Monday, August 12, 2013

Loading Progress

I managed to put together fourteen rounds of 10 gauge ammo this evening.   It was a test run for a sort of system that I intend to use and it worked very well.  I stopped at fourteen because I ran out of cork filler wads and didn't feel like cutting any more.

I am using a Lyman Digital Powder Dispenser Scale contraption to weigh the powder and the shot.



I let it dispense a powder charge which I then pour into one case.  I put in a cork spacer wad and then the plastic wad.  I set that shell aside on a different table and charge the next one.  

Once all the cases are charged and wadded,  I take a little sheet of mylar that is cut to match the depth of the wad's shot cup, roll it up into a tube and insert it into the shot cup.  That is to keep the shot from getting out  of the shotcup and contacting the barrel when the shell is fired.  The mylar sheet springs open against the inside of the shot cup and its ready to get its shot charge.  





Using the Lyman scale as just a scale, I weigh out one ounce of #4 ITX shot and pour it into a case.   Set that aside on the other table so I don't knock it over and put mylar and shot in the next one.   I don't think I ever hit exactly 437.5 grains but I managed to keep them  all between 435 and 437 grains of shot and that's pretty close.  Just judging by what the scale said when I'd add a single pellet to the pile of shot, it looked like each pellet weighs around 2.5 grains.

After all the goodies are in the case, its closed with two over shot card wads and nice roll crimp and its officially a shotgun shell.

I will "roll" some more sometime this week and put up a few pictures.  Maybe even a video of the roll crimping process.  A thunder storm is suggesting that I shut down for the night.

1 comment:

Lantry said...

I like it. Mine is a few years old and they sell a kit to make it go faster but mine will keep up with me when I'm loading rifle, pistol or shotgun ammo on a turret press. It dispenses the powder charge about as quickly as I can seat a bullet and its not affected by air circulation in the reloading room. (My balance beam scales bob up and down when the AC kicks on). I suspect that the new ones are already made to go faster than mine. Cleaning it out after use took a little getting used to but I'd have caught on faster if I had read the directions on how to do that. About the only drawback I have found with it is that it has to warm up for 30 minutes before you can use it. That's not a major issue for me since I don't think I've ever started loading ammo on the spur of the moment. I originally thought I shouldn't have spent the money on it but its turned out to be one of the more useful tools in my reloading room.