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Post by twomoons on Dec 12, 2012 12:23:25 GMT -5
I say cases rather than shells as I am loadng 2 1/2" for the Husky shotgun, a near mint underlever I got from Bill a while back. In europe the birds are not as tough as here and the guns are lighter so 2 1/2" is a normal 12 bore load with usually 1 Oz. of shot fired in a 6 1/2 pound gun. These shells are not as commmon here and although I do have a trimmer and a roll crimper to make the shells from standard hulls I kind of like using the brass cases. They are simple to load and require simple tools. A decapper, or a nail in a piece of broomstick. A wad guide from Lee, a wad seater, more broomstick, a poowder measure/scoop and some DAP.
I load with holy black but have loaded smokless with the same equipment changing only to a smaller powder measure for the lighter smokless loads.
First you take a clean fired case and punch out the primer on a piece of flat metal with a hole for the primer, or a hardwood board if you don't have any metal. You put the primer in the flash hole and use your broomstick wad seater inside the case to seat the primer simply by tapping the cae down on some flat metal. If you are real fancy you can still buy the old plier type primer seating tool too. Thhen put in one scoop, equal volumns shot and powder, of powder and use yout broomstick tool to seat the base and cushion wads. If you are cheap like me you cut your own from cardboard and old felt hats. The a scoop of shot and use your thumb to seat an overshot wad cut from an old milk carton. Then a ring of DAP around the top of the over shot wad and when it's dry you are ready to hunt.
At one time for 50 cents you could buy this whole kit from Bridgeport Tool Co. I still have my grandfathers kit with his hand made replacments in the box. He use to load a winter's worth of shells with these tools evey fall and every fall they ordered a couple boxed of new brass hullls to replace the lost and damaged ones.
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Post by jimh on Dec 13, 2012 8:22:32 GMT -5
twomoons what kind of bird hunting will you use that for? also is it a average weight gun or is rather heavy for carrying in the field?
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Post by jimh on Dec 13, 2012 9:56:01 GMT -5
ok so now i read the other post and see you're about to go out and bust bunnies with it.
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Post by dovehunter on Dec 13, 2012 10:08:15 GMT -5
I cured that problem with my four SXS guns my fatherd-in-law brought back from the war. I had all the chambers reamed out to 2-3/4". My gunsmith - who specializes in shotguns - checked them all over thoroughly and he said they were all safe to do it but recommended that I use light loads in all of them (which I do).
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Post by twomoons on Dec 13, 2012 11:19:54 GMT -5
If you use light loads there is really no advantage to the 2 3/4" chamber. As to bird shooting a 12 bore 1 oz load will drop any bird you want out to 30+ yards and I have dropped doves at over 40. The British tend to shoot driven game as their hunters are to lazy to walk so their shots are mostly close range with light fast handling guns. They don't pass shoot ducks at 50 yards.
Now Dovehunter, I also had fathead in law but I never had the huevos to put it in writing!! I hope no one shows this to your wife.
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Post by Bill on Dec 13, 2012 12:38:09 GMT -5
The do make reloading dies for this. ;D ;D Ballistic Products also sell the shells.  I have found though that with the really light Euro guns and with the 2 1/2" shells though that they plain kick the crap out of you. ;D ;D ;D Some of those Euro guns can weigh down to around 5 lbs. I think that the guys that buy them are all old retired guys that don't get around well but still want a 12 bore as they do pattern better with the 1 oz load than a say 20 bore with a 1 oz load. |
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Post by dovehunter on Dec 13, 2012 20:10:08 GMT -5
...Now Dovehunter, I also had fathead in law but I never had the huevos to put it in writing!! I hope no one shows this to your wife. Oops! I forgot to proofread my post. Usually the spellchecker catches stuff like this. It's easier to load using 2-3/4" shells even though I do use 1 oz. loads. Also I can use the same loads and shells in my autoloaders. And yes, you're right in that those 1 oz. loads will cleanly kill just about any bird out to about 30 yds or so. They're easier on the shoulder too during a long afternoon of dove hunting. |
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Post by dovehunter on Dec 13, 2012 20:16:31 GMT -5
...I think that the guys that buy them are all old retired guys that don't get around well but still want a 12 bore as they do pattern better with the 1 oz load than a say 20 bore with a 1 oz load. I guess I am one of those old guys too as I prefer the lightweight shotguns. Except for doves, I usually do a lot more walking than I do shooting, so the recoil doesn't usually bother me as much as the extra weight. I had recoil pads put on all those oldies. The only one of my oldies that I think has a bad kick is the 12 ga. Greener. It has a cast off stock and I wonder if that's what makes it seem to kick harder. It's a dream to carry though. |
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Post by Bill on Dec 14, 2012 8:30:04 GMT -5
You have some nice shotguns DH. Gun fit and recoil sensitivity go hand in hand. If it does not fit it is going to kick. I remember a Franchi that Bounce had. That sucker didn't fit anyone and kicked the snot out of everyone.  |
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Post by twomoons on Dec 14, 2012 9:29:36 GMT -5
Here is typiical game shot with the 2 1/2" shells and the note with this says they use 7/8 oz loads. Bill Since I use brass cases for my 2 1/2" loads (hard to mix those up) I don't need anything fancier than the old style tools and since I maybe shoot 3-4 boxes of shot shells total a year the time isn't an issue. If I get serious about shotgunning I go back to the old Charles Daly O/U. Attachments:
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Post by twomoons on Dec 14, 2012 9:34:56 GMT -5
Uh sorry wrong picture, but boy that must have hurt! Let's try this one! A note from a friend who collects these said one gun he had was used to harvest 2-3 roe buck deer every year along with over 50 hares before it was sent back to the factory in the 70's for a re-furb. Attachments:
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Post by Bill on Dec 15, 2012 9:44:31 GMT -5
I have my Mec 9000 set up for 7/8 oz load for shooting trap and skeet. I don't know why you keep saying good to 30 yds as I even shoot handicap trap with them. If your on your on. If your a fringe shooter then its possible to miss. The center of a 7/8 oz load is just as dense as a 1 oz load. Just make sure your on and your good to go even out to 45 yds. I do use a different shot cup for the 7/8 oz load and it is a bit faster but it will smoke a clay at 45 yds and you really can't tell the difference. I mostly use a claybuster wad and Win AA hulls and Red dot powder. Works awesome in my Arrietta SXS on anything. If I get real serious I use my Browning 425 with the 32" barrels. That thing is a clay busting machine.
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Post by twomoons on Dec 15, 2012 11:14:46 GMT -5
Bill it's like your triple on doves, If I tell someone they call me a liar. I do moost all my hunting with the 2 1/2" looads and have no problems, it seems to fold the birds as good as anything. I am even consideriing geting some Aguila 2" 5/8 oz shells for rabbit hunting... shhhh be vewry vewry quiet, wabbit twacks!
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