I have a 1873 Remington 10ga that I normally shoot 12ga in with GaugeMates. Wanting to shoot some 10ga BP I thought the RST shells once fired could be reloaded. The question is the simplest way to do it. Just make up some hand tools, or does Lee still offer a simple hand set for this? I thought maybe of cutting the crimp off and just glueing the overshot card in to make the shells last longer. Any ideas ? thanks - Paul

Just for everyones info - RST Lites are under 6000psi and cost $11.95 a box of 25. The only place to buy empty shells is Ballistic products and they get $18.95 for 50. So for $5 more I can get 50 loaded shells. It would seem the best way to go is with the RSt's. Paul

Paul, Do you have the Sherman Bell 10 gauge load data?
I don't think there's any BP loads, but it may be of interest to you. I can e-amil it to you if you don't have it.
Dave Miles

I have purchased hulls online. Some from Ebay and I think I got some Federals from Ballistic Products. If you live in waterfowl country make friends with the guys shooting the 3 1/2" tens. Many don't reload and will just give you the hulls. Cut them down to the needed length.

I load all of my 10ga, including blackpowder on a Mec 600. The only step I do not do on the Mec with blackpowder is pouring the powder in. I do that with a scoop. I do this only because I don't have a bushing that will throw enough BP and my adjustable charge bar won't throw enough for 10ga.

I have never gotten more than two reloads out of a hull when using BP and to do that I have to carefully sort them while looking for burned through spots. So I have just accepted that I will only get one BP load from a hull.

I do have 25 full length 10ga brass shells that I have loaded many times. You do have to make sure that you clean them with soap and water as soon as you can after shooting them.

Mike , the problem I've had with my 12ga brass shells is there seems to be a lot of blow-by what gets the action so dirty the barrels have trouble closeing after twenty or so shots. Do you have any problems with the brass shells ? Also, I reload my 12ga BP on a Mec 650. Just did some retooling and pluged the hole in the side of the charge bar with a wooden dowel. Then drilled out the hole for the powder bushing- get about 92grs out of it. With the auto press I just have to make sure I hold the handle down when under the powder bottle to make sure the bar fills completely . Don't know how much you want for the 10ga- would that be enough ? I load 92grs with 1oz of shot- makes a good load. Maybe you could tell me your load for the 10ga ? Thanks - Paul

Paul, I had Rocky Mountain Brass make me 2 5/8" shells for my 10 ga. It is my understanding that they will make shells to order and could make shells that would fit your chamber diameter as I get no/very little blow -back from my brass shells. David

Rocky Mountain does a great job, you will need to cast your chamber and send him the data preferably.
Heres my technique: I found at Home Depot a 3/4" PVC T that measures exactly 2 7/8 long and the 10 ga shell goes in neatly. Then I use a utility knife to trim to 2 7/8, load with 31 gr. 7625 a SP 10 wad and 1 1/4 oz shot, roll crimp and Kaboom-- off I go to the Hunting ground

I don't think e-bay list gun stuff anymore- at least I couldn't find any shells. Also tried two or three different gun auction web sites with no luck . Anyone know of a site that sells shotgun hulls ? Stallones , I was wanting to load black powder, not smokeless- but thanks anyways. David may have a good point, get the brass hulls to match the chamber. I have a 250 or so of the Magtechs, but haven't had much luck because of the fouling. So I shoot pyrodex with a plastic wad in Federal hulls to limit fouling and plastic melt down. Guess I'll do the same with the 10ga- now if only I could find some empty hulls. Paul

Paul,
B-P sells the Federal Plastic 10 gauge hulls.
They are 3-1/2" and most be cut down, but that's where I buy my hulls. http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/products.asp?dept=75

Paul,

To be honest I don't have that much experience with the brass shells.

I bought my 10ga almost ten years ago. Just weeks after I discovered this site...... Scott Premier with two barrel sets for $800.

I thought I knew all the facts. IE: No smokeless in damascus & no blackpowder in plastic hulls.

So I ordered up the brass shells and used them until 'I knew better'. Now I generally only use them on opening day of waterfowl, just because.

Now that's the way to go hunting - smoke on ducks. My good friend once shoot a 50 bird sporting clays event with BP and plastic wads. Gun started to kick bad near the end. He looked down the barrels and said he thought it was full of spaghetti. Took him about two hours to clean it. I've even tried it to no avail with a o.p. card before the plastic wad- it still melts. Useing Pyrodex leaves a little, but isn't bad. My load of 92grs Pyrodex, a 1 3/8oz plastic wad and 1oz of shot will go in a federal hull, makes a lot of noise and smoke, and broke 44/50 at a SxS S.C.'s event. Everyone had to try it. Can't wait to load about 4 drams of smoke in my 10ga for our next SxS event. Should shake the ground. Paul

Paul,

I can't tell you how many grains of black I use. Since day one of BP loading I have done volume for volume. My typical 10ga load is 1 1/4oz of shot and equal volume of either 1F or 2F Goex.

Two funny stories concerning BP shotgunning.

I was shooting a round of skeet with my 10ga at a local range. A small crowd developed and one smart aleck in the crowd asked if I was hitting them or breaking them with the concussion.....

Opening day of waterfowl season. My son and I were both useing 12ga hammerguns with BP and bismuth. Walking out on the dikes afterword we met up with the hunters who were across the open water from us. They asked (seriously) if we had a fire going. 'Uh, no.'