should I use 11 or 10 gauge wads in brass 12ga shells?

[ron petrov]

I have some new magtech 2 1/2" brass 12 ga shells just need to get the right size wads and load some up
also I don't plan on storing the shells just load and shoot
would there be any problems from using fiber wads also for an overshot card?

[John Campbell]

Best to load the wads that will seal the case tube best under ignition. Otherwise powder gas blow by is an issue with the shot charge. Fiber wads will work for overshot... just not too durable and generally thicker than needed. Hence you need to make adjustments lower in the column.

[Paul Harm]

When I was reloading Magtechs it was 10ga wads. I used a Mec 600jr - made pushing the 10ga wads in a bit easier. As for the overshot wad - in my past experience, only the thin, .024 wad was used. A little white glue is needed to kept them in place. I tried CF's thicker .062 OS card and got a big hole in the center of my pattern. The old roll crimped paper shells and those of us doing it today all use a THIN over shot card and for good reason - the less obstruction the shot has to fly through, the better. I also found that using more than 1" of cushion fiber wad caused holes in the pattern. Don't know for sure why, but believe too much mass and it would get pushed into the pattern. Are you loading black powder? If not, let me know what powder you're using. I tried many nitro powders and could never get anything but bloopers. With PB I even went up up 32grs [a normal load was 18grs] and still got bloopers. I quit there not having any pressure testing equipment. I believe it's because of the large volume in Magtechs. Good luck - Paul

[Paul Harm]

I know some will say not to use a Mec for reloading when using black powder, but I did it for about 8 years with no problems. When I reloaded Magtechs, I used a home made bushing to hold the primer and pulled the shell out before the crimp station. I was reloading a 150 shells at a time. If you're just doing a couple, doing it by hand wouldn't be all that bad.

[charlie cleveland]

paul i too had a lot of problems with the brass and paper hulls with bloopers...i found my problem to be not having enough pressure on the wads being seated..i use hot glue gun to seal the top wad...i use a wood pencil or simular object to push down on the wad as i sealed it with the glue..this has stopped all my problems...i was loading smokelless powder when having this problem... charlie

[Paul Harm]

Charlie, never thought of that. They claim with shotgun shells it's the crimp that creates the resistance to the powder burning where as with a rifle it's the nose of the bullet against the rifling. I would have thought cold gluing the OS wad in place would have worked. The over powder and cushion wad being 10ga went in pretty hard but I don't remember how much wad pressure I used. Probably not much because I don't with any other reload. Bet if I jammed them down with 60 to 80#s they would have worked. Just a thought.