Good source for 12ga brass shell?

revolvergeek · March 28, 2001, 12:09 PM

Have not had much luck on a quick online search for brass shotshell. Anybody loading ammo in them?

I know they have to be expensive, but the thought of red or green plastic shells in for my cowboy shotgun is giving me hives. Anybody tried reloading them?

Alex Johnson · March 28, 2001, 09:00 PM

The Old Western Scrounger has brass for the 12 guage. Some others do to. Your right, it is expensive, say about 10 cases for $35 or there abouts. Still, it's nice to look at. I read somewhere that somebody is making dies to reload the brass hulls and put a crimp on them as well, but I don't remember where I read it. You really don't have to crimp them for double barrels, just put a wad in the end and seal it with wax or glue, but you might have to crimp it on the pump guns.

Doc Hudson · March 28, 2001, 10:37 PM

I can not remember where I saw them advertised, but I remember see an ad, not long ago, for brass hulled shotgun shells.

This was loaded ammunition imported from Russia. The price was not unreasonably his if you are dead set on brass hulls. I am pretty sure the cost for a box of twenty was less that the price quoted for Old West Scrounger brass, but I can not swear to it.

Sorry I can not be more help, but the stuff is out there. Good luck finding it.

Doc Hudson

fal308 · March 29, 2001, 10:30 AM

If you look around hard enough you may find some brass hulled Remington 12 gauge loads. I have half a tin of the Ducks Unlimited 50th Anniversary commemorative. I would imagine they made them for other special events also.

Quantrill · March 29, 2001, 11:06 AM

I believe the "Ducks Unlimited" rounds are Berdan primed. I have some that are marked "B.E.L.L. I think that stands for Bell Extrusion Labratory Limited. I bought these from a small gunshop in South Jersey a few years ago. They are boxer primed. Quantrill

revolvergeek · March 29, 2001, 11:28 AM

Thanks for the info everybody. I should have thought to check with O.W.S.; I have an old catalog of theirs on my shelf at home.

I had not heard about the Russian ammo. Hmmm have to check around on that.

That is kinda amusing; Russian brass 12 ga ammo, Chinese Winchester 1897 copies, what's next??

dick w. holliday · March 29, 2001, 12:08 PM

i shoot cowboy matches near Camp Lejeune NC and have seen the old timer Marine shooters with them that came from uncle sam---i'll check at the next match....Dick

Trigger Jerk · March 30, 2001, 11:46 AM

I have a few 12 ga brass shells that I have loaded. I can't tell you what the headstamp is cause they aint handy. But I can tell you that they used large rifle primers rather than shotgun primers and if I remember right, I used 10 gauge wads and cards because the brass is much thinner than plastic. I carefully crimped them with a roll crimper from Balllistic products designed for use in a drill press. I ust didn't start the press. Then I sealed them with white glue that had been colored with food coloring. They turned out so nice, I hate to shoot them.

**Mike Irwin** · March 30, 2001, 03:02 PM

This sounds pretty wierd, but it may work in a pinch...

Could you pain some hulls "brass" colored?

Yeah, they wouldn't look very good, but at least they would look better than nothing.

Here's another possibility...

How about paper shells? I know that a FEW manufacturers were loading paper hulled shells in the late 1880s, but they didn't catch on for a few years...

George Carlson · March 30, 2001, 05:42 PM

We used to shoot brass 16ga and 12ga 25 years ago before there was cowboy action. If I remember right we used 12ga cardboard and felt wads in the 16,and 10ga wads in the 12. Thats using standard trap loads. Your gonna find primers sometimes a problem. Some shells take shotgun primers and some will take large rifle primers. Be carefull with the older cases, as they will split from old age. In fact maybe their better left to the collectors.

fal308 · March 31, 2001, 07:36 AM

If you're just looking for brass colored plastic, look for Remington Handicap loads. They are almost the same brass color as the base.

March 29, 2001, 11:06 AM	#5
Quantrill Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 1999 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 725	Brass Shotgun Shells I believe the "Ducks Unlimited" rounds are Berdan primed. I have some that are marked "B.E.L.L. I think that stands for Bell Extrusion Labratory Limited. I bought these from a small gunshop in South Jersey a few years ago. They are boxer primed. Quantrill

March 30, 2001, 03:02 PM	#9
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	This sounds pretty wierd, but it may work in a pinch... Could you pain some hulls "brass" colored? Yeah, they wouldn't look very good, but at least they would look better than nothing. Here's another possibility... How about paper shells? I know that a FEW manufacturers were loading paper hulled shells in the late 1880s, but they didn't catch on for a few years... __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

March 28, 2001, 12:09 PM	#1
revolvergeek Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2001 Posts: 289	Have not had much luck on a quick online search for brass shotshell. Anybody loading ammo in them? I know they have to be expensive, but the thought of red or green plastic shells in for my cowboy shotgun is giving me hives. Anybody tried reloading them?

March 28, 2001, 09:00 PM	#2
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	The Old Western Scrounger has brass for the 12 guage. Some others do to. Your right, it is expensive, say about 10 cases for $35 or there abouts. Still, it's nice to look at. I read somewhere that somebody is making dies to reload the brass hulls and put a crimp on them as well, but I don't remember where I read it. You really don't have to crimp them for double barrels, just put a wad in the end and seal it with wax or glue, but you might have to crimp it on the pump guns.

March 28, 2001, 10:37 PM	#3
Doc Hudson Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2001 Location: Mississippi Delta Posts: 635	I can not remember where I saw them advertised, but I remember see an ad, not long ago, for brass hulled shotgun shells. This was loaded ammunition imported from Russia. The price was not unreasonably his if you are dead set on brass hulls. I am pretty sure the cost for a box of twenty was less that the price quoted for Old West Scrounger brass, but I can not swear to it. Sorry I can not be more help, but the stuff is out there. Good luck finding it. Doc Hudson

March 29, 2001, 10:30 AM	#4
fal308 Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,992	If you look around hard enough you may find some brass hulled Remington 12 gauge loads. I have half a tin of the Ducks Unlimited 50th Anniversary commemorative. I would imagine they made them for other special events also.

March 29, 2001, 11:28 AM	#6
revolvergeek Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2001 Posts: 289	Thanks for the info everybody. I should have thought to check with O.W.S.; I have an old catalog of theirs on my shelf at home. I had not heard about the Russian ammo. Hmmm have to check around on that. That is kinda amusing; Russian brass 12 ga ammo, Chinese Winchester 1897 copies, what's next??

March 29, 2001, 12:08 PM	#7
dick w. holliday Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2001 Location: NC Posts: 589	i shoot cowboy matches near Camp Lejeune NC and have seen the old timer Marine shooters with them that came from uncle sam---i'll check at the next match....Dick

March 30, 2001, 11:46 AM	#8
Trigger Jerk Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 1999 Location: Eastern WA Posts: 136	I have a few 12 ga brass shells that I have loaded. I can't tell you what the headstamp is cause they aint handy. But I can tell you that they used large rifle primers rather than shotgun primers and if I remember right, I used 10 gauge wads and cards because the brass is much thinner than plastic. I carefully crimped them with a roll crimper from Balllistic products designed for use in a drill press. I ust didn't start the press. Then I sealed them with white glue that had been colored with food coloring. They turned out so nice, I hate to shoot them.

March 30, 2001, 05:42 PM	#10
George Carlson Member Join Date: March 16, 2001 Location: Dakotah territoty Posts: 16	We used to shoot brass 16ga and 12ga 25 years ago before there was cowboy action. If I remember right we used 12ga cardboard and felt wads in the 16,and 10ga wads in the 12. Thats using standard trap loads. Your gonna find primers sometimes a problem. Some shells take shotgun primers and some will take large rifle primers. Be carefull with the older cases, as they will split from old age. In fact maybe their better left to the collectors.

March 31, 2001, 07:36 AM	#11
fal308 Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,992	If you're just looking for brass colored plastic, look for Remington Handicap loads. They are almost the same brass color as the base.