Reloading 16 gauge Brass Shells with Smokeless Powder

[Diz]

Sharps, thanks for the kind words. It made me consider giving up a secret for improving fiber wad load performance.

I know this is not a reloading forum but since the thread was posted I figured I would show one of my secrets for improving patterns in cylinder choked old guns using fiber wads. This will work for brass hulls as well.

You need to get some coin rolls in the dime size from the bank. This will work in paper or brass 12 gauge hulls and likely 16 gauge brass hulls because they are larger internally. A piece of 5/8” wood dowel, scissors and fast drying paper glue like the kids use in school. (Note: Reloading can be dangerous - Do not run with scissors!)

Dime Cup.jpg

Tightly fold the end closed, apply the glue and hold it closed if needed until it will stay.

Dime Cuo II.jpg

Once it is dry, measure and cut the cup to the correct length. 0.720” for one ounce of shot and 0.750” for one and an eighth ounces.

Dime Cup III.jpg

Now you have the shot cup and the last thing is to cut four equally spaced slits in the sides between half and three quarters of the way down. Adjusting the length of the cut will control the tightness of the pattern to a certain extent.


Dime Cup V.jpg

Here is a finished cup ready to load.


Dime Cup VI.jpg

I just press it in along with the wads and then drop the shot. Seat the overshot card and either waterglass the brass hull or roll crimp the paper hull closed and you have a load that will make the guys wonder how you do it out on the sporting clays course. Thanks, Diz

[sharps4590]

Ah-ha!! I've done that with muzzleloading double guns and fowlers but never thought to try it in shells. Can't imagine it wouldn't work just as well.

[Peter K]

There are some very good pointers in this thread from experienced shot gunners. I am a novice in this area. I am going to use Diz's suggestion of loading my shells on a bathroom type scale at 20 pounds. What could be simpler if one doesn't have a shotshell press. Also, the dime coin wrappers will be used to make shot cups. Thanks for that also. I may have to order some Brenneke slugs from the USA. I think shotgun stuff is allowed to be exported. So much stuff to try before Moose hunting starts in September. Each of my guns gets to shoot game when it's ready but I have never readied a drilling or double rifle drilling before. I'll be milking you more experienced guys for things to try.
Peter

[Diz]

Peter,

Thanks for that and please PM me and I will be be happy to help you any way I can.

Regards, Diz

[Fred]

For what it is worth, fellers, I have been making some 16 ga. brass shells for my Vogelbuechsen out of 50 BMG brass. They are quite a bit stouter than the MagTech brass but, so far, are unproven in actual use. A little lathe work is required and, so far, the only counsel I can offer is: Keep your thumb out of the head stock when you are polishing.

[mike ford]

Fred,
When I bought my first drilling, way back in the middle 60s, it came with some brass cases made from 50 BMG cases, with turned 22 hornet (as I remember) case heads set into the primer pockets. I still have them somewhere. Thanks for the memories.
Mike

[Diz]

Fred & Mike, never would have thought of it. Talk about "Everlasting" cases! Thanks, Diz

[mike ford]

Diz, As I recall also, normal 16 ga wads work without the need for larger wads, as is common with normal brass cases. My memory is dim regarding "overshot" wad , a larger one might be required.
Mike

[Peter K]

For what it is worth, fellers, I have been making some 16 ga. brass shells for my Vogelbuechsen out of 50 BMG brass. They are quite a bit stouter than the MagTech brass but, so far, are unproven in actual use. A little lathe work is required and, so far, the only counsel I can offer is: Keep your thumb out of the head stock when you are polishing.

Fred, how are you putting on the rim? Is it swaged on, screwed on or soldered on? Even if soldered on the head of a 50 BMG is quite stout compared to a Mac-Tech brass and should be good for many reloads. However you are doing this the technique of putting rims onto rimless brass is one way of making obsolete brass for a "safe queen".
Peter

[Fred]

You turn the outside of the case down to the proper size which will expose the rim. As Mike alluded, the trick is the primer, especially if you are cheap (like me) and don't want to buy BMG primers or too lazy (like me) to adapt another base to the BMG. The last thing I tried (and it seemed to work) was to drill out the original primer and seat a shotgun primer, which has its own anvil, in the hole. I had to order a letter size drill bit and if I can find it, I will let you know.

[Peter K]

Fred, I would not call that cheap. First of all BMG cases are not cheap. I would call that ingenious. Some pics of your process/results would be nice. I like to read about brass conversions. It's a handy skill especially if no ready brass is available.
Peter

[mike ford]

Update on waterglass. This is "carpenter bee season" at the hunting cabin, where I and my buddies gather on Saturdays. Yesterday, one had his bee loads topped off with water glass that had settled out and he was very unhappy with it. He couldn't get it mixed back up and had a mess on his hands. His loads still killed bees though. I have been off line since Thursday, because a big oak tree blew down in the storm Wed. night and took my telephone(incl. computer) and TV out. Just got the telephone back up today.
Mike

[sharps4590]

I'm convinced!! I've been rotating the bottle and shaking it every 2-4 days since your post on waterglass. Call me a woos....but when I need it I want it....lol!!!

[Fred]

Peter K encouraged me to revisit this project of using BMG brass. My reason for doing it is that I have a Vogelbuechse with an over size chamber. It doesn't handle MagTech brass well. Luckily BMG brass is about the right size just 65mm from the base. So, what I did today was to chuck the brass into the lathe and drill out the primer pocket with a 15/64" drill bit. This works, sort of. Then I lathed the case down from the 65mm mark and then cut it off. Chambered nicely after a little polishing. Then I seated the primer. I had hoped I could do it with my 16ga. MEC. No way. So I found a hammer and a dowel. Somebody should have said to not do this at home. I seated the primer with just a few blows and gave it a try. The bolt would not close unless someone was willing to use a rubber dead blow hammer. That did close it and it did go off when the trigger was pulled. Opening the bolt was not as difficult and the primer was not high any more. But thinking about it, I believe the next step in the process will be to reduce the thickness of the rim after I drill the primer pocket. More later.

[sharps4590]

Whatever it takes to get one shooting!!!