12Ga Magtec Brass shotshells loading tools???

[fourfingersofdeath]

I saw the Magtec brass shotshells advertised in an aussie gunshop and I closed my eyes and bought 250. I like to have plenty of ammo up my sleeve, ready to go.

I have been researching the loading of these shells by searching and got a lot of info.

What I can't figure out is what tools to I use to reload them? Do I size in my good ol' Texan shotshell press or do I get metallic dies?

Helppppppppppppppppppp!!!!

[Haggis MacGurk]

Howdy,
           There are numerous threads on the reloading of Magtechs on the child board above, but I use a piece of 3/4 inch dowel to load em. To prime, you can get shellholders for 12ga, or use said piece of dowel and a hard, flat surface to press the primer into the hull with a couple of light taps from a rubber mallet. I have never resized mine using the holy black. You're going to want wads a little bigger than the gauge your using. For 12ga, I use 11ga overpowder and cushion wads, with a 10ga overshot card.

[Noz]

The only thing you need to buy is the Mag tech shell holder form RCBS. That allows you to use a priming device like the Lee Ram Prime to get those nasty little primers into the cases.
I pulled a depriming stem from an old lee set and fished the hole in the case and tapped the spent primer out with a wooden mallet. Primed them  and dipped powder, put in Circle Fly oversized wads and applied pressure with a dowel rod.Dipped shot, placed and over shot card and sealed with waterglass/Elmers/Titebond/hot glue etc. Done. Let them set over night and you are good to go.
Never had a shell enlarge enough to even touch the Lee sizing ring so I don't think sizing is an issue.
Haggis beat me in but the information is essentially the same.

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[Dick Dastardly]

If you have a MEC 600 Jr. Mk-V you can get a Magtech kit.  It has a de-priming punch and primer cup for large pistol size primers.  They made me one for my 20ga and it works great.  I load everything on my MEC 600 Jr. Mk-V and do the over shot card glue as mentioned above.  I use Circle Fly 16ga nitro card, lubed fiber and overshot wads in my all brass 20ga hulls.  Works great.

The thing I like about loading the brass shells on the MEC is that I can get very consistent pressure on the powder and wad column.  It's the easiest way to load the all brass shells and the results are very professional.

DD-DLoS

[Fingers McGee]

Howdy,
           There are numerous threads on the reloading of Magtechs on the child board above, but I use a piece of 3/4 inch dowel to load em. To prime, you can get shellholders for 12ga, or use said piece of dowel and a hard, flat surface to press the primer into the hull with a couple of light taps from a rubber mallet. I have never resized mine using the holy black. You're going to want wads a little bigger than the gauge your using. For 12ga, I use 11ga overpowder and cushion wads, with a 10ga overshot card.

+1

I use the 12 GA shell holder & Lee Auto Prime to prime em, Hornady BP measure to throw the powder, then the Lee Loader II to insert the wads & meter the shot.  Use 3/4 Inch dowell to insert the 10 GA over shot card then fill the top with water glass.

Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Fingers;  How do you combine the 12 gauge shellholder with the LEE Autoprime?  Mine takes the unique LEE Autoprime shell holder and my autoprime opening is too small for .50-70, nevermind 12 gauge.  I can't even use a LEE Partner or Handpress as the ram is too close to the frame.  I do use my RCBS presses as they have the room and I have the primer mechanism installed. The RCBS hand priming tool probably gets around this limitation.

One alternative suggestion I can make to the advice given above, is the use of a 4 inch length of copper plumbing in lieu of the 3/4" dowel for re-priming.  It applies force to the actual base of the shell, rather than directly ON the primer pocket.

[Haggis MacGurk]

I should have mentioned that with my particular piece of dowel, I used my trusty Dremel tool to carve a dome-shaped cavity in one end of the wood, allowing clearance for the primer pocket. Copper pipe is a good idea too though.

[Fingers McGee]

Fingers;  How do you combine the 12 gauge shellholder with the LEE Autoprime?  Mine takes the unique LEE Autoprime shell holder and my autoprime opening is too small for .50-70, nevermind 12 gauge.  I can't even use a LEE Partner or Handpress as the ram is too close to the frame.  I do use my RCBS presses as they have the room and I have the primer mechanism installed. The RCBS hand priming tool probably gets around this limitation.
 

The anaswer is - I dont.    I use the RCBS hand priming tool (and had to grind the top down in order to do so).  I obviously had my head somewhere else or had Lee on the brain.  I've also tried using parts from a 12 ga Lee Loader.  Found it didnt work so well.  A small punch and block of wood with a hole bored in it is used to deprime.

Fingers (I'm awake now) McGee

[Wills Point Pete]

 Decapping is easy, grind down a long nail to small enough for the flash hole and blunt the tip, there is your decapping pin. I set the shell on top of the square hole on a 3/4 inch socket. Then I tap the case onto a primer with a plastic mallet, using a six inch socket extension and 7/16th socket to protect the flash hole "hump". This also works to set the overpowder wad and compress the powder.
 I made the mistake of buying that Rocky Mountain Cartridge Co kit, I find that I use the hand tools more often. I do like the little adjustable dipper they sell, though.

[Roosterman]

I load with antique loading tools I've found at gun shows over the years.

[fourfingersofdeath]

Wow! Thanks. The brass arrived today, but I can't get the larger wads anywhere. I'll have to go to Circle Fly direct. I'm getting put out to pasture finally on Tuesday, when the dust settles I will work it all out, get a MEC I suppose and work out what I need and order from Cirle Fly.

I have secured a qty of 12Ga wads, so I will play with the plastic hulls for the moment.

Thanks again.

[Noz]

The Lee Ram Prime is the tool. Sets on top of a single stage press.

If you decide to try the flat piece of steel and dowel method of priming, make sure your nerve pills are handy and the cat is secure. You're gonna pop a few caps.

The Magtech brass is enough oversize that you probably will not have good results with the plastic wads. You'll get a lot of blow-by and some pretty sorry patterns. My best loads were powder, over powder/nitro wad, 1/2" fiber cushion wad, shot cup cut off of AA wads, shot and over shot card with a waterglass sealer. This was in a long forcing cone Remington Spartan. If you have an older shotgun with the short forcing cone I'd leave out the plastic cup.   Least that was my experience with them and as the man says" your mileage may vary".

[panhead pete]

Howdy Four Fingers,

Midway USA has 1/2" 12 gage fiber wads and 11 gage over shot cards.  I use a piece of lamp tube to seat my primers.  I drop a 4.3cc Lee dipper of FFG then an overshot card over the powder.  Next a 1/2" fiber wad plus another 1/2 inch wad cut in half so its 3/4" overall.  Then I put some bore butter or Cap & Ball grease over the wads.  Next I drop a 4.3 cc dipper of #8 shot then cover with an overshot card.  Sodium silicate in a (syrup type pouring jar) is then poured over the top and dries very securely.  I had bad luck with wood or white glue.  The sodium silicate never has failed.  Midway also offers the RCBS Cowboy 12 gage die set.  I have yet to get one but it is on my list.  Hope this helps.

Happy Trails,

Panhead Pete
PS  I bought a 5/8" stamp of the number 8 for the shot sizeand I stamp the top overshot card  It looks really cool through the sodium silicate.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Until your wads arrive you can punch some out your own self with a 3/4 inch punch available at any toyz-4-men store.

Heavy card of any sort can be stacked up to equal 1/8".  Then use 12 ga cushion wads, as they squish up to fit. Top off with a 3/4" O/S wad of waxed card milk container or whatever works. Then glue or waterglass to seal.

[Sespe Badger]

Howdy Four Fingers,

Midway USA has 1/2" 12 gage fiber wads and 11 gage over shot cards.  I use a piece of lamp tube to seat my primers.  I drop a 4.3cc Lee dipper of FFG then an overshot card over the powder.  Next a 1/2" fiber wad plus another 1/2 inch wad cut in half so its 3/4" overall.  Then I put some bore butter or Cap & Ball grease over the wads.  Next I drop a 4.3 cc dipper of #8 shot then cover with an overshot card.  Sodium silicate in a (syrup type pouring jar) is then poured over the top and dries very securely.  I had bad luck with wood or white glue.  The sodium silicate never has failed.  Midway also offers the RCBS Cowboy 12 gage die set.  I have yet to get one but it is on my list.  Hope this helps.

Happy Trails,

Panhead Pete
PS  I bought a 5/8" stamp of the number 8 for the shot sizeand I stamp the top overshot card  It looks really cool through the sodium silicate.

My setup is quite similar, although I do use the RCBS die for decapping.  It's on an old RCBS press that I actually prefer for re-priming.  I use 1 full cushion wad and a half one that I soak in melted lube first.  Plain elmers white glue in a ring hasn't failed me yet.  I've been using an old socket and extension bar to push the wads in.  I just picked a socket that fit inside the shell.

[panhead pete]

Howdy Sespe,

I use a 3/4" dowel to compress the load. 

Someone mentioned using 3/4 " wads and cards.  The Magteks ,at least mine, are over 3/4" inside diameter so I could not get them to fit snugly.  The 11 gage cards from Midway seal very nicely.

Kind regards,

Panhead   

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

That was me;  My 3/4" punch from TANDY cuts wads over .750.  Mostly .760+, but some cardstock came out as large as .777"!

[panhead pete]

Helllo Sir. Charles,

I have an Osborne 3/4" punch that cuts under 3/4 so I am at a disadvantage to you Sir.  I make my own wads for 45 and 38 black powder loads.  I may just have to take a trip to Tandy!!  Thanks for posting. 

Happy Trails,

Panhead

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Mine was part of a set.  really cheep!  Big 'n heavy!

[fourfingersofdeath]

Thanks, I can't seem to get any 11Ga wads here, so, I'll shelve the project for the moment and order some from circle fly.