doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Reloading brass shells

This could be done with a drill press and a file, if necessary. Sizing is not going to work with ordinary tools, imo.

I have a lathe so no problem. I won't be buying any more. I paid 10.00 each for 25 so got to make them work.


JHolland

I had a similar problem with 16ga RMC.

The problem originated when moving fired shells between guns i discovered the different diameter chambers.

The RMC have very thick walled shells and are a bear to resize, as have found out.

My solution was to get a big press for 50 cal BMG for maximum force. I tried annealing by heating the shells to about 600-650 degrees in a green egg. I had minor success, but ultimately i tore up the rims on more than a few and gave up.

I now segregate the wider brass shells for particular guns and stamp them for the appropriate gun. Ultimately if you have only one gun you use them in or are able to resize all chambers to match (enough metal) then it works. If not segregate.

The issue did give me an appreciation of chamber diameter differences. It also drove more to paper hulls overall when I started getting into 2.5 inch 12ga, though I do maintain one batch ofRMC for my Boss.

I never tried lathing them down the several thousandths required.

Any reasons n your using brass over plastic hulls? I have 10 brass hull but they are pretty much for show. I use mostly cut down plastics with both plastic wads and fiber/cardboard in my 1870s Forsyth. I use a 10ga Mec Supersizer and I modified a Mec 600 to load short 10s so I can either roll or fold crimp them.

Not really. I just got them at what I thought was a good price. RMC cases are normally very expensive but are known for their quality. Maybe a little bit of show...


JHolland

The reason for brass over plastic? While one could make the argument of long term of economy; it is mostly because I like them and it is affectation for the most part. They are easy to reload ( minus the sizing issue) and I have some that have been reloaded near fifty times,with other than fire forming to the chamber size, no ill effect or signs of wear.

For my 12ga 2.5 inch I near exclusively use paper hulls, roll crimped on an inexpensive harbor freight drill press. I have simplified it further by staying with two paper hull types (federal & cheditte), two powders (International & Longshot) and limited wad variation. I still have some cut down plastic gold medal federal for my stockpile of SR7625 & 4756, but have not loaded those in years.

Why paper instead of plastic? I believe they more easily roll crimp for a excellent look. Like the RMC brass hulls, a little affectation too. I find fellow hunters are fascinated by the RMC or short paper hulls when I show them.

While I have RMC for 12, 20, and 24, most of my RMC use has been for 16 ga. When i thought RMC was going out of business I brought far more RMC than I should have, but they will outlive me and possibly the next couple of owners too.

The plus side to the RMC hulls is the case life is going to be very long. I've heard of some cowboy shooters reloading the brass hulls over a thousand times.

And if reloading for black powder, plastic hulls don't last very long, just make sure to de-cap the primer before the primer rusts into the pocket.

There was considerable variation of chamber dimensions in 10G - both length and diameter, the latter most notably in the region of the chamber cone.

You have measured chamber length but should also take serial measurements at lower chamber, cone (and barrel) for comparison with your RMC shells.

Another option would be to make wax castings of both chambers and return these with the cases to RMC for alteration to fit your gun - or one particular gun. Your two guns may have different chamber dimensions - and each gun may have chamber variation in dimensions sufficient to allow or restrict their fit.

For optimum shell to chamber fit for thick walled brass cases the barrels should be sent to the maker of the hulls. Also best to stipulate a primer chamber to fit a 209 primer rather than the cap style primer.

If you have two different guns with different chamber dimensions you will need to segragate the hulls for each gun, they will fire form to the larger chamber dimensions. All RMC will come with 209 primer size unless you ask them for something else.

If you need to measure chambers a good quality choke gauge should work, if you want prefect then cast. In cast measuring chamber cerrosafe is the best for this.

Update on my shells. Measured the chambers and the brass. Smoked a few and they are all big at the mouth of the case. The chamber measures slightly tapered. The brass is about .006 bigger. Machined a mandrel to hold them and indicated it in and using a brand new 12 inch file I carefully removed the excess material measuring as I go until they chambered. Also had to thin the rim .010 and round them some. Just a deburr really. Takes time but at 10.00 a case you don't want to scrap any. Made a drawing with dimensions for uniformity. Going to take a little time to do them all and it is so hot here in Ga. I can only work in my shop early in the morning or in the middle of the night. Do these cases take components for a 10ga or do I need to use 9 ga wads? The case wall measure .030 thick minus the .006 I machined so they are now .024 thick. Inside dia. is the same. Thanks everyone for all the help.


JHolland