgdon's website is the hull I used.

 

[rembolt]

You are using a wad for designed tapered hulls Winchester and Remington in a straight walled federal hull .this will allow the powder to migrate past the gas seal on the wad . the hole in the crimp can be fixed with a over shot card or a drop of hot wax .

 

[B]

I see... What sort of wads are suitable for straight hulls and heavy shot weights?

 

[mrgoat]

Adjust your final stage crimp die to crimp a little lighter, in other wards not so deep a crimp. And see what that does. With 3" hulls here hunting loads and you want a nice solid crimp on a hunting load. If lightning up on the crimp pressure doesn't close the hole, like others have posted try over shot card wads. Your will have to play with the crimp depth adjustment on the final crimp die regardless. A solid crimp is necessary to create resistance, so when the powder ignites it helps give complete burn with consistent pressure and velocity.

In regards to the powder getting by the wad column it just may be static on the plastic hull. If it wasn't for the fact there clear plastic hulls you would never have known.
From your picture it just looks like several grains, which is why I am thinking static. If it is a lot more than a few grains your wad is not seating/ sealing tight to the interior surface of the hull. If you indeed (make sure you do) have the right wad for the load, then I would take a look at your wad pressure setting. When you insert the wad and seat it you will feel the pressure on the loader handle. If its a Mec there will be a scale with a red indicator on the centre station that seats the wad. 40 Ibs. of wad pressure is standard to seat the wad nicely on top of the powder. I have reloaded thousands upon thousands of shot shells and I have never found much cause to deviate off 40 Ibs. of wad pressure.

Hope this helps and gives you some ideas.

 

[rembolt]

From the RCBS shotshell hand book .Federal hi power plastic shell with 7/16" paper basewad 1 5/8 oz lead shot , fed 209A primer longshot powder 28.3 gr fed 12S4 wad 1225 fps 10800psi .they do not list a load using a fed wad with a 1 7/8 oz load .

 

[B]

Adjust your final stage crimp die to crimp a little lighter, in other wards not so deep a crimp. And see what that does. Since there 3" there hunting loads and you want a nice solid crimp on a hunting load. If lightning up on the crimp pressure doesn't close the hole, like others have posted try over shot card wads. Your will have to play with the crimp depth adjustment on the final crimp die regardless.

I regards to the powder getting by the wad column it just may be static on the plastic hull. If it wasn't for the fact there clear plastic hulls you would never have known.
From your picture it just looks like several grains, which is why I am thinking static. If it is a lot more than a few grains your wad is not seating/ sealing tight to the interior surface of the hull. If you have the right wad for the load, then I would take a look at your wad pressure setting. When you insert the wad and seat it you will feel the pressure on the loader handle. If its a Mec there will be a scale with a red indicator on the centre station that seats the wad. 40 Ibs. of wad pressure is standard to seat the wad nicely on top of the powder. I have reloaded thousands upon thousands of shot shells and I have never found much cause to deviate off 40 Ibs. of wad pressure.

Hope this helps and gives you some ideas.

Unfortunately the powder is creeping up past the gas seal, I believe rembolt was bang on with his explanation. As for the crimp I will continue to adjust, I am just not certain why only some of the shells have a large hole while others appear perfect.

From the RCBS shotshell hand book .Federal hi power plastic shell with 7/16" paper basewad 1 5/8 oz lead shot , fed 209A primer longshot powder 28.3 gr fed 12S4 wad 1225 fps 10800psi .they do not list a load using a fed wad with a 1 7/8 oz load .

I'll look around for some federal wads, thanks!

 

[TimberPig]

Unfortunately the powder is creeping up past the gas seal, I believe rembolt was bang on with his explanation. As for the crimp I will continue to adjust, I am just not certain why only some of the shells have a large hole while others appear perfect.



I'll look around for some federal wads, thanks!

The reason some crimp well, but others have holes is normally due to hull length variation. If you set it to close up the hole on a short hull, the longer ones get a swirl in the crimp. If you set it for a mid length or long hull, you get holes in the crimp.

To get rid of the hole, you need more pre crimp, to give more of the hull in the crimp folds and allowing the hole to close.

As said, your powder migration is due to tapered hull wads in straight wall hulls.

In shotshell loading, there is lots of published data that doesn't fit well in a hull or is a poor choice of component for compatibility. This is a function of trying to provide loads covering the plethora of hulls, wads, primers and powder that reloader may buy, and then email trying to find a safe load for the components they have on hand. Some combos work, many don't, and it is up to you to figure what works for you.