Help me feed Francis

[Lou Graham]

For those that don't know -- Francis is my beautiful 100 year old 16 ga mule ear shotgun.  Ballistic Products is OUT (and has been for some time) of the primed hulls I use.  Have to have them.   I've searched the web with no luck.  I've tried others and they don't shuck.  I have a large collection of various types/brands of hulls that don't work.

I'm hoping a pard (maybe in a big city?) will know of a local gun shop I can call that has these and would ship to me.
Fiocchi 16 ga. LOW BRASS (high doesn't work, either) 67 mm length. They are a medium blue color.

If anybody has seen some of them, please let me know where.  Thanks, pards.  My baby is getting hungry   

[Manatee]

I don't know about shipping Lou, but G&B Gunrack in Titusville Florida used to carry loads of Fiocchi.  Might be worth a phone call.  I'm away from my main pc and don't have the vitals though.

[J.D.Cayhill]

Hi Lou,

Have you ever tried experimenting with a little silicon spray on the types/brands that won't shuck? Maybe something like spray Rem-Oil or spray case lube for reloading might help. I have heard of some pards doing this the night before a match and swear by it.

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[john boy]

Lou:  It looks like Fiocchi is not making 16g Target (Lilac) hulls anymore ... http://www.fiocchiusa.com/target.htm
You might want to call them to determine if they or any of their distributors have any primed or unprimed hulls in inventory.

[Micheal Fortune]

Well Lou just a thought, take a brake hone and gently polish the inside of your chambers and make everything feed good, just a thought and Francis might like the attention.   

[Lou Graham]

She's Damascus, I'm not too keen on the honing idea.  I'm afraid I'd turn her into a wall-hanger.

[Lucky Irish Tom]

I'll check with the local gunshop Lou, but all I've ever seen is Winchester in there.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Both places that I find hulls at haven't had any Fio's in any guage for quite awhile. Luckily, Susie's not too rough on hulls. bein' Francis is 16ga makes it even tougher, not too many companies make 16's anyway.............Buck

[Ailean Mac an Daroch]

My' Lady Lou from Ailean

A quick quest of the gollum was quite fruitless here, but I did come up with an idea which may be of aid to you.

While you mention high brass shells are not too good for Francis' diet, I wondered about ALL brass hulls which you might size or oil without detriment to Warthog status or the sensitivities of Francis.
So I checked on these and found:
you can buy solid brass shotgun gun shells and berdan primers from old western scrounger www.ows-ammunition.com these are brand new made by cbc in south america.25 eacn.$21.95 stk#2860 12ga.#2862 16 ga.#2888 primers brass shot shells $2.99 100
they also carry a lot of other things such as berdan primers,obsolete ammo,etc

Running them through a press to become just a half-smidge undersize and shuck well should not be a big deal

[California Lawdawg]

Have you tried MidwayUSA? Or, tried a search on google? Might come up with some info regarding the shells. I use to have a catalog from a company that carries the type of shells you are using. Will try to locate it and give you the information.

I think the company name was something like Ballistic. They carry only shotgun stuff.


Lawdawg

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Probably Ballistic Products Incorporated, BPI..............Buck

[The Arapaho Kid]

Lou:  Am I missing something here?  Can't you use standard, over the counter light loads in Francis?
My shotgun "Mule" is a Russian made replica of a coachgun.  20 inch barrels and I GOTTA use light loads!  He beats my shoulder to hamburger and I'm getting a little too old for that!   If I don't find some light loads, I'm gonna have to start shooting Mule from the hip.  Holding in down at arms length on the right side, the butt of the stock resting on nothing and making "guestimates" on the targets.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Lou, I was just on BPI's site and they're out of Fio 16's as well. They do have Cheddite's, but in mixed brass heights.............Buck

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Poor Francis!

Lou, I'd contact Fiocchi.

Fiocchi Ammunition USA
6930 Fremont Road, Ozark, MO 65721
Phone: 417-725-4118, Fax: 417-725-1039

Sometimes when a company discontinues an item, they still have a stockpile of it on a shelf someplace. If they do still have it, you might get a great discount.

I've called companies about discontinued items before and gotten great deals.

I know it's not a long term solution, but it might help.

AnnieLee

[Lou Graham]

Annie: Thanks! I never thought of going straight to the source <Lou smacks herself>

Arapaho Kid: I shoot Frontier Cartridge so I use BP -- I can't just go buy over-the-counter light loads.  I have to make my own. Plus since Francis is Damascus, I don't want to risk her or my hand by using smokeless, no matter how light.  Damascus has been known to "unravel" at smokeless pressure curves. OOPS!  I know some folks use smokeless in these old guns, but I'm a risk-averse female. 

I've tried everywhere Midway, Jerry's, local shops...... nada.

Mac: Brass hulls...... hum.... I've toyed with that idea before, I may have to now.  It's more work to load & tough to keep track of the brass at a match, but worth many style points.

[Major E A Sterner]

Howdy Miz Lou,
just wondering, are you reloading the hulls you have now or just using them once?
I know some just use them once because they think that the BP ruins them, but you can usually get away with 4 or 5 loadings on them.
Will you be going to any of the DbarD cabin fever shoots next year? Hope to see you there, and as always, You're more than welcome to use my shotgun again.
 
Respectfully
 Major E. A. Sterner

[Lou Graham]

Hey, Major -- long time no shoot with!  Yup, I hope to get over to D Bar D this winter.
I have reloaded from the last batch I bought 2 or 3 times, but each time, a few get stepped on, a few are too dinged up, a few get lost......  I need some more.  Each successive reloading I seem to need to cull more and more and each time I start with less.  Something wierd happens to the primer holes, too.  The primers just don't stay in when I crimp.
 
Now THERE"S a mess!

So, since I hate stopping to clean up BP all over the bench and floor, I check after I punch out the old primer, if I don't like the looks of it -- another one in the trash.

[john boy]

..... Something wierd happens to the primer holes, too.  The primers just don't stay in when I crimp.
 
Now THERE"S a mess!

So, since I hate stopping to clean up BP all over the bench and floor, I check after I punch out the old primer, if I don't like the looks of it -- another one in the trash.

Lou, European's generally don't reload shot shells, so the Fiocchi's-LaValle's, etc don't really build their shells to be reloaded like the US folks do.  You may luck out when you call Fiocchi BUT ...there will come a time when the well is gonna be dry.  May think about STS's or Federals for your reloading of Francis.  Even paper hulls will work in that centenarian

[Doctor Bill]

Another place to try is Graf and sons, http://www.grafs.com/

They list a several different brands of primed and unprimed 16 gauge hulls.

I don't know if they will have exactly what will make Francis happy but you could give them a call and see what they say. 

They are my source for paper hulls for BP loads.

Doctor Bill