Loading all brass 12ga 2.5 inch shotgun shells

Gator Weiss · January 17, 2011, 08:51 AM

Scored a Baikal Coachgun the other day. Has 2.75" chambers. Has 20" barrells with screw-in choke tubes.

I am finding 12 gauge all brass shells designed to take pistol primers out there for roughly a buck a piece. I want to load some all brass shells to play with in the Baikal out on the range or in the woods. Want to load some birdshot and some buckshot - probably #4 buck.

Are any of you loading all brass low pressure (but load bang) all brass shotgun shells in black powder?

Has anyone tried these with Pyrodex CTG ?

Any comments on newspaper wads / tissue paper wads / cotton wad vs conventional card wads, etc?

Interested in thoughts on the subject and any techniques our fellow posters might be using.

denster · January 17, 2011, 10:42 AM

Congrats on the coach gun. I've got two of them one in 20 and one in 12GA. You probably allready know that Tru-Chokes fit the Baikals. Might want to consider trying some slugs also. Both of mine will put R/L groups into 4" at 50yds with the inexpensive Rem and Win rifled slugs. Kind of a poor man's double rifle.

Fingers McGee · January 17, 2011, 12:41 PM

I frequently use Matech brass shells in my SxS shotguns. Best source for wads is Circle Fly. Over powder cards, and cushion wads shoult be 11 ga to fit properly. Over shot cards should be 10 ga for a good tight fit. Water glass (sodium Silicate), duco cement, hot glue, Elmers glue, or ??????? will seal them off and keep the shot in when handled and bouncing around in your pocket.

While I've never used Pyrodex, ffg APP and real ffg BP work very well. My normal load is 70 gr BP, over podwer card, cushion wad, 1 1/8 ox #7 1/2 shot, 10 ga over shot card and water glass sealer. I use the RCBS 12 ga dies set to put a slight roll on the case mouth so they're easier to drop in the SxS barrels.

There are probably as many methods in loading brass hulls as there are reloaders. Unlubed fiber wads, plastic wads, wasp nests, toilet paper, milk cartons, cardboard boxes, are being used as wads and cards. BP, APP, Pinacle, Pyrodex and T7 in granulations from Cannon to fffg are used as are most if not all shot sizes that vary depending on what they're being used for.

I'm sure others will chime in with their favorite load.

Load up and have some fun.

FM

Hawg · January 17, 2011, 09:35 PM

Pyrodex works fine.

Hardcase · January 17, 2011, 10:01 PM

I use Fingers' method (I probably learned it here from him) just as he posted above. I use Pyrodex R because black powder isn't available in my parts. Instead of water glass, I just use a bit of Elmer's glue around the edge of the card.

Works like a peach in my hundred year old Janssen & Sons farmer SxS.

Magnum Wheel Man · January 25, 2011, 07:58 AM

anyone ever try loading brass hulls with Trailboss ???

& how about annealing the mouth & roll crimping an over shot card ???

I've heard the cases are quite hard & split easily, so annealing might not be a bad idea anyways ???

also have heard of people having trouble using the balloon head cases with smokeless powders... not sure if Trailboss would be better than those "other powders" tried ???

thought the case head could possibly even be filled with lead or epoxy or ??? if the open head design didn't work well with smokeless ???

Noz · January 25, 2011, 09:49 AM

Crimping is not necessary and will in fact limit the life of the brass hulls.

January 17, 2011, 08:51 AM	#1
Gator Weiss Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2007 Posts: 117	Loading all brass 12ga 2.5 inch shotgun shells Scored a Baikal Coachgun the other day. Has 2.75" chambers. Has 20" barrells with screw-in choke tubes. I am finding 12 gauge all brass shells designed to take pistol primers out there for roughly a buck a piece. I want to load some all brass shells to play with in the Baikal out on the range or in the woods. Want to load some birdshot and some buckshot - probably #4 buck. Are any of you loading all brass low pressure (but load bang) all brass shotgun shells in black powder? Has anyone tried these with Pyrodex CTG ? Any comments on newspaper wads / tissue paper wads / cotton wad vs conventional card wads, etc? Interested in thoughts on the subject and any techniques our fellow posters might be using.

January 17, 2011, 12:41 PM	#3
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	I frequently use Matech brass shells in my SxS shotguns. Best source for wads is Circle Fly. Over powder cards, and cushion wads shoult be 11 ga to fit properly. Over shot cards should be 10 ga for a good tight fit. Water glass (sodium Silicate), duco cement, hot glue, Elmers glue, or ??????? will seal them off and keep the shot in when handled and bouncing around in your pocket. While I've never used Pyrodex, ffg APP and real ffg BP work very well. My normal load is 70 gr BP, over podwer card, cushion wad, 1 1/8 ox #7 1/2 shot, 10 ga over shot card and water glass sealer. I use the RCBS 12 ga dies set to put a slight roll on the case mouth so they're easier to drop in the SxS barrels. There are probably as many methods in loading brass hulls as there are reloaders. Unlubed fiber wads, plastic wads, wasp nests, toilet paper, milk cartons, cardboard boxes, are being used as wads and cards. BP, APP, Pinacle, Pyrodex and T7 in granulations from Cannon to fffg are used as are most if not all shot sizes that vary depending on what they're being used for. I'm sure others will chime in with their favorite load. Load up and have some fun. FM __________________ Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

January 17, 2011, 10:01 PM	#5
Hardcase Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2009 Location: Sunny Southern Idaho Posts: 1,909	I use Fingers' method (I probably learned it here from him) just as he posted above. I use Pyrodex R because black powder isn't available in my parts. Instead of water glass, I just use a bit of Elmer's glue around the edge of the card. Works like a peach in my hundred year old Janssen & Sons farmer SxS. __________________ Well we don't rent pigs and I figure it's better to say it right out front because a man that does like to rent pigs is... he's hard to stop - Gus McCrae

January 25, 2011, 07:58 AM	#6
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	anyone ever try loading brass hulls with Trailboss ??? & how about annealing the mouth & roll crimping an over shot card ??? I've heard the cases are quite hard & split easily, so annealing might not be a bad idea anyways ??? also have heard of people having trouble using the balloon head cases with smokeless powders... not sure if Trailboss would be better than those "other powders" tried ??? thought the case head could possibly even be filled with lead or epoxy or ??? if the open head design didn't work well with smokeless ??? __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; January 25, 2011 at 09:50 AM.

January 17, 2011, 10:42 AM	#2
denster Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 581	Congrats on the coach gun. I've got two of them one in 20 and one in 12GA. You probably allready know that Tru-Chokes fit the Baikals. Might want to consider trying some slugs also. Both of mine will put R/L groups into 4" at 50yds with the inexpensive Rem and Win rifled slugs. Kind of a poor man's double rifle.

January 17, 2011, 09:35 PM	#4
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Pyrodex works fine.

January 25, 2011, 09:49 AM	#7
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	Crimping is not necessary and will in fact limit the life of the brass hulls.