This is basically the idea I had in mind except with a roll crimp.

If I’d have shot your place in the spring you mighta had a red bean crop :rotf:

I’m gonna give that a try next week as there are always packing peanuts in a box at the shop . Need to scratch around and find me a nice sharp exacting knife or razor knife .

Do the fiber wads you are using as a filler above the over powder card need to be the lubed type. I have a bunch of unlubed fiber and cork wads. Do you think I have to soak them in lube?

Well I have disassembled some 8 and 10 gauge loads the other day to get a better idea of how I want to reload. The 8 gauge loads just had dry fiber wads, the high velocity load which I think is 1700 fps only had a single 1/4" fiber wad which I thought was odd. Talking to cowboy action shooters the wad lube is for making the bores easier to clean after shooting blackpowder not sure if theres a benefit for smokeless?

Is there any reason when trimming 10 gauge hulls to cut them 2 7/8 instead of 2 5/8 ? Looking at these loads I took apart even a 2 5/8 10 gauge needs filler for 1 1/4oz loads. I just dont see the reason for keeping excess length on the hull besides what is need for a crimp ?

Milt, I don’t use the lubed wads. I don’t even use them for my BP loads.

My plan is to use two 1/2" wads then the shot column and a overshot card according to my mic this will put a 1 1/4oz payload at the perfect height in a 2 5/8 10 ga load no filler needed for roll crimping anyhow. I was reading someone mentioned the main downside to roll crimped shells being the paper overshot card in wet conditions. I dont see why something like terraslate couldnt be used to make your own waterproof overshot cards.

Sounds like a plan Milt!

I recall clear plastic over shot cards available at BPI so I guess it doesn't matter what you use as long as it does not affect the pattern.

I have used the clear plastic overshot cards in 12 ga, work great, can at a glance tell shot size 7 or 8 from 5 or larger. Downside is the plastic litter although have never found a piece big enough to identify. Have not seen them in 10 ga.
I tried some 16 ga x 1/2" fiber wads (untreated) under a shot column in the 10 ga. w/ 1 1/4 oz They didn't "poof" but didn't sound and feel like a full charge round and burned very dirty. Same fiber wad IN the shot cup worked well, got me the same shot height for crimp, burned much cleaner. Have to think the result was a very low pressure round, too low to fully burn the powder. Shot both outta my Ithaca Mag 10 for test purposes, neither would fully operate mechanism, no surprise there.