Scored Hull
 

I am getting the hang of shotshell reloading and have my Ponsness Warren 375 turning out 20 ga 7/8 oz rounds nicely. I'm starting with once-fired Win AA and Rem Gun Club hulls and they seem to be fine so far. I used the Win AA hulls first with a standard load from the Alliant Reloader's Guide. These would be close to the factory ammo I had been using; Winchester Universal Game and Target loads which claim to produce 1200 fps velocity.

I loaded up several rounds and took them out back and test-fired them in several of my 20 ga guns. I mixed some factory rounds in with the reloads and fired them randomly in the different guns at no specific target. I just wanted to see that they chambered and ejected okay, that there were no bad signs on the wads or hulls, and sort of feel the recoil to see if there was any noticeable difference. Everything seemed fine to me, and the recoil seemed to be the same among them. Three of the guns were doubles, one was an Ithaca Model 37 featherweight pump gun. All shells cycled nicely through the pump gun.

Next I used the Remington GC once-fired hulls and so far they reload similarly as the Win AA hulls did with all else kept the same. I was expecting they would as I have read that they can be considered to be interchangeable with Win AA hulls.

One thing I did notice was a scored hull, photo attached. I didn't notice it until after it was loaded so I can't be sure it was not that way before I got it. But, I thought I would post it here for comment. You can see it above the factory print on the hull, maybe 3/8th of an inch below the crimp. The score mark is not completely through the plastic but goes 3/4 of the way around the hull. Any comment or concern about this from our more experienced reloaders? I looked through the bags of hulls and don't find another one like it.

I can't think of a single thing in the chambering, firing and ejection of that hull that would have caused that cut, and can only think it is a manufacturing defect. I might use it, but unless you remember to check your bore after each shot, pitch it. Not worth a case separation / burst barrel.

I would NOT shoot that shell in any gun I value.
Not so long ago some foolish people would do that to shells in order that the forward section of the shell would separate and travel as a single projectile.... I can’t imagine that being good for any of our guns.

Further, and not to be an alarmist, the latest version of the Win AA shells are two piece shells and there have been “reports” or rumors of the inner base section separating from thevhull and ending up as an obstruction in the bore somewhere.
I use 20 ga AA’s for reloading but they are the old single piece style.





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It looks too low for the edge of the loading die to catch it at the taper crimp stage. This assuming you have taper crimp dies. Its worth checking though.

I clean the inside of my PW dies fairy often, quick wipe starting a session, they will get dirty inside and cause sticky ejection and vertical score lines on AA hulls. Never seen horizontal lines

Primary diagnosis trick does it repeat, that would indicate press problem. Random its the hull

** missed the pump gun part, adds another variable, check the carrier for sharp edges, paint a fresh hull with black marker cycle & see where the carrier is hitting the hull. Could be edge of the loading port too. Don't know about m37 but new 870 pumps have very sharp edges. Sharp enough to be hard on fingers, had to de-burr one for my son.

William

Thanks for the comments guys. I'll cut it open and reuse the internals.

I would load 3 dummy AA cartridges fired primer something to simulate powder normal wad & shot. Paint black with a sharpie and cycle through the M37 dozens of times. Shows exactly whats going on.

Its not the Parker and probably not the PW 375. Rule out the pump before going to the other possables

Willian