How to use old shotgun crimper?

DG45 · February 8, 2010, 02:41 AM

I have an old single barrel shotgun that I'm going to use for blackpowder shooting - and maybe for some low power smokeless powder shooting. I've ordered brass hulls from RMC and am awaiting their shipment and I plan to use them mostly, because I don't need much in the way of equipment to load them. Just for kicks though, I also dropped a few bucks on an old antique 12 guage shotgun shell crimper (roll crimper?) at auction recently, just in case I decide to load paper (or plastic?) shotshells.

I'm not exactly sure how to use it. There is a thumbscrew clamp obviously meant to lock the device to a tabletop. Then there is a lever that looks like its meant to lock the shell into the cylinder. Then there is a pushrod that I guess brings the crimping head into position at the top (open end) of the shotshell (?). Then there is a handle that turns, that I guess closes the shell(?) or rolls an edge over a card (?) or something.

How the heck does this thing work? What I'm hoping to get is a finished shell like the old ones my granddad used to have I was a kid 55 or 60 years ago, before I ever saw a star crimped shell, where there was a card at the end of the shell that held everything in the shell. (Maybe grandad rolled his own.) Anyway, that card wasn't exactly right at the end of the shell. It was back in from the end of the shell maybe 1/32 of an inch or maybe 1/16 inch with the edges of the shell casing sort of folded over and under, all around the edge of the shell to hold that card in. I'm hoping that's exactly what this device does. Is it? If you can help, your advice on how this works will be appreciated!

snuffy · February 8, 2010, 03:30 AM

DG, what you have is indeed a roll crimper. Turning the handle on a new casing will "roll over" the end, turn it down to hold the over-shot card against the top of the shot column. It won't work however on any shell that has been star crimped.

Modern roll crimpers are made to be spun at fairly high speed to do the same job. The high RPM creates heat that helps soften plastic hulls, allowing them to crimp firmly after they cool down. Here's my set-up for making slug loads.

For your brass shotshells, that's an entirely different program. The brass is MUCH thinner than plastic shells, for 12 Ga. brass you should use 11 ga wads. Standard 12 gauge wads are too small to seal. And, you can't roll crimp, they have to have a taper crimp applied with a sealer on the over-shot wad. Best way to load those is to buy a rifle loading press that has the removable bushing, then get the RCBS cowboy loading dies made for brass shotshells. They have the decapper, sizer and the taper crimper all in one die.

Sport45 · February 8, 2010, 12:04 PM

I don't know this for sure, but I think I read somewhere that black powder and plastic hulls don't play well together. Something about them melting. You may want to stick with the brass.

February 8, 2010, 02:41 AM	#1
DG45 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Posts: 904	How to use old shotgun crimper? I have an old single barrel shotgun that I'm going to use for blackpowder shooting - and maybe for some low power smokeless powder shooting. I've ordered brass hulls from RMC and am awaiting their shipment and I plan to use them mostly, because I don't need much in the way of equipment to load them. Just for kicks though, I also dropped a few bucks on an old antique 12 guage shotgun shell crimper (roll crimper?) at auction recently, just in case I decide to load paper (or plastic?) shotshells. I'm not exactly sure how to use it. There is a thumbscrew clamp obviously meant to lock the device to a tabletop. Then there is a lever that looks like its meant to lock the shell into the cylinder. Then there is a pushrod that I guess brings the crimping head into position at the top (open end) of the shotshell (?). Then there is a handle that turns, that I guess closes the shell(?) or rolls an edge over a card (?) or something. How the heck does this thing work? What I'm hoping to get is a finished shell like the old ones my granddad used to have I was a kid 55 or 60 years ago, before I ever saw a star crimped shell, where there was a card at the end of the shell that held everything in the shell. (Maybe grandad rolled his own.) Anyway, that card wasn't exactly right at the end of the shell. It was back in from the end of the shell maybe 1/32 of an inch or maybe 1/16 inch with the edges of the shell casing sort of folded over and under, all around the edge of the shell to hold that card in. I'm hoping that's exactly what this device does. Is it? If you can help, your advice on how this works will be appreciated!

February 8, 2010, 03:30 AM	#2
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	DG, what you have is indeed a roll crimper. Turning the handle on a new casing will "roll over" the end, turn it down to hold the over-shot card against the top of the shot column. It won't work however on any shell that has been star crimped. Modern roll crimpers are made to be spun at fairly high speed to do the same job. The high RPM creates heat that helps soften plastic hulls, allowing them to crimp firmly after they cool down. Here's my set-up for making slug loads. For your brass shotshells, that's an entirely different program. The brass is MUCH thinner than plastic shells, for 12 Ga. brass you should use 11 ga wads. Standard 12 gauge wads are too small to seal. And, you can't roll crimp, they have to have a taper crimp applied with a sealer on the over-shot wad. Best way to load those is to buy a rifle loading press that has the removable bushing, then get the RCBS cowboy loading dies made for brass shotshells. They have the decapper, sizer and the taper crimper all in one die. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

February 8, 2010, 12:04 PM	#3
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	I don't know this for sure, but I think I read somewhere that black powder and plastic hulls don't play well together. Something about them melting. You may want to stick with the brass. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.