So I was looking through Buffalo Arms catalog (An absolute must have BTW!) and saw Brass 12ga shotgun shells. I ordered up a couple boxes and the associated wads needed to load them with black powder.
The shells arrived and I realized that I didn't have any dies or a case holder to seat primers and load them. So I had to make a few devices if I was going to shoot black powder shotgun at tomorrows meet.
First was the issue of primers. I didn't have a 12g shell holder, but I realized that the brass 12g shell will fit perfectly unto the threaded insert of the RCBS rockchucker press.
So now I just needed a way to seat the primer. I found a spring loaded primer seater from some old priming tool and I went out into the garage an made a holder on the lathe.
It snaps into the Rock-Chucker just like a case holder
So Priming was accomplished!
Next I needed some way to compress the charge and seat the wads.
Back to the lathe and I turned an aluminum insert that fits into an old 6mmRemington die I had laying around.
I made it a tight fit and used the press to force it together
Now I had a way to compress the components
No shell plate/holder is needed for this operation
Once everything is compressed, a bit of nail polish...........Shhhh...Don't tell the wife!
And we're done!
More pictures here:
http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/gunsmithing-reloading/brass-shotgun-shell/