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I experimented with Magtech brass shells in 16 gauge and nitro powder. The loads were very inconsistent. I came to the conclusion that the internal shape of the shell was not good for nitro powder as I could not get the nitro to work well in them. After those experiments I only reload my Magtechs with black powder. Which is no big handicap for sure.

I seriously doubt the shape of the case had much to do with your failures with smokeless. Much more likely your powder/primer combo were simply not compatible. Most of these cases are built for pistol primers & the ordinary pistol primer being intended to ignite a small charge of powder in a smaller container are simply not as hot as an average shotshell primer.
Alcan used to offer an all brass shell designed for the old Remington #57 size shotshell primer & they could be used even for magnum loads of smokeless. Their regular brass hulls which used a Berdan primer or the domestic Rem/Win brass hulls which used pistol primers were ordinarily confined to using black, bulk smokeless or a few fast, easily ignited smokeless powders. Red Dot usually worked OK but nothing much slower.

Hi Miller:

It certainly hadn't occured to me that the large pistol primer was underpowered and causing the velocities to be erratic.

In the MagTech 16 the powder is actually around and to the side of the primer. When I was fiddling with the nitro in MagTech hull I cut open some early paper shells I had that were made for nitro. The powder "chamber" in those is shaped like a funnel with the primer firing into the apex of the cone. After I read your post I cut open a couple Modern shells. The chamber is not cone shaped but more like a somewhat flattened semi-hemisphere. The base wad in the two different modern hulls keeps the powder from being to the side of the primer.

I had decided that I would have to have Rocky Mountain Cartridge factory make some brass shells for me if I wanted to shoot nitro in a brass shell. They turn theirs on a lathe and made in such a way that no powder is to the side of the primer. I was even going to have them shape it like the "chambers" in those early paper shells. But the expense of the Rocky Mountain hulls threw me off the project.

I have some Rem UMC 16s that use a smaller primer, I guess from your post they use #57s. I have never loaded them. The "chamber" of those Remingtons is shaped just like the MagTech. If I could round up some #57 primers I could experiment with nitro in that Rem UMC brass shell. I have enough of those to make it an interesting project.

Wonder where I can get 57 primers?

Thanks for the information.

Been loading Magtech for long time.

Make 577-450 and 577 Snider out of 24 gauge and Dutch Beaumont out of 32 gauge brass.

Also American Arms O/Us in 24 and 32 gauge and reload both brass and plastic for them.

No issues so far, you do have to have wads that fit tightly in the brass hulls or use a tight nitro card under the wad.

For the brass hulls, I do not crimp but use Elmer's School Glue to hold the overshot wad.

Mike

p.s. wish Magtech made a 10 gauge brass hull, but now use the old Alcan all brass hulls and they are wonderful

Mike what nitro powder and primer are you using in the MagTechs?

And what gauge?

Thanks!

24 and 32 gauge

Here is an example.
For the 24 gauge
CCI Large Pistol Primer, Green dot, Alcan 20 gauge PGS wad and Federal 20 gauge 1/2 inch cushion wad, 3/4 ounce of shot, and a 20 gauge over shot wad

I assume you could also use a 20 gauge Win AA wad and a cheerio and 3/4 ounce of shot.

There is no trick to loading these hulls.

I do however have a shell holder for the 577 snider that I use for priming the hulls, not required but easier.

Mike

What pressure are you getting?

Did you mean you are loading them for rifles?

Thanks for the reply.

Pressure, I am calculating around 10,000 PSI

1200 fps

No, shooting them at clay pigeons and doves and they are very effective and no performance issues either ejection or pressure
or bloopers, or anything.

Others suggest HS-6 (Win 540), HS-7 (Win 571), Blue Dot, 800-X, or Longshot is more appropriate for 7/8 ounce and maybe 1 ounce loads in the 24, and at velocities useful in the field of 1150 to 1250 fps

But I stay with the 3/4 ounce in the 24 gauge. If I want more, I go up in gauge

Mike

p.s. as a hoho check, refer to The Handbook of Shotshell Loading by Couger page 213 on the 28 gauge Federal hi-power hull,

Longshot was one of the powders I tried. I was loading 1oz into a sixteen MagTech. My velocities went all over. Varied from 900 to 1300fps in ten shots.

Also tried Rex III.

And Clays.

I glued the overshot card in too.

Thanks again.

Mike,

Yes, and I went to a bit faster burning rate powder and tighter wads for the gauge because of the thin brass hull to insure good burn efficiency.

BUT you must be careful and work up the load because of the faster burn rate of the powder.

Mike

p.s. 28 gauge shooter Sorry for the hijack, I will go to bed now