The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Theoretical question re: brass shotshells

DG45 · June 20, 2010, 01:41 AM

The following problem hasn't happened to me yet , and may never happen, but I'd like to know what to do if it ever does:

I've recently started handloading lathed brass shotshells with Triple 7 powder, which is a black powder substitute. I'm using Winchester 209 primers which seem to be perfectly reliable, but nothing is perfect. If I ever drop the hammer on one of those primers and it indents, but doesn't fire, or does fire but for whatever reason doesn't ignite the powder in the shotshell, whats the procedure I should follow from there?

A paper shell or plastic shell with smokeless powder, wouldn't be a problem. I'd just throw the thing into a ditch or something. But I'm not tossing away a $6.50 brass shotshell, and I can't cut into the brass hull to remove the components. And oh yes, did I mention I'm talking about black powder here? -(Actually its Triple 7, a slightly more powerful blackpowder substitute.)

I'm sure I could get the overshot card out ok and pour the shot out, but the prelubed fiber wads are tamped in and packed so tightly that they would be difficult to remove. I could probably get them out with a corkscrew or some sort of hook. Getting the nitro card and powder out might be more difficult.

I'm not sure that it would be safe to do any of this stuff. Is there any danger of a primer that didn't go off initially later firing in some sort of delayed reaction?

June 20, 2010, 01:41 AM	#1
DG45 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Posts: 904	Theoretical question re: brass shotshells The following problem hasn't happened to me yet , and may never happen, but I'd like to know what to do if it ever does: I've recently started handloading lathed brass shotshells with Triple 7 powder, which is a black powder substitute. I'm using Winchester 209 primers which seem to be perfectly reliable, but nothing is perfect. If I ever drop the hammer on one of those primers and it indents, but doesn't fire, or does fire but for whatever reason doesn't ignite the powder in the shotshell, whats the procedure I should follow from there? A paper shell or plastic shell with smokeless powder, wouldn't be a problem. I'd just throw the thing into a ditch or something. But I'm not tossing away a $6.50 brass shotshell, and I can't cut into the brass hull to remove the components. And oh yes, did I mention I'm talking about black powder here? -(Actually its Triple 7, a slightly more powerful blackpowder substitute.) I'm sure I could get the overshot card out ok and pour the shot out, but the prelubed fiber wads are tamped in and packed so tightly that they would be difficult to remove. I could probably get them out with a corkscrew or some sort of hook. Getting the nitro card and powder out might be more difficult. I'm not sure that it would be safe to do any of this stuff. Is there any danger of a primer that didn't go off initially later firing in some sort of delayed reaction?