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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3 |
reloading 2 1/2 inch shells for low presssure
Hi All,
I have a damascus barrelled 2 1/2 inch hammer gun 1905 westley richards that has sebsequently been nitro proofed to three tons (uk Tons) say 6500 psi.
I have searched for weeks and bought various books to find loads that are under 3 tons and so far no go.
I would much appreciate any help to find such load recipes.
In australia we cant buy low pressure loads at all, and most bought in from the uk for the edwardian vintagers club are way above three tons
have ordered a ponsness from ballistic products but even they have nothing that low pressure.
checked all the powder manufacurers and have found some low pressure 2 3/4 loads.. does anybody know if they can just be loaded into a 2 1/2 inch with smaller wads.
thanks george
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651 |
Often the 2 3/4 low pressure loads require inserting a 20 fiber card to take up room and add enough bulk for a good crimp. Any 2 3/4" load that will fit in a 2 1/2" shell should be fine. I would try the listed load and see if it fits well in the shorter shell. Hodgdon is one powder make who will respond to enquirers about listed and non loads. They have been very helpful to me in the past. When in doubt I would contact them directly and ask your questions.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743 |
Note there is a difference in the older crusher pressures & PSI. That 3 Ton pressure was crusher. Converted to present day PSI as recorded by a Piezo-electric crystal it is very near 9,000 PSI.
Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 582
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 582 |
I assume you refer to a 12 ga, but on the small chance you have a 16, I was considering a load with International Clays and 2 1/2" Cheddites for my damascus 16 that comes in at 5700. http://data.hodgdon.com/shotshell_load.aspMike
Tolerance: the abolition of absolutes
Consistency is the currency of credibility
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,893 Likes: 651 |
If your interest is 16 then there is an entire site devoted to the 16 and low pressure loads. www.16ga.com Tons of tested information about loads that include pressure in every case. We could use a 12 ga. version of the same type.
Last edited by KY Jon; 05/12/13 11:14 AM.
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,158 Likes: 114 |
reloading 2 1/2 inch shells for low presssure
Hi All,
I have a damascus barrelled 2 1/2 inch hammer gun 1905 westley richards that has sebsequently been nitro proofed to three tons (uk Tons) say 6500 psi.
I have searched for weeks and bought various books to find loads that are under 3 tons and so far no go.
I would much appreciate any help to find such load recipes.
In australia we cant buy low pressure loads at all, and most bought in from the uk for the edwardian vintagers club are way above three tons
have ordered a ponsness from ballistic products but even they have nothing that low pressure.
checked all the powder manufacurers and have found some low pressure 2 3/4 loads.. does anybody know if they can just be loaded into a 2 1/2 inch with smaller wads.
thanks george By smaller wads, do I assume you mean not quite the same length as for a 2 & 3/4" long shell casing. I shoot almost exclusively RST 2 & 1/2" 12 gauge lite 7/8 ounce loads in all my 12 gauge LC Smith guns, whether with Damascus barrels or Nitro proofed steel barrels. Can you order RST shells in "The Land Down Under"? I am about ready to order a flat of those fine 12 RST shells- 250 hulls, and I save the empties- they are great to reload- and for my $, they are the best factory loads available for any vintage double gun--
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,573 Likes: 165
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,573 Likes: 165 |
Note there is a difference in the older crusher pressures & PSI. That 3 Ton pressure was crusher. Converted to present day PSI as recorded by a Piezo-electric crystal it is very near 9,000 PSI. Excellent point, and one we often overlook. And that's service pressure, not proof pressure--even though you'll see some British references to "3 tons proof". The Brits, as of 2005, have now dropped all marks that reference a specific pressure, such as 3 tons or 850 bar. It's now either STD under a crown (for standard, which replaces the old 850 bar) or SUP under two crowns (for superior, which replaces the old 1200 bar). But all those specific pressure references were crusher values, not piezo-electric. Which means, for example, that you cannot multiply 850 bar x 14.5 to get the proof pressure in psi. Per the Birmingham Proofhouse, "standard"/850 bar proof works out to 13,920 psi.
Last edited by L. Brown; 05/13/13 08:35 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,815 Likes: 4
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,815 Likes: 4 |
I have a WR very similar to yours. I cut off or buy 2 1/2 emptys and use 19.5 gr. Pb and 1 oz shot. A nice low pressure load.
Last edited by Stallones; 05/13/13 01:58 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 12
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 12 |
Didn't see anyone mention that 2 3/4" loads are for folded crimping and 2 1/2" are intended to be roll crimped. Ergo, 2 3/4" loads should fit into a 2 1/2" roll crimped hull without appreciable change in ballistics. But, with a light, low pressure load, there should be no issue in using 2 3/4" hulls in a 2 1/2" chambered gun. So sayth many sources.
DDA
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