Wad for BP Shotgun Loads

[Noz]

Pick up the used Federal hulls, They roll easier than anything else.

[Dick Dastardly]

I'm thinkn' that the Federal hulls are Reifenhauser tubes.  Much like Chedite and others.  Yes, they do roll crimp very well.

DD-MDA

[Cemetery]

I shoot 51 rs of FFg and an ounce of shot in plastic hulls with a pink wad.  Claybuster CB1100-12.  Makes a nice crimp in STS and Nitro Gold hulls.

Just got me a bag of these wads, and using 51g of black and AA or STS hulls, I can't compress everything so that when I go to crimp it, I don't have shot spilling out......any idea what I'm doing wrong?  First time using plastic hulls.  Lee Load All is my machine.

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[Noz]

Boy, I dunno.   That load crimps well and holds that crimp for me. I use an antique MEC Versamec.  I do compress the wad a bit but not excessively.
I have found using other loading that a square piece of very light card stock dropped on the shot before crimping helps to form a nice crimp.

[Bibbyman]

As for crimping - roll or star - I've found a little lube of Johnsons Paste Wax applied to the crimp area helps create a better looking crimp.

[Jefro]

I shoot 51 rs of FFg and an ounce of shot in plastic hulls with a pink wad.  Claybuster CB1100-12.  Makes a nice crimp in STS and Nitro Gold hulls.

Howdy Two-Bits,  I shoot a load simular to Noz wtih the Pink wad. Again as others have said the Win WAA 12R (CB 1138-12) is good for about 60-65gr and 1 1/8oz shot. I prefer to use a little less BP and have found several wads that fit all my needs. Besides the Win Pink wad there are several short shell wads from BPI that really work well.

1 1/8oz - 54-57gr ffg with BPI short wad #72SSW..........my favorite for big matches
Short Shell #72SSW
1oz - 48-50gr ffg with BPI Helix Driver #18.......another big match fav
Helix #18
7/8oz - 43-45gr ffg with Win Pink wad AA12SL (CB1100-12).......my local fav
WAA12SSL
7/8oz - 45-47gr ffg with BPI Helix Driver #21......works good with the new two piece AA hulls
Helix #21

The reason I'm a few grains less than Noz is due to Win changing thier AA wads to 2 piece. Even with 45lbs of wad pressure I still get a slight ring around most of the AA wads, they still shuck fine. I prefer to use the Rem STS way over the new AAs, no rings no crunching. I can usually get 4 smokeless reloads from the STS before they spend thier final match with BP, the AAs are only good for one round. I used to be able to setup both machines to run the AA with just a tiny hole, and the STS looking like a factory round. Now for a happy medium the AA has a small hole almost big enough for a #9 BB to fall out , with the STS being a slight over crimp. Hope this helps....Good Luck

Jefro   Relax-Enjoy

[Noz]

I buy once fired hulls. I prefer STS Nitro Golds.
A question was asked on one of the forums I frequent about how many times can you reload a hull using black powder.
I didn't know. I continue to reload hulls until the outside of the hull show burns or the crimp area begins to show pin holes.
I started  marking my hulls with a sharpie mark each time I reload them. Now take into account that these hulls were loaded at least once before I got them.
Some of my hulls have 6 marks on them and are going back into the loading bin for another go round.

[Springfield Slim]

Use a spiral Tornado brush and all the plastic snot pushes right out instead of being shredded like with a brass brush.  was lucky and found a guy on Craig's list who was moving. He gave me about 6,000 once fired hulls. So I load them once and pitch 'em. I could load them again but they get a bit burnt and don't shuck as easy.

[Jefro]

I buy once fired hulls. I prefer STS Nitro Golds.
I started  marking my hulls with a sharpie mark each time I reload them. Now take into account that these hulls were loaded at least once before I got them.
Some of my hulls have 6 marks on them and are going back into the loading bin for another go round.

Howdy Noz, I do almost the exact same thing. I put a small X on the base after each reload, save them in different clear bags. After three or four Xs they go to the 97 bag for Wild Bunch, then a big RED X when they make it to BP

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[Abilene]

Some years ago I too marked my gold STS to see how many reloads, and it was around 6.  Even when burnt on the outside, they still shuck fine in my guns.