Anyone reload 24 gauge
 

I bought a Darne 24 gauge recently. Did catch 20 boxes of shells on sale but was wondering if anyone reloads this gauge?

BPI sells reloading supplies for the 24ga - go here http://www.ballisticproducts.com/searchprods.asp for a roll crimper. Other than that all you need is a dowel with a nail to deprime [ and a block with a hole in it for the shell to sit on ] , another dowel to prime and the same dowel to push plastic or paper wads in the shell. Or a Mec Jr. press set up for 28ga and no resizing ring would get through everything but the crimping. If you have access to a lathe you could make the right size resizing ring - about .004 bigger than a factory shell. Good luck.

Thanks Paul. I think I can play around with a mec 28 or 20 gauge loader and make something work. The shells I bought were 2 1/2” roll crimped shells so I will prbably order a roll crimper. Although 500shells should last me for awhile.

If you can, mic a factory 28ga and then mic the resizing ring to see if there is a difference. You would then know what size to make a 28ga ring to fir a 24ga. Probably won't have to take out much.

Looks like about .030 I agree should not take much.

Time consuming process, but then again you don't need that many!! Bought the wads, shot cards and tooling from BPI. Problem is that they don't make a 24 gauge trimmer and you have to trim 1/4 inch in order to get a good roll crimp. I found a plumbing fitting in lowes that the hull fits into which I cut to the proper length. Slip in the hull and trim with an exacto blade. I de -prime and prime on my Hornady 20 gauge press. I load the powder, seat the wads and load shot by hand, and place the cards and roll crimp on a drill press.
IMHO the 3/4 oz, 1200 fps loads I make pattern much nicer than the available RST and Fiocchi, at least in my gun.

Thanks sounds like a pretty straight forward process. I pick up the gun on Monday and will be burning some of the factory shells through it. Our dove season just opened back up so Im looking forward to trying it out. After I get a few boxes of hulls I will try loading something a little better than the factory loads.

Phil
You’re retired. You have all the time in the world!!!
Except when I come down hunting with Scout.....

You just need to give up a day of golfing and we can shot some quail, dove and ducks. Need to schedule an extra day next time in Tucson and Scout will show you a good time.
I can also take you to some of my favorite shops. Bought the Darne 24 gauge and a BEAUTIFUL engraved hammer 20 gauge the week you were here.

So far as trimming the hull, a wood dowel the proper diameter and I use a single edge razor stuck in at about 15 degrees. A box of razors are cheap, can be used for many things, and a little pressure one way or the other with your thumb on top of the razor while cutting will vary how fast , or should say how much material is taken off when rotating the shell. Just my way of doing it.