10 ga project

[C. Aaron Beck]

I would like to set myself up for reloading 10 ga shells to use for clays and hunting. I have dowloaded the 10 ga recipes posted earlier but have never reloaded before and am basically starting from scratch. Assuming I want to start with just one or two load recipes, how do I make sure I order all the right stuff. It seems in addition to the loader and components there are tools to skive new hulls, tools to resize old hulls, tools to cut down hulls to short lengths, overshot card combos which read like alphabet soup, charge bar and bushings in plethora and generally a baffling array of components for what seems to be a straightforward project. Any guidance appreciated or if you have some experiance here and would be willing to talk on the phone, perhaps that would be better.

Aaron

[Dave Miles]

Where are you located?
If your lucky, a member who reloads may live by you and you could visit and see first hand what your getting into and what is required.

[E Robert Fabian]

Aaron, I reload the Federal hulls, I also would recommend just buying a adjustable reloading bar for your 10 ga press, you will also need a digital scale 50 60 bucks, to confirm your loads. this combination will allow you to load lead bismuth or nice shot. I started by just reloading trap crow loads , which needs SP 10 wad and star crimp. I would order a roll crimp tool and you can just use a cordless drill in low and hold them with fingers. Hull trimmer you can make, recommend over the one for sale, 10" of 3/4 wood dowel a exacto blade and a wood screw.

[Cal Lego]

At this point, I have only started to load the 10 gauge myself but found that I could do it pretty easily on my trusty Mec 600. I used the 10 gauge sizing ring screwed onto my 12 gauge sleeve and theysized just great. I poured a measured charge using my Belding & Mull measure, put in the SP10 Remington wad and a couple of spacer wads and then the shot (1-1/4 oz.) I bought a roll crimper from Precision that was steel and turns right handed in my little drill press. I held the case by hand and got an amazing roll crimp.

[E Robert Fabian]

Hi Cal, got to love those short tens, looks like you have got it going with the roll crimps. What do you use your ten for there in sunny Calf.
I posted a picture of a home made shell trimmer behind your last post if you should need one.
Bob

[Cal Lego]

What do you use your ten for there in sunny Calf.
I posted a picture of a home made shell trimmer behind your last post if you should need one.
Bob

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the post on the trimmer. A picture is worth 1000 words. I use the 10 gauge mostly to amuse myself here in not-so-sunny-lately California. I'm hoping to move to Idaho in a year or so and do some hunting again.

[Bill Murphy]

Nice picture of the shell cutter. Picture this as a low tech alternative. Clamp a sharp kitchen knife in a vise, blade edge up. Place your shell over the end of a close fitting aluminum or hardwood dowel. Roll the shell over the blade like a rolling pin. Slide the cut off section of shell up the dowel and insert another shell. It is real fast and real easy. The time saving is in cutting directly around the shell rather than a spiral cut which many methods require.

[Cal Lego]

Nice picture of the shell cutter. Picture this as a low tech alternative. Clamp a sharp kitchen knife in a vise, blade edge up. Place your shell over the end of a close fitting aluminum or hardwood dowel. Roll the shell over the blade like a rolling pin. Slide the cut off section of shell up the dowel and insert another shell. It is real fast and real easy. The time saving is in cutting directly around the shell rather than a spiral cut which many methods require.

I will try that tonight. I have 100 to trim and am sure I'm going to cut myself the way I was doing it. Great idea, thanks!

[Mark Ouellette]

Hi Jent,

Do you use a PW 1000 progressive press? If so would you recommend one of those $970 rigs to a poor shooter like me...

Mark

[Bill Murphy]

Jent uses a Model 375 PW. The 375 is the best ten gauge loader anyone can have.

[CraigThompson]

Hello Aaron Beck, If you are near Northern Virginia I can share with you how I reload the SHORT antique 10 gauge hulls on a PW reloading tool. Good Shooting To You, Jent

jentpmitchell@msn.com

You load the 2 7/8" 10 gauge on a PW 375 ?

Did you have someone make you a short kit like MEC sells for the 600 JR ?

I had a PW 375 a number of years ago to load for the 16 and 10 gauge 3 1/2" . I liked it alot more then the MEC 600JR I'm using now to load 10 gauge 2 7/8" !

Okay it helps if I go to the second page before I ask questions !!!!!!

Who did the PW conversion for you to change it from 3 1/2" to 2 7/8" ?

I'd be intrested in getting another PW 375 and doing that !

[Paul Harm]

Nothing against the PW, but everyone at my club uses the Mec line, and the 600jr is a no brainer. Just make a shim out of wood or steel to load a shorter shell. If anyone is haveing trouble there's always someone to help out. Paul

[Paul Harm]

Mr.Beck, if you use a Mec 600jr they can be found at gun shows for less than a 100$ - a new one for about 150$. If it's a used 12ga and you're going to roll crimp all you'll need to use the 600 is a different resizeing ring [ or don't resize and take the 12ga ring off ] . You can deprime, prime, and add the powder, wads, and shot with a 12ga set up. Then just remove the shell and roll crimp. Or buy a 10ga and make a spacer the proper height to go under the plate for crimping. I like 19grs of 700X and plastic or paper wads [ from www.circlefly.com ]. Tell Craig what you're doing and he'll set you up. Paul

[calvin humburg]

Bill what guides your shell so you get an even cut.

[Bill Murphy]

Years of practice with a rolling pin making Christmas cookies with my Mom.

[calvin humburg]

I bought a new 600 jr in 10ga and I didn't have to buy a short kit I just took out the main beam bolt and moved it to the other whole and it worked. You have to take the primer holder out so it will go down far enough.