Fireforming I'm familiar with and have done it so that isn't any problem. I do think I am going to have to trim the cases first because the 43 is about 1/2 in. longer. That shouldn't present any problems and I THINK my pistol dies will work once the case is shortened. I also think I can use my 40-70 dies to take it down to 40 then fireforming should bring it back out. 10 grs. of Unique should work for forming, yes? Too much, not enough? I may have to thin the necks, I just don't know yet....I'll be more surprised if I don't. My guess on bullet weight is no more than about 300 grains with 275 seeming optimum. Barnes mentioned 260-300 for the 10.5 X 47R. I'm wondering what the case capacity will end up being....around 60 grains if I'm lucky? I hope not much less.
Here are a couple things I've kinda ran into. The rim diameter of my 43 brass is a bit smaller, about .010, so I took the barrels off and slid the rim into the recess and it felt pretty darn good to me. Opinion on whether that will be ok? The same difference exists in the head, near .010. Obviously these will be low pressur, BP rounds and I think that will be ok also. Yes, no?
I've got a handle on the rifle. Now, what about the smoothbore? Or, what the heck do you call a smoothbore with straight rifling in it? (the more I look down that bore the more I grin) The Germans have to have some cool word for that!!! A 16 ga. hull fits fine. I understand the shortening of the case, the wad column, if such it can be called, and Seyfried always mentioned 3-4 drams for a 16 bore and round ball. What I have no clue about, even though I've read it a hundred times, is how in Sam Hill do I crimp the hull over the ball? I've read several methods and some kind of tool that fits in a drill, for turning a crimp on plastic cases, but what about brass cases? Is there a crimping die for that? Reckon I gotta come up with a 16 bore RB too. Oh this is getting to be FUN!!!
