I did. I made a mandrel and used a brass block and ball peen hammer.

You know, another option to loading short shells is to use the Hartin crimp, no need for a short kit, no need to change your press and minor rise in pressure.

Jack Kuzepski

jack what is the hartin crimp... charlie

I have not heard of the Hartin crimp.
This thread has produced some interesting responses and pm's. Some will only shoot short shells and others seem to feel that any moderate-low load should be safe and site info/studies.

The Hartin crimp was developed by a guy with that last name. What you do is take your normal 2-3/4" hull and cut it down to 2-5/8" and load it as you normaly would. After dropping the shot charge you place an over the top wad on the shot charge. Then place the hull under the crimp starter and start the short crimp; then move the hull to the finish crimp station and finish the crimp. The top wad just keeps the shot in place where a hole would normaly be in the crimp. It takes the place of the short kit. You may have to adjust the finish crimp die to force the crimp slightly deeper to get a secure hold on the top wad.
I've tried cutting Federal hulls and others to 2-5/8", loading them and use a spacer on the crimping stations where a top wad would not be needed. It does work, BUT by moving the crimp shoulder lower on the hull is a bit iffy as the hull has a bit of "memory" of being straight and the crimps want to come undone or at least open enough (at times) to lose shot and/or pressure holding the load back and get bloopers.

Jack Kuzepski

Jack is wise.
But shooting 2 3/4 inch skivved mouth hulls is the practical solution to 99% of this. That means AA, STS, etc. NOT Federal plastic or paper. No adjustments needed. Except of the psychological.
Of course Sherman Bell and Tom Armbrust could have been full of baloney...

Hi All,
I have a damascus barrelled 2 1/2 inch hammer gun 1905 westley richards that has sebsequently been nitro proofed to three tons (uk Tons) say 6500 psi.

I have searched for weeks and bought various books to find loads that are under 3 tons and so far no go.

I would much appreciate any help to find such load recipes.

In australia we cant buy low pressure loads at all, and most bought in from th uk for the edwardian vintagers club are way above three tons

have ordered a ponsness from ballistic products but even they have nothing that low pressure.
checked all the powder manufacurers and have found some low pressure 2 3/4 loads.. does anybody know if they can just be loaded into a 2 1/2 inch with smaller wads.
thanks george

george you can put the 2 3/4 inch loads in the 2 1/2 inch hull just figure out the rite spaceing... charlie